today at jw pepper we have a list of 10 string orchestra titles that are sure fire winners for
your ensemble these titles have all been chosen to meet the demands of string orchestra teachers
and directors who are either just getting started or ones that have been teaching and directing
for years if you need ideas for your groups definitely check out this video let's get started
today's list comes directly from our editorial team here at jw pepper who each year come up
with our editor's choice list which can be found linked below but they also curate what we call
the jw pepper basic library if you're not aware the pepper basic library is comprised of titles
that have been best sellers spanning all styles and grade levels our editorial teams monitor the
sales over a five-year period to determine which titles stand the test of time and keep getting
performed so really you the customers have been the ones showing us for years that these pieces
work and continue to work you can find the full list of library titles at jwpepper.com
basic library also anywhere you're browsing on the site and you see this icon that's letting you know
that this is a basic library title in this video we chose basic library string orchestra titles
that can work in multiple settings a variety of styles and grade levels that span from
early beginner to medium or grade 3. please note that today's list is in no particular
order all of these titles are great choices and these are not all the titles in the collection
check out pepper.com basic library and we plan on making a lot more videos like this with product
recommendations for repertoire lists so if you have a list that you would like to see us cover or
a particular style or genre definitely let us know in the comments below now let's get to the list
right out of the gate we have a perfect example of the type of music you will find in the basic
library for strings dragon hunter by richard meyer is listed as a very easy piece and it's accessible
for your young string players but the minor key and modal harmonies and driving rhythms give this
piece a very mature sound the picture painted here is the dragon represented by the cellos and bases
is being chased by the violins and violas lots of fun and great options for young ensembles [Music]
this piece was inspired by the school mascot that it was commissioned for which was a hawk and
you can feel that inspiration in the legato and lyrical main themes this has a great contrasting b
section which has short and staccato phrasing the violin three part and the viola parts are both
optional which makes this a great piece for smaller groups or those without violas
the piano part is also optional but it does add a nice layer to the overall feel
composer suny niebuld is fast becoming a staple in the jw pepper basic library
when i was young mars was my favorite piece from post i am a percussionist after all but as i grew
up jupiter has actually taken those reigns with its beautiful central hymn melody this
arrangement by deborah baker monday is a great introduction to both jupiter and hulse with this
piece from chose music company included for each player as well as in the score is a learning bank
that contains background information on holst as well as facts about the planet jupiter which is a
really nice touch and your young players will love to have more background knowledge on the piece
that they're playing also it's a great way to make a solid connection with science and music [Music]
you will find a lot of brian ball mage's music in the pepper basic library he writes for both
band and strings and in both settings he strives for excellence and challenges the players while
also connecting with them emotionally even for beginners burst is an energetic fanfare that will
make the most of your first year students skills the piece also incorporates simple string crossing
and brief violin division one unique option here is the optional burst multimedia video
software that gives you the ability to sync a fireworks display to your performance of this
piece something that could add a really cool presentation to your concert and if you want
to learn more about brian ball mages definitely check out the links to our interviews with him
and some of the specials that we've done with him in the past in the description below [Music]
moving up the player range scale we have a medium easy composition
legends of glory catherine is a composer that really strives to make educational
and fun pieces that both players and directors will love legends of glory has some developing
skills for the first violins with just a little third position this comes from
the achievement series from weird jones which is a great stepping stone to some
of their more advanced techniques but still very accessible and exciting for young players [Music]
this shostakovich waltz is taken from sweet for variety orchestra and this adaptation by
paul lavender is ideally suited for both serious and light programming this is a medium difficulty
level so not for beginners but still challenging even for advanced players this piece also includes
percussion parts and waltz number two has become an international icon made popular by artists
like andrei rao and was first featured prominently in the stanley kubrick film eyes wide shut [Music]
this medium arrangement of danny elfman's classic from the movie the nightmare before christmas
is a perfect crowd pleaser for any holiday concert and your performers will love playing it as well
this music has become iconic as the movie has become a classic over the years for people of
all ages which is why it's featured in almost every category of the jw pepper basic library
i'm a huge fan of danny elfman and what i love about the nightmare before christmas music is that
it can actually be played for either halloween or for christmas or even non-holiday concerts
since the music is so iconic but also still challenging for young string players [Music]
the movie la la land captivated audiences with its amazing score by justin hurwitz this collection
of music from the movie is an arrangement by robert longfield for hal leonard corporation
some of the memorable songs in this collection are the oscar winner city of stars another day
of sun maya and sebastian's theme as well as auditions the fools who dream another great
i will say newer classic that i'm sure will be in the pepper basic library for years to come [Music]
the title of this piece boreas in greek mythology is the cold north wind
making this a great addition to winter concerts with a piece that's not
holiday themed giving a good change of pace for some variety for your concert
composer todd parrish includes staccato and legato boeing styles multiple down bows and
key changes that will challenge your students and make for a great performance [Music]
this arrangement of the holiday staple carol of the bells also includes the themes from god
rest you mary gentlemen to add some variety and flavor to the piece this arrangement has
been in the pepper basic library for years and the reason why is because it works very well
for a holiday concert with its timeless melodies but also because larry clark really understands
writing for younger players and strikes a great balance between keeping the music entertaining
and still challenging for younger musicians with the jw pepper basic library you can pick music for
your ensemble with the confidence knowing that it has worked for years with other groups just
like yours our editors were and in some cases still are teaching and performing so we really
understand what it takes to choose a great program that's both educational entertaining and most of
all fun as we said earlier if you would like to see a specific list or a style or group of titles
featured please leave us a comment below this is your chance to get a curated list of that hard
to find music that you've been searching for and a list that's curated by world-class leading editors
in their field so please take advantage of this and let us know what you would like to see next
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