High School Orchestra Warm-ups

Teaching high school felt totally different from teaching younger grades. There are so many resources, books, and ideas for elementary and middle school orchestras, but not very much for the high school level.  I used a popular method book with my high school groups last year and it was alright.  It just felt like I needed something for warm-ups that had more substance.  In May I was helping at our high school state orchestra festival and had the opportunity to hear many amazing groups from around my state.  I made of list of things I wanted to work on with my students to bring them to a higher level of playing.  The vast majority of my students do not take private lessons.  It is up to me to make sure they learn advanced techniques. That is how my new book came to be:  18 Etudes for Advanced Orchestra Warm-ups.

Available for purchase HERE

I began this project by studying the book BASICS by Simon Fischer.  This is a great book for violin playing and has some excellent exercises to help with advanced technique.  There are many gems in the book to help with advanced warm-ups. I wanted to write similar exercises that could be used in a string orchestra setting.

 The 18 etudes were each written with a specific skill in mind for students to develop and master.  My goal is to help my students gain greater bow control and flexibility to produce a more uniform tone.  All etudes include skills for left hand and right hand technique.  Each etude includes a page with practice suggestions and 'I Can' statements to help students know what and how skills should be mastered.

I'm excited to bring my orchestra to the next level by using these etudes in my group.  They might not be perfect.  But I'm confident my groups will be stronger.

As a disclaimer...I'm not a cellist or a bassist.  There might be fingerings that could be different here and there.  I'm sure there are differing ideas about some of the techniques in the book.  However, this book provides a way to have all instruments playing at the same music at the same skill level.  This helps all musicians improve.

Digital printable resources are so perfect because for one low price you can print and copy as many times as you need, as many parts as you need.  And you'll have it forever.

Check out the samples below and purchase at my TPT store  or Orchestra Classroom store.

8 Etudes for Advanced String Orchestra Warm-ups drills specific skills in each etude. The purpose of the book is to help an orchestra transition to a more advanced level of playing by working on right hand and left technique. Each etude includes one page of practice suggestions to help students master the techniques presented in each piece. This packet includes a 43 page book for violin, viola, cello, and string bass as well as a teacher score. 289 pages total.