By David Pope
As students return to school this fall, orchestra rooms around the country will fill with young musicians eager to begin or continue their musical studies. To be successful, directors must motivate each student and personalize their lessons to individual needs. Successful orchestra programs also increase their standing in the community by connecting and collaborating with parents, school staff, and community members. However, it requires careful planning to meet these goals since students and other stakeholders do not have a single personality and only like one type of music. Instead, they bring differing personalities, backgrounds, and musical tastes to our classrooms and concerts.
Choosing repertoire that motivates all students and connects with all audience members is challenging. Not all students like traditional “classical” music. Not all families and community members like sitting through concerts filled with pieces that sound the same. Not all school staff members understand the detail involved in teaching music. It is difficult to choose repertoire that meets all of those needs and develops our students’ performance abilities.
Selecting quality non-traditional repertoire offers directors the opportunity to pick pieces that can please everyone. Directors can choose pieces with solo passages to encourage and highlight specific students. Programming non-traditional repertoire also allows directors to feature the viola, cello, and double bass sections; violins always get the melody. Directors can also use non-traditional repertoire to involve community and school staff members in concerts. Increasing outsiders’ involvement will help increase music’s importance and value in your community and school.
Below are non-traditional repertoire categories that can address those needs. The pieces listed below are only a starting point. Directors are encouraged to identify additional non-traditional pieces that fit their students’, schools’, and community’s needs. Finding the right repertoire is imperative. As Merle J. Isaac wrote, “I think you will all agree with me when I say that selecting the right music for an orchestra is one of the most important responsibilities of the orchestra director. Selecting the right music—at the right time—involves the likes and dislikes of the teacher, the students, and the community.” Good luck on your journey!
Section Features
- Can Can Basses by Jacques Offenbach / arr. by Richard Meyer (Grade 1.5) – Double bass feature
- Cello Squadron by Richard Meyer (Grade 2) – Cello feature
- Santa Plays the Viola by Mark Williams (Grade 2) – Viola feature
- Viola Country by Richard Meyer (Grade 2) – Viola feature
- Serendipity Suite by Richard Meyer (Grade 3.5) – Violin, Viola, Cello, & Double Bass features
Solo Features
- Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar / arr. Calvin Custer (Grade 2.5) – Violin solo
- The Gentle Giant by Bob Phillips (Grade 2.5) – Double Bass solo
- Fantasia on an Original Theme by Joseph Phillips (Grade 3) – Viola solo
- The Emerald Falcon by Richard Meyer (Grade 4) – Violin & Double Bass solo
- Vir-Cello Reality by David O’Fallon (Grade 4) – Cello solo
Bluegrass & Fiddle
- Sourwood Mountain by Bob Phillips (Grade 1.5)
- Gaelic Trilogy by Jim Palmer (Grade 3)
- Tam Lyn by Crystal Plohman & Bob Phillips (Grade 3)
- Folk Tune Air & Fiddler’s Fury by Alexander Safford (Grade 4)
Rock & Pop
- Shut Up and Dance by Michael Story (Grade 2)
- All Star (from Shrek) by Michael Story (Grade 2.5)
- Dynamite by Victor Lopez (Grade 2.5)
- Firework arr. by Todd Parrish (Grade 2.5)
- Uptown Funk by Dean Marshall & Bob Phillips (Grade 3)
Tran-Siberian Orchestra
- Appalachian Snowfall by Bob Phillips (Grade 3)
- First Snow by Bob Phillips (Grade 3)
- A Mad Russian’s Christmas by Bob Phillips (Grade 3.5)
- Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 by Bob Phillips (Grade 3.5)
- Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night) by Bob Phillips (Grade 3.5)
Sound Effects
- A Boomwhacker Christmas by Richard Meyer (Grade 2)
- Bio Rhythms by Richard Meyer (Grade 2)
- Q&A by Richard Meyer (Grade 2.5)
- The Sound of a Sound by Richard Meyer (Grade 3)
- Plink Plank Plunk by Leroy Anderson (Grade 3.5)
Narration
- Tale of Four Trees by Bob Phillips (Grade 2)
- ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Bob Phillips (Grade 2)
- A Dickens Christmas Carol Suite by Andrew Dabczynski (Grade 2.5)
- Monster Mash by Bob Phillips (Grade 2.5)
Non-Traditional Performance Techniques
- Ear-igami by Richard Meyer (Grade 2)
- The One Bow Concerto by Richard Meyer (Grade 2)
- Fill in the Blanks by Carrie Lane Gruselle (Grade 2.5)
- Remote Control by Richard Meyer (Grade 2.5)
- Rosin Eating Zombies from Outer Space by Richard Meyer (Grade 3)
World & Multicultural Music
- Korean Folk Song arr. by Richard Meyer (Grade 2)
- Las Mariposas Exoticas by Doug Spata (Grade 2)
- Fantasia on a Theme from Thailand by Richard Meyer (Grade 2.5)
- Maharaja by Doug Spata (Grade 3.5)
- A Little Stream (Xiao He Tang Shui) by Albert Wang (Grade 4)
David Pope is Director of Orchestras for the Elyria City Schools (OH). In addition, he teaches string pedagogy courses for VanderCook College of Music, conducts the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra, and serves as a senior conductor and co-director of Florida State University’s String Orchestra Camp. As an active adjudicator and clinician, he has conducted numerous all-state orchestras, regional honor orchestras, and served as a guest clinician for various orchestra programs throughout the United States. Dr. Pope has presented string pedagogy clinics and his research at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Dr. Pope received the Distinguished Music Educator Award (2015) from the Yale Symposium for Music in Schools and was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Music Educator Award (2009) for the state of Tennessee.
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