String Riffs

String Riffs "Coastal Breezes" inspired by a wind chime and thoughts of sitting on the beach at Coronado Island. Coastal Breezes wafts from ponticello pianissimo to gusty forte. Off-beat entrances and dynamics converge and diverge with pizzicato and plenty of eighth rests in refreshing 6/8 time. Light and airy at a Level 2.5.

String Riffs Holiday Volume brings together music celebrating Christmas, Veterans Day, Halloween, Chanukah and other occasions to easily create the ideal concert program. “Goblins Galore” uses spooky harmonics and spine-chilling glissandos; add more advanced musicians with “Giggling Goblins.” Another mixed-level pairing combines “Jalapeño Poppers” with “Spicy Tacos!” (from String Riffs Volume Three [Link to String Riffs Volume Three]). Other holiday pieces include “Jukebox Jingle,” “Save

String Riffs Celebration Performance Set 4 offers concert repertoire with two substantial pieces plus an excellent multi-movement suite. Explore “Twitchy Latte,” “’Twas the Cat,” and the four sparkling movements of  Orchestrocity: I. “Violarific,” II. “Celloha,” III. BASS-ic-al-ly,” and IV. “Violinstinct.” Levels 1.5 – 3 for string orchestra. Twitchy Latte Pep up your day with syncopation, controlled glissandos and jittery tremolos. Take a sip and dance the java jive using soli phrases passed

This bouncy rainy-day outing begins with an eager kid slamming the door and dashing down the steps to a mud puddle. Slippery glissandos pass the melody between violins, violas and cellos, with slap bass effects filling in for satisfyingly sloshy foot-stomps. Plenty of eighth- and sixteenth-note fiddle-inflected rhythms balance off-beat pizzicato and syncopated rests until the final notes skip reluctantly up the steps and back through the door. Level 2.5 for string orchestra

Written in E minor, “Silently Beside You” uses rhythms influenced by Jimi Hendrix and features 16th notes, accents, hooked bows, shifting to 4th position in cello, shifting in bass, three- to five-part writing, slurs, and rapping on instruments for percussive effects. Level 2.5 for string orchestra. Duration: 3:00.

After a long day on the trail, Sundown Saddle Time brings the horses home with pizzicato, slap bass, and tied notes tugging on the reins. Violas, cellos, and basses take turns swinging back to the stables with off-beat eighth rests and kicking up their heels with energetic fiddle-flavored 16th- note patterns before easing into a sweet rendition of the traditional Welsh tune, “The Ash Grove.” Dotted quarter notes and cross-rhythms between instruments end with a brief foray into fifth position for

Yippee-ki-yay! Pull on your cowboy boots and ride the range from open strings to 3rd position with slurs, glissandi, accents and counting in brisk G major. Level 3 for string orchestra. Duration: 2:30.

A mischievous orchestra elf scampers around the ensemble, moving between D major and D minor with 6/8 time, shifting, slurs and hooked bows, giving each instrument a chance to enjoy the melody. Level 3 for string orchestra. Duration 2:10.

Who’s On Bass? Duration: 2:45 Level 2.5 Dive into the depths of those satisfying low notes to discover Who’s On Bass? Flexible and versatile, this richly layered treat is designed as a bass section solo, with an optional easier second bass part, and an optional second cello part which doubles the bass solo. Lucky basses carry a strong melody, trading pizzicato with the upper strings and zig- zagging through double-stops and accents. Frothy 16th notes from the violins balance off- beat rhythm

Commissioned by Mesa Public Schools in Arizona for 6th-grade feeder concerts, “Mingo” features sonorous three-part writing within the D-major scale. Level 1 for string orchestra. Duration: 1:50.

Prickly Pair Pizzicato - Flex Duo - Filled with counter-rhythms and folksy accidentals, this cheery, versatile tune uses a flexible duo format. Prickly Pair is suited to any combination of string instruments, or can be performed as a two-part orchestral piece. Percussive stomps mixed with pizzicato, arco and optional instrument spins (fun for dexterous cellists and bassists) keep players bouncing.

String Riffs Volume One Flex-Pack offers you 3 multi-level parts.  Part A-Tune, Part B-Challenge, and Part C-Open strings or basic notes.  A few pieces even have Part-D Solo for your go-getters or for you to accompany your students.  I suggest starting from the open strings and building up to your challenge players.   The Finale MP3 for Volume One Flex-Pack singles uses the same piano part from our Original Volume One, but now has A, B, C, and D parts represented as violinists. *Download "View P

Prickly Pair Pizzicato-Double Bass I & IIFilled with counter-rhythms and folksy accidentals, this cheery, versatile tune uses a flexible duo format. Prickly Pair Pizzicato is suited to any combination of string instruments, or can be performed as a two-part orchestral piece. Percussive stomps mixed with pizzicato, arco, and optional instrument spins (fun for dexterous cellists and bassists) keep players bouncing. Duration: 2:10, Level 2.5

Prickly Pair Pizzicato-Cello I & IIFilled with counter-rhythms and folksy accidentals, this cheery, versatile tune uses a flexible duo format. Prickly Pair Pizzicato is suited to any combination of string instruments, or can be performed as a two-part orchestral piece. Percussive stomps mixed with pizzicato, arco, and optional instrument spins (fun for dexterous cellists and bassists) keep players bouncing. Duration: 2:10, Level 2.5

Prickly Pair Pizzicato-Viola I & IIFilled with counter-rhythms and folksy accidentals, this cheery, versatile tune uses a flexible duo format. Prickly Pair Pizzicato is suited to any combination of string instruments, or can be performed as a two-part orchestral piece. Percussive stomps mixed with pizzicato, arco, and optional instrument spins (fun for dexterous cellists and bassists) keep players bouncing. Duration: 2:10, Level 2.5

Prickly Pair Pizzicato-Violin I & IIFilled with counter-rhythms and folksy accidentals, this cheery, versatile tune uses a flexible duo format. Prickly Pair Pizzicato is suited to any combination of string instruments, or can be performed as a two-part orchestral piece. Percussive stomps mixed with pizzicato, arco, and optional instrument spins (fun for dexterous cellists and bassists) keep players bouncing. Duration: 2:10, Level 2.5