Kendor Music Inc. Beyond the Horizon - Neidhold - String Orchestra - Gr. 1.5

Composer: Caryn Wiegand Neidhold
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: String Orchestra
Grade: 1.5

Take your students on a journey to find out what awaits "Beyond the Horizon" as they grow their musicianship! A great concert opener for developing ensembles.

Program Notes
"Beyond the Horizon" inspires dreams of the unknown. What can we discover when we stretch ourselves to learn? What adventures await us when we take that first bold step into something new? "Beyond the Horizon" celebrates the intrepid and daring travelers in this journey called life.

Notes to the Director
"Beyond the Horizon" is designed to have a mature sound, but with combined Violin 2/Viola and Cello/Bass parts, students have sufficient support to be successful with rhythmic independence.

The dotted quarter-eighth rhythm can be challenging for younger students, and this rhythm occurs frequently in this piece, especially in the opening measures. Students will be more successful if they hear the subdivisions when practicing. In addition, creating exercises to work on bow speed and bow weight will help prevent the eighth note from "popping" as students use more bow speed. Practicing this rhythm on a scale to focus on the subdivisions, bow weight, bow speed, and recovery to the starting spot on the bow can help this piece come together more quickly.

Marcato and legato bow strokes are featured, with marcato featured in the opening measures. This bow stroke should not be too short, but the start of each note should give energy to the piece. In measure 17, the Cellos should play with a more legato bow stroke, while the contrasting Violin 2 and Viola sections maintain the marcato bow stroke. Violin 1 should match the legato bowing with the Cello and Bass in measure 21. At measure 25, the upper strings play legato and the lower strings marcato. All sections return to the energetic bow stroke in measure 47, continuing through the end of the piece.