Vanishing Pointe: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$60.00 USD

Vanishing Pointe: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Vanishing Pointe: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-35963
Price: 60.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 4

Item: 00-35963

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This original selection will challenge every section of your high school string orchestra both musically and technically. A jazzy, rhythmically intense mood dominates much of the piece, but makes way briefly for a lyrical middle section featuring lush, hauntingly beautiful harmonies. Contrary motion, crescendos and decrescendos are used throughout to depict vanishing points, and a solo section for two violins adds to the interest. A great way to show off your orchestra's "chops" and sensitive side. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Vanishing Pointe: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Highland/Etling String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 124

UPC: 038081410388

SKU: 00-35963

Instrumentation: string

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer has spent decades shaping string programs across Southern California, teaching at elementary through high school levels and directing orchestras that grew from dozens of students to hundreds under his leadership. His tenure as music director of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years took ensembles to prestigious venues across New York, Washington D.C., Vienna, Australia, and Canada. Beyond the podium, Meyer has influenced string education nationally as a clinician at A.S.T.A. and regional conferences, guest-conducted All-State orchestras, and served as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company.

As a composer, Meyer has established himself as a prolific voice in string education, with over 190 published works and arrangements. His "Giving Bach" program, launched in 2009, earned national recognition for using interactive concerts to connect special needs and underserved students with live music. Meyer is also a co-author of widely-used string methods, including the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings.

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Why we love this

Meyer writes for the orchestra he knows best: one with genuine range. The piece demands technical precision and rhythmic vitality from every section while also trusting them with lyrical, transparent writing in the middle section. Conductors love this because it gives students something substantial to achieve and the musical contrast makes the program feel complete without needing to pair it with lighter fare.

What to expect

The opening crackles with jazzy energy and rhythmic drive, propelling the ensemble forward with the kind of propulsive momentum that energizes students. Then suddenly, the texture opens into rich, aching harmonies that reveal the orchestra's ability to blend and sustain, creating a moment of genuine vulnerability before the piece returns to its compelling rhythmic character.

Who it's for

High school string orchestras ready for Grade 4 technical and musical demands. The piece works for ensembles with solid fundamentals who can navigate rhythmic complexity and respond to stylistic shifts, making it ideal for both concert programming and festival competition.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the rhythmic intensity in the opening section by keeping quarter-note pulses crisp in the accompaniment parts while allowing solo lines to breathe. The piece's energy comes from precision, not volume.
In the two-violin solo section, shape the phrasing generously and let the accompanying strings recede; this moment rewards the soloists' preparation and gives the ensemble a chance to listen actively together.
Use contrary motion sections as an opportunity to isolate each section's independence. Mark these passages in rehearsal and drill them at slow tempos to ensure clarity when tempo increases.
The transition from jazzy sections to the lyrical middle needs breath and space. Conduct a slight ritardando into that moment and give yourself time to reset the ensemble's focus.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a centerpiece concert work that demonstrates your orchestra's full range in a single piece. It also programs well as a festival entry where the stylistic variety and technical demands showcase maturity, or paired with a lighter opening number to bookend a concert that progresses from accessible to ambitious.