Gregory Smith

Ed Sullivan

Not just a get to know the instruments piece, The Orchestra Games goes further by exploring the personalities of the various instruments while acquainting the listener with basic musical elements as it sprints through an Olympic array of events. The work begins with a ceremonial introduction of the players and then romps through various events such as the low note limbo, the fast note dash, the marathon and others. These events demonstrate the capabilities of orchestral instruments while keeping the audience happily engaged in the friendly competition.

The Orchestra Games was commissioned and premiered by Marin Alsop as part of the 1995 Cabrillo Music Festival.

Orchestration: 3(pic),2,2,2   4,3,3,1   Timp + 2, Harp, Strings, Narrator.

Timing: 27 minutes (length adaptable)

Excerpt from The Orchestra Games