Time Trial: 3rd Violin (Viola [TC])
Time Trial: 3rd Violin (Viola [TC]) Sheet Music Preview

Time Trial: 3rd Violin (Viola [TC])

By Andrew H. Dabczynski

Grade: 2

Item: 00-PC-0015944_VN3
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Description
And they're off! This quick-sprint rondo challenges students with constantly changing meters, but uses only the simplest rhythms, fingerings, and bowings---all within a D-major framework. By varying and combining simple 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 meters, the orchestra learns to "keep time" while preparing for more complex meters. A 7-part rondo form provides the players repetition opportunities to solidify the meter changes and maximize learning. More advanced students can play this piece at the fastest possible tempo to test their ability to play accurately.

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Additional Details
Series: Belwin Beginning String Orchestra
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 138
SKU: 00-PC-0015944_VN3

More about this title

About the Composer: Andrew H. Dabczynski

Andrew H. Dabczynski

Andrew H. Dabczynski brought decades of string pedagogy expertise to music education through teaching positions at Brigham Young University, where he held the rank of Emeritus Professor of Music Education, and at the Eastman School of Music. His work founding BYU's "New Horizons Orchestra" as both a performing ensemble for adult learners and a training laboratory for string teachers earned him the Joseph E. White Fellowship for Teaching and Learning. He also served as Supervisor of Fine Arts Education in Michigan and held leadership roles in the American String Teachers Association, including past-president of the Utah chapter.

A viola performer with orchestral experience in ensembles ranging from the Rochester Philharmonic to the Greenwich Symphony, Dabczynski spent six years as a member of the Colden String Quartet at Western Michigan University. His formal training includes degrees from the Eastman School of Music, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Michigan. Beyond his conducting and teaching work, he co-authored the String Explorer method series with Alfred and has conducted research in ethnomusicology and traditional fiddling.

Why we love this

Dabczynski solves the meter-reading challenge at Grade 2 by keeping the rhythmic content elementary while the metric landscape stays complex. The rondo structure means students hear and play each meter change multiple times in a single rehearsal, building genuine fluency rather than just memorization. Conductors also get a piece that can live in the program at tempo or be used diagnostically to assess who is ready for the next technical step.

What to expect

A musical sprint through shifting time signatures that never feels chaotic because the bow patterns and note choices stay straightforward. The rondo form creates a sense of return and familiarity even as the metric ground shifts beneath the players' bows.

Who it's for

String orchestras at Grade 2 level that have mastered consistent pulse but need guided practice switching between simple meters. This piece works for conductors introducing meter as a variable element without overwhelming players with rhythmic density.

How to get the most out of it

  • Isolate each meter in the rondo sections during early rehearsals. Have the orchestra tap the beat while you conduct a different meter to train listening independence before adding notes.
  • Mark tempo strategically. A moderate starting tempo lets the ensemble focus on the meter shifts; once those are solid, challenge faster performances and invite advanced students to push the tempo limit.
  • Conduct clearly through the meter transitions. Exaggerate the preparatory gesture and first beat of each new section so students lock onto the pulse change.
  • Record a rehearsal at tempo. Playback reveals whether students are responding to the conductor or rushing ahead during transitions, making the next rehearsal's focus crystal clear.

How to use it

Program this early in a concert or festival to warm up the orchestra's listening skills and give the ensemble a confidence boost from executing something rhythmically challenging at the beginning. It also makes an excellent prelude to introducing a Grade 3 piece with mixed meters, since students will already understand how to follow meter changes without fearing rhythmic complexity.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and responding to meter changes (4/4, 3/4, 2/4)
  • Maintaining pulse while the metric structure shifts
  • Following the conductor's beat pattern across metric transitions
  • Playing at increasing tempos while keeping accurate meter
  • Recognizing and executing rondo form (A-B-A-C-A-D-A)

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