Grand Mesa Music

Farewell to Cavendish, composed by Sarah Siegler, is a slow lyrical piece depicting the beautiful scenery of Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, and the feeling of leaving a place you really love. All se...

Island Rhythms, composed by Erica Donahoe, is meant to embody the easy feel of a day at the beach, happily soaking in the Caribbean sunshine! Caribbean music encompasses a large geographic area of ove...

Dusty Bridge Blues was inspired by the common experience every string player has after "Whoops!" putting too much rosin on the bow. Then, the rosin dust flies fast and furious during rehearsal and pil...

The Missing Hour is an energetic piece from start to finish, depicting the feeling of "chasing after time". Many people experience the challenging time changes of jet lag from a trip, or the "spring f...

Above Kitty Hawk depicts the history-making Wright Brothers' first flight, from the intense opening rhythms through the exhilarating finish! In 1903 the Wright Brothers built the powered "Wright Flyer...

The Christmas Tree Ship was inspired by the fascinating historical account of a ship called the Rouse Simmons, nicknamed "The Christmas Tree Ship". It sailed on Lake Michigan delivering Christmas tree...

Ordinary Courage is a quietly stunning work that celebrates the "ordinary courage" of everyday life. The courage it takes to wake up and go to school when you're not feeling well and take the test any...

Star Gazers Suite was inspired by an orchestra teacher, Julie Nolan, who was searching for multi-movement works to play with her first-year students. We had a great conversation about what that might...

Dark Magic is the perfect piece for a spooky fall concert. With simple rhythms and finger patterns, your beginning players can feel confident and sound great on this piece. Encourage your students to...

Short Ride in a Fast Sled is a fun winter concert piece written as a nod to John Adams' well-known "Short Ride in a Fast Machine". It presents a neat opportunity for directors to show Adams' famous wo...

The myth of the thunderstone has been part of many world cultures for thousands of years. What is a thunderstone? It is believed to be a stone forged by lightning, giving the stone mystical and magica...

Across the Crescent Moon evokes a velvet night and a moonlight sliver. The wisps of clouds float across, only to slip away into darkness. Impressionistic elements paint a picture of the secretive cres...

Medallion Hunt is a dark energetic work from the opening frenzy to the thrilling finish! The piece was inspired by an annual citywide contest to "search for the medallion and win the prize". It inspir...

Like some cities we know, Five O'Clock Jam stays both energized and energizing the whole time you're there! The piece begins with honking horns of cars and trucks jam-packed together in the rush hour...

Based on a French-Canadian carol, this lush, expertly scored work would be perfect to include on a winter holiday concert. Includes an optional hand drum part.

Let your students show off their very best lyrical playing using this gorgeous arrangement of a traditional Scottish love song. Parts for all instruments have melodic interest as the melody flows thro...

The traditional Irish melody 'Denis Murphy' is used as the basis for this rollicking 'Irish Fiddle' tune that features melodies for all instruments. Other techniques explored in this very playable arr...

La Paloma is a popular Spanish song that was written by Sebastian Yradier after he visited Cuba. The song is written in the musical style of an Habanera, which combines Cuban rhythms with traditional...

This arrangement was written to celebrate a popular Latin American Carol, 'Los Peces en el Rio', translated as, 'Fish in the River.' In a nutshell, the song is about fish in a river that swim by Mary,...

This arrangement of O Come, O Come Emmanuel captures a sense of anticipation found in the meaning of this popular carol. Contrasting moods are created shifting between long, sustained playing and more...

A Joyous Hanukkah - These three traditional Hanukkah songs are set in the style of a Western Hoedown as a follow-up to the composer's popular holiday piece for strings, "A Joyous Sleigh Ride". Inspire...

Searching for the right sounds to capture the feel of the undead creeping ever closer, the composer has incorporated a variety of non-traditional string techniques, including playing behind the bridge...

This is a moving arrangement of the English Christmas Carol that dates back to the 16th Century. The Coventry Carol contains one of the best known examples of the use of a Picardy Third, using a major...

This piece opens with a lovely setting of the song 'Rock of Ages'. Next, the arranger gives us an energetic version of the song 'Hanukah'. A brief transition then takes us to 'The Dreidel Song', and t...