Dream of Flight
Grade 1, D Major, 2/2
This piece allows young students to produce a mature sound while still working to master the one-octave D major scale. The tempo is intended to be a brisk, but flowing, cut-time.
Every section gets a chance at the melody. Have your students listen for who has it at which measures. The members of the orchestra should aim to raise and lower their dynamic level in moments like this to ensure the most important voices are heard. One spot that might be less obvious to the students: the 1st violin 8th notes in measure 16 are intended to be the dominant sound and then flow right into the 2nd violin/viola melody at measure 17, quickly swapping roles from melody to harmony.
In Dream of Flight, the cello often plays an inner-harmony role, accompanying the melodic lines in the upper strings. This allows for the root of the chord to be performed solely by the bass players, providing a solid foundation for the orchestra to build upon. For groups with a low number of bassists, a “bass on cello” part has been included.
I hope you and your students enjoy Dream of Flight!
Every section gets a chance at the melody. Have your students listen for who has it at which measures. The members of the orchestra should aim to raise and lower their dynamic level in moments like this to ensure the most important voices are heard. One spot that might be less obvious to the students: the 1st violin 8th notes in measure 16 are intended to be the dominant sound and then flow right into the 2nd violin/viola melody at measure 17, quickly swapping roles from melody to harmony.
In Dream of Flight, the cello often plays an inner-harmony role, accompanying the melodic lines in the upper strings. This allows for the root of the chord to be performed solely by the bass players, providing a solid foundation for the orchestra to build upon. For groups with a low number of bassists, a “bass on cello” part has been included.
I hope you and your students enjoy Dream of Flight!