Two Winter Sketches: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Two Winter Sketches: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Two Winter Sketches: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-ST6222
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Level:.5

Item: 98-ST6222

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Using only six notes and no eighth notes, this classically inspired work was written for the very beginning string student. The first movement, The Holly and the Ivy, presents a lyrical treatment that also makes use of piano. The second movement is set in a Baroque style and highlights various motifs from Jingle Bells. Ideal for the first holiday concert and quite unique!

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Series: FJH Beginning Strings

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398226863

SKU: 98-ST6222

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built an international reputation as a composer and conductor whose output spans orchestral, band, and chamber idioms with equal fluency. His works have premiered at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles ranging from professional symphonies to elementary school groups. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association, received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light.

As a guest conductor, Balmages regularly appears at all-state festivals, university ensembles, and professional orchestras worldwide, with notable engagements at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous state ASTA conferences. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages understands what beginning string students actually need: a piece that sounds sophisticated without requiring technical complexity. The constraint of six notes and no eighth notes forces elegant compositional choices, and the pairing of two contrasting movements (lyrical versus Baroque) gives your ensemble the chance to explore different textures in a single rehearsal block. This is repertoire that makes young players feel like real musicians.

What to expect

The first movement unfolds with gentle lyricism, the piano and strings weaving around familiar carol melodies in a way that feels intimate rather than overstuffed. The second movement shifts into a more spirited energy, bouncing along with baroque grace notes and clear phrasing that feel both playful and structured.

Who it's for

Beginning string orchestras in grades 1-2, or mixed-level programs seeking accessible but musically substantive holiday repertoire. The simplicity of the note-reading demands makes this ideal for programs with younger or less-experienced players who still deserve chamber-quality writing.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the piano part carefully in The Holly and the Ivy; it should enhance the strings' melody without dominating the texture.
Shape the baroque-style second movement with clarity of articulation. Even with simple rhythms, precise bowing creates character and forward motion.
Let students recognize the Jingle Bells quotations in the second movement. Awareness of the source material builds engagement and memory.

How to use it

Open your first holiday concert with this two-movement suite to establish an immediate sense of accomplishment and musicianship. The modest technical demands mean you'll have adequate rehearsal time to focus on ensemble balance, intonation, and stylistic awareness rather than fighting with the notes.