Walk of the Silent Zombies: Cello Educational Pack
By Bob Phillips
Grade: 1.5
Item: 00-PC-0016366_VC_EDPAK
$5.99
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Description
For Halloween or any scary time, this eerie, yet easy piece remains on the G, D, and A strings in first position and reinforces F-natural on the D string for all instruments. Add skits and theatrics and remember, "Ssshhh!" (2:15)
Correlates to Sound Innovations Book 1, Level 3. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Correlates to Sound Innovations Book 1, Level 3. 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, Walk of the Silent Zombies: Cello Educational Pack comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Sound Innovations for String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
80
SKU:
00-PC-0016366_VC_EDPAK
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips has shaped string education through over 25 pedagogical series and more than 200 published works for orchestras and bands. As composer, author, and conductor, he built the Saline, Michigan string program into a nationally recognized model serving over 700 students across classical and eclectic styles. His Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic gained international prominence under his direction, performing at the White House and The Midwest Clinic annually.
Phillips is recognized as an ASCAP award-winning composer and an innovator in large ensemble pedagogy. He has conducted state and all-state orchestras across the country, served as resident conductor for the Wintergrass Festival for 12 years, and created instructional DVDs used by thousands of teachers. His eclectic style publications—including the Fiddlers, Jazz, Rock, Mariachi, and Latin Philharmonic series—have introduced string students to diverse musical languages alongside traditional classical repertoire.
Why we love this
Phillips understands the pedagogical sweet spot where students gain confidence without struggle. This piece keeps the technical demands minimal while delivering genuine theatrical impact, allowing directors to stage a fully engaging Halloween concert moment without weeks of complex fingering drills. The skit-friendly structure turns an easy piece into a memorable event.
What to expect
Slow, deliberate, and unsettling. The piece unfolds like footsteps in a darkened hallway, with each pluck or sustained note building tension rather than rushing forward. Students feel the power of collective restraint and understand how less can be more dramatically effective.
Who it's for
This piece is designed for beginning string orchestras in their second or third year of study. The Grade 1.5 level and correlation to Sound Innovations Book 1, Level 3 make it ideal for students who have developed basic first-position facility and are ready to explore a new note with musical purpose.
How to get the most out of it
- Encourage exaggerated physical movement and slow, deliberate bow strokes during the main theme to amplify the eerie atmosphere; the simplicity of the notes allows students to focus entirely on character and timing.
- Record a rehearsal run-through with theatrics included so students can hear how their collective breath control and unified articulation create the spooky effect Phillips intended.
- Assign students specific sound effects or stage directions (creaking doors, moans, dragging feet) timed to musical entrances so every player feels part of the storytelling, not just the accompaniment.
- Reinforce the F-natural on the D string in sectionals before full rehearsal to ensure uniform intonation in that new note, which will sharpen the piece's clarity during performance.
How to use it
Program this as a standalone Halloween concert moment or weave it into a fall festival with other seasonal or themed pieces. Its brevity (2:15) makes it perfect as an opener that sets a spooky tone before transitioning to lighter repertoire, or as a standalone novelty that students remember long after the season ends.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and playing F-natural on the D string
- Maintaining unified articulation and bow control across all instruments
- Coordinating physical performance with musical timing
- Playing first-position notes on G, D, and A strings with confidence and precision
- Creating dynamic tension through slow, deliberate tempo and collective restraint