Ingrid Koller

Arco Polo

This engaging piece for string orchestra is appropriate for any time of the year but would be especially fun for a summer orchestra concert. Arco Polo is the musical depiction of the well-known swimming-pool game "Marco Polo." The piece begins with tutti pizzicato. Then the instruments "call out" to each other using their bows. Students and audience members can listen for the following: The calling and answering (sections take turns), playful splashing (grace notes), the annoyance of the violin sections when their calls are not answered, and the underwater response of the cellos and basses. This multi-level piece is a practical choice for an orchestra with students at varying skill levels. At its core, it is a level 1.5 piece and can stand alone as such, but with the addition of the advanced violin, viola, and cello parts, it becomes even more challenging and fun. There is an optional improvisational section where students are randomly (perhaps secretly) selected to be the "caller," and the rest of the orchestra answers. An audience member could be cued to call out to the orchestra as an extra surprise. (2:00)