Advanced String Ensemble and Quartet Pieces
Hidden Forest is a spirited and energetic piece for string ensemble (including piano accompaniment) with a beautiful cadenza like opening. This piece is perfect for students who like a challenge and is full of octave runs and long tuplets for the ‘runs’ enthusiast! Suitable for around Grade 6-7 ensemble.
Red Cats at Midnight was originally performed for solo violin and guitar in 2010 by Natasha Paige for her IB recital. It was then arranged for a gypsy jazz quartet and performed in 2013 by Red Cats at Midnight and is now played regularly by the Red Cedar String Quartet as a string arrangement. This piece is suitable for an advanced string quartet approximately Grade 5 AMEB and above. It features double stop pizzicato, features a swing rhythm throughout and has interchanging question and answer passages between the different voices.
Tango in Dublin is a piece originally written for a latin jazz quartet, Red Cats at Midnight, featuring solo violin, guitar, double bass and percussion. I have arranged it for string quartet to assist in widening student’s appreciation of musical genre, hence the tango. This great little piece is arranged for an advanced string quartet and was first performed by some wonderful students of mine whom I had the pleasure of teaching!
The Arpeggiated Carnival is a fast moving piece written in 4 for string ensemble (including piano accompaniment). All parts get to have a play and carry the tune and there are some challenges and tricky runs featured in the 2nd violin and viola sections. Suitable for around Grade 4-5 ensemble.
