OrchEstraCada

Items you can download from this site are intended to be a resource to OrchEstraCada members and to communities, families and churches interested in starting their own multi-level orchestra. If they are helpful to you, please drop us a line and let us know how you have used them. Pieces available on this site are either created by us for this purpose, or are in the public domain.

The cadences are a custom-designed series of orchestral exercises. Designed as they are for our community, they make several assumptions:

1. The orchestra has some experienced players and some new beginners
2. New beginners need parts tailored to their instruments.
3. Brass, woodwind, percussion and piano players will have some band or private lesson experience prior to or in addition to orchestra.
4. Even experienced players should have relatively easy parts for warm-ups, so they can focus on proper technique and drill new skills one at a time.
5. Beginners should practice at least 2 hours per week outside of class.
6. An experienced player should be available to each beginner for a few minutes of each rehearsal to check on his or her understanding and technique.

Beginning with Cadence 1,  each cadence gradually introduces new skills in bowing, music-reading, fingering, etc. in the Violin II part. By the time a beginner has worked through all the cadences, he or she will be able to move on to the violin I, cello, viola, or double bass parts of those same Cadences, which continue to reinforce new skills. Percussion, woodwind and brass parts are similarly designed to prepare students for more advanced pieces played by the intermediate orchestra.

Besides the Cadences, you will find various pieces arranged for our musicians. Some are holiday specialties, like the popular "Ghost of Tom" we like to play every fall. Enjoy the music! 

On the Theory page, you will find printable theory worksheets, and websites to help wth theory and instrumental technique.