Specifications for Our String Orchestra Series'

Music written for the Early Bird Beginning String Series should be suitable for players who are beginners (1st. year of instruction). It should be educationally sound, interesting to play and appropriate for programming or state contest.

Composers of music for this series should use the following guidelines:

1. Write original music or arrangements of music in public domain. Subject matter or titles should be of interest to elementary age children. Arrangements of classics are usually well received.

2. Write 50 to 65 measures of music. If repeats are used, they should be short and easy to execute. Include rehearsal letters in logical places. (every eight measures)

3. Harmonic language should be traditional. Avoid chromatics. The keys of G and D major may be used.

4. Rhythms should be easy, logical and traditional. Use whole notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and quarter notes. Eighth notes should be avoided unless they are very basic. (in pairs)

5. Two-four, three-four, and four-four, or cut time are the only time signatures to be used in this series.

6. Stepwise motion is better than melodic leaps. Strive for logical voice leading and keep instruments in their best ranges.

7. Score for a full sonorous sound. Block writing and repeated patterns are most desirable. Unisons work well. Polyphonic writing and independent lines should be simple and used sparingly. With these limitations, achieving artistic variety in the composition is difficult but very important.

8. Major melodic material or important lines should be written for 1st Violin, however, emphasis should be given to inner voices so that they have parts of equal interest. Strength in writing may be accomplished by doubling. Three or four voice harmony is desirable.

9. Include one or two sentences containing remarks of interest about the music. These remarks are to help the sale of the music. See Composer Profile Form.

10. Bowings should be clearly marked. Regular bowing, short slurs (not more than four notes per slur), and pizzicato may be used.

11. A piano conductor score must be included with your manuscript. This is important.

12. All violin fingerings should stay in 1st. position and the G string should not be used. Avoid persistent use of the 4th finger. Emphasize the mid to upper register for cello and bass parts. Viola is better in its middle register. Generally speaking, keep your writing on the staff.

The following specifications are intended to create uniformity within the series. This uniformity enables directors to make selections from the series with confidence and the knowledge that their choices will work.

Music written for the Wizard Easy String Series should be suitable for players who are in their second year of instruction. It should be educationally sound, interesting to play and appropriate for programming or state contest.

Composers of music for this series should use the following guidelines:

1. Write original music or arrangements of music in public domain. Subject matter or titles should be of interest to elementary or junior high age children. Arrangements of classics are usually well received.

2. Write 50-65 measures of music. If repeats are used, they should be short and easy to execute. Include rehearsal letters in logical places. (every eight measures)

3. Harmonic language should be traditional. Very limited use of chromatics is allowable. The keys of C, G, and D major, and E and D minor may be used.

4. Rhythms should be easy, logical and traditional. Use whole notes, half notes, dotted half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes and dotted quarters followed by eighth notes. Avoid sixteenth notes.

5. Two-four, three-four, four-four, cut time and easy six-eight are the only time signatures to be used in this series.

6. Easy melodic leaps are permissible. Strive for logical voice leading and keep instruments in their best ranges.

7. Score for a full sonorous sound. Polyphonic writing and independent lines should be simple. Achieving artistic variety in the composition is difficult but very important.

8. All instruments may play independent parts. Major melodic material should be written for the 1st violin, however, emphasis should be given to inner voices so that they have parts of equal interest.

9. Bowing should be clearly marked. Regular bowing, slurs, and pizzicato may be used. Writing styles may include staccato, legato, and use of accents.

10. Include one or two sentences containing remarks of interest about the music. These remarks are to help the sale of the music. See Composer Profile Form.

11. A piano conductor score must be included with your manuscript. This is important.

12. All instruments should stay in 1st position except the bass. Generally speaking, keep your writing on the staff.

The following specifications are intended to create uniformity within the series. This uniformity enables directors to make selections from the series with confidence and the knowledge that their choices will work.

Music written for the Navigator Young String Series should be suitable for players who have had two to three years of instruction and have intermediate ability to perform. It should be educationally sound, interesting to play and appropriate for programming or state contest.

Composers of music for this series should use the following guidelines:

1. Write original music or arrangements of music in public domain. Subject matter or titles should be of interest to junior high or early high school age children. Arrangements of classics are usually well received.

2. Write approximately seventy measures of music. An andante can be fifty measures. Repeats may be used. Include rehearsal letters in logical places. (every eight measures)

3. Harmonic language should be traditional. Chromatics may be found in limited quantity. The keys of G, D, C, F, and B-flat major, and E, D, G and A minor may be used. Modulations are desirable.

4. Rhythms should be easy, logical and traditional. Use whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes simple sixteenth note rhythms, simple dotted rhythms, and easy syncopation.

5. Two-four, three-four, four-four, cut time, easy six-eight, and five-four are time signatures that may be used in this series. Quarter note signatures may be mixed within the composition.

6. Strive for logical voice leading and keep instruments in their best ranges.

7. Score for a full sonorous sound, and strive for variety within the composition.

8. All instruments may play independent parts. Major melodic material should be written for the 1st violin, however, emphasis should be given to inner voices so that they have parts of equal interest.

9. Bowing should be clearly marked. Regular bowing, slurs, pizzicato, tremolo, martelé, and spiccato may be used. Writing styles may include staccato, legato, and use of accents. Style may also be indicated with tempo markings.

10. Include one or two sentences containing remarks of interest about the music. These remarks are to help the sale of the music. See Composer Profile Form.

11. Although piano is not necessary to performance and not included in the score, a piano score must be included with your manuscript for editorial purposes. A performance piano part is optional.

12. Simple shifting is permissible and may be marked in the part. Easy double stops and divisi parts may be written. Generally speaking, keep your writing on the staff.