Orchestra works by Black Composers

The original chart for jazz ensemble has now been realized for the young string orchestra. This bluesy, swinging piece uses a pizzicato walking bass line throughout, a written violin solo, and lots of tutti

Using just six notes, this work explores G major in first position using only easy quarter- and half-note rhythms. A smooth detache call and response between upper and lower string sections will help young

This driving and heroic piece is nonstop action from beginning to end. A bold main theme with pulsating eighth notes and biting rhythms and sharp accents creates a vivid image of heroes called to action.

Against time and hope, the RMS Carpathia's historic rescue of survivors of the Titanic disaster is illustrated in this daring work by William Owens. Players craft the dramatic odyssey with

The composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor achieved such success in his life that he was called "the African Mahler" by his contemporaries. This arrangement for string orchestra by Robert Longfield uses music

Inspired by the rhythms and melodies of African culture, this inspiring original work features melodies built around a four-bar rhythmic motif. Perfect for teaching varying rhythm patterns to the young

The artistic turning point of English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's career happened in his twenties when he met the African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar influenced the young composer to

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was extraordinary in his use of themes from African American folk music, and his success contributed to the empowerment of African American musicians and composers who came after

The "endgame" is the final stage of a game such as chess, when only a few pieces remain. This spirited piece describes the intensity of the last moments of an epic game. A mysterious-sounding opening builds

This toe-tapping polka originally for piano solo and has been transposed to the keys of A and E major. The melody is primarily passed between the first and second violins. With its brief duration, simple

Fast-paced and aggressive, this all-around powerful work for young string players will make them sound mature beyond their abilities. This energetic piece is perfect for teaching accents, slurs, and both

Tango your way into the hearts of of your audience with this spicy original that contains all of the dramatic flavor of a Brazilian tango. It has the push and pull of the tempo, dynamics, and rhythmic

Beauty and hope are on full display in this gorgeous original work. A meditation on the path one's life may take, it combines pulsing rhythms and staccato articulations with lyrical writing and even the

This fun arrangement in D major is based on an 18th-century dance tune written by escaped slave Ignatius Sancho. Each section gets a turn with the melody. Skills students will reinforce include string

Follow the twists and turns of this eerie dance through a dark maze of shadows. In this danse-macabre-style waltz, phantoms and whispers haunt every turn as the E minor melody steps down a creepy chromatic

An English country dance from Ignatius Sancho's Minuets Cotillons & Country Dances, the two-part writing in D major for this string orchestra arrangement explores interesting dynamics

Violinist and composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was known for embracing the previously unexplored song and dance forms from his father's native West Africa and incorporating them into his own very European

This lyric work is a shining presentation of Price's signature style. The opening G major theme modulates to A major, featuring brief solos for violin and cello. Although short, the piece requires mature

This lively rondeau from Bologne's Six String Quartets, op. 1 is a classic seven-part rondo in G major, D major, and G minor. As was typical of the Classical style, the melody is heard mainly in the first

Samba is a Brazilian dance and music genre reflecting West African roots. William Owens captures the essence of the style with just five notes, piano, and a little hand percussion for beginning strings.

Here is a thrilling cinematic experience that puts you right in the middle of a high-flying action movie. Driving bass lines, pedal points, dramatic dynamic shifts, and themes built on half-step intervals

Fun and exciting, this piece uses familiar notes, finger patterns, and rhythms in E minor to explore the murky darkness. A mysterious introduction abruptly explodes into a thrilling segment that takes

Feel the intensity and anticipation of attack in this exciting work for intermediate string orchestra! A battle-march rhythm persists beneath a determined and resolute melody in the upper strings. Set in

This beautiful original work will warm the audience and players with delight. A beautiful melody and colorful harmonies combined with lush and expert scoring will make the developing orchestra sound full. A