Open String Christmas

Open String Christmas lets a new string student play duets and enjoy the holiday season. The  first part uses only open strings.  The second part has the melody.

The collection includes Jingle Bells, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Up on the Housetop, Joy to the World, Silent Night, We Three Kings and Away in a Manger.

Four of the selections, Jingle Bells, Up on the Housetop, Joy to the World and Away in a Manger, can be used with any combination of instruments.

Open String Christmas for Violin, Open String Christmas for Viola and Open String Christmas for Cello are available as a digital downloads.

Posted in easy music for strings, sheet music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2013 Pumpkin Walking Total

October’s pumpkin walks were very exciting this year. I saw over 13,000 pumpkins.

miriamtroxler's avatarPumpkinwalk

This year, during October I saw 13,516 pumpkins during my walks.

Lonely for more pumpkins? Check out the Pumpkin Walk books.

coverart ebook

View original post

Posted in pumpkins | 1 Comment

October 24, Pumpkins

miriamtroxler's avatarPumpkinwalk

101412 028

Today on my walk I saw 341 pumpkins. Only 7 pumpkin counting days left!

View original post

Posted in pumpkins | 4 Comments

Marcello Sonata No 2 in E Minor

I selected Benedetto Marcello’s Sonata No. 2 in E Minor as one of the pieces for Concerto Workshop last summer. The first reason I picked it was because it is a good piece to feature the bass students. Secondly, I like to have two choices for cellists. The first piece, Festival,  had a contemporary sound. I thought the sonata would be an excellent contrast.

I knew I would have to orchestrate the work to be able to use it, but it seemed to be worth the time. Then in the spring, after I announced the music for workshop, the local viola students took the sonata to heart.

The first performance of the new arrangement took place on Friday, August 9th. The violists used the solo part from the International Edition. The cellist and bassist used my arrangement. The first movement was performed with Kate Fierens as the soloist. The second movement featured two violists, Hannah Litz and Alyssa Perrone. The third movement was performed with cellist Richard Patterson and bassist Katrina Levendoski playing the solo part. Violists Kate Fierens and Leanne Santavicca teamed up as soloists for the fourth movement.  With the attendees of the workshop, it worked better to feature the violists for most of the sonata even though my original intention was for bass and cello.

CW 2013 Ensemble

The score and parts of the Benedetto Marcello Sonata No 2 in E Minor are now available. Feel free to perform it with solo cello and orchestra, solo bass and orchestra, or solo viola and orchestra. The sonata is a musical gem in any setting.

Posted in concerto workshop, concerto workshop photos, sheet music, video scrapbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pumpkin Walking Milestones

reblog from http://pumpkinwalk.wordpress.com/

October 11, Pumpkins.

I have two milestones today. I  published my 100th post on the Pumpkinwalk blog. I also had my first walk this month with over 1,000 pumpkins. I hope everyone is enjoying fall!

Posted in pumpkins | Leave a comment

Pumpkins on Parade

pumpkins and ravenPumpkins on Parade is an intermediate jazzy piano solo for Halloween. The sheet music is available here.

Posted in pumpkins, sheet music | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Just Ducky 5k

Duck and Bridge

Pittsburgh is the latest city to have a visit from the giant Rubber Duck art installation from artist Florentijn Hofman.

Duck in Pittsburgh

I went to visit the duck.  I took the steps next to the Roberto Clemente Bridge down to the trail next to the water. I started walking toward the Point.

Duck with ducks

I first saw the tail end of the Duck.  All the nearby ducks were dwarfed in comparison.

See Duck

The Duck was enjoying the view.

Duck at the Point

I was not the only person taking pictures.

photographers

I watched the sunrise with the Duck.

Duck at Dawn

Then I took my own photo opportunity with the Duck.

Rubber Duck with Miriam

The Duck was watching the fountain.

Duck and Fountain at Point

Water is endlessly fascinating if you are a duck.

Duck in Endless Water

People need boats

Crew on the Water

or bridges to get around Pittsburgh.

Duck by Bridge

Transportation doesn’t stop

Barge

even for a new Duck in town.

Pittsburgh Transportation

However, the Duck was honored with his own duck flyover.

Ducks fly near Duck in Pittsburgh

After taking close-ups of the Duck,

Hide and Seek Duck

I walked to the Fort Duquesne Bridge. I took the stairs up and walked across the river.

Bridge

From the bridge, the Duck is still a big bird.

Rubber Duck enjoys the Fountain

Following the North Shore Trail,

North Shore Trail

I was able to see the Duck from another perspective.

Rubber Duck Tailfeathers

I also enjoyed some Pittsburgh views

Three Sisters Bridges

over the water.

Pittsburgh Morning

I walked past Heinz Field and the Science Center.

Dinoblast

Some people had arrived early by boat for a Pitt game, but they were also Duck fans.

Best Wishes Duck

I saw people fishing in the shadow of the submarine, USS Requin.

Just Fishing

And that someone had found a place to relax.

Pittsburgh Still Life

I walked down the Three Rivers Heritage Trail as far as the West End Bridge.

West End Bridge and Fountain at the Point

Then I turned around and traced my steps backwards.

Bird

I enjoyed watching the little birds

Small Bird

as well as the big bird.

Crew around the Duck

There was lots of  activity around the Point.

Fountain at the Point

I took more pictures of the Rubber Duck as I went back across the bridge.

Yellow Duck

Perspective makes a huge difference.

Duck and Friends

Incline, Duck, Point

I took a second look at the Duck on my return to Point State Park.

Duck Portrait

And added another photo for my collection.

Duck over my shoulder

Total walking distance 4.2 miles.

At least for the time being, on bright sunny days, Pittsburgh has a Duck at the end of the rainbow.

End of the Rainbow

Straight through Point State Park, you can see the Rubber Duck through the trees.

Peek a Boo Duck

Posted in photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Music is Easy

The Music is Easy method books have been published on Amazon.

Violin is easy book coverViolin is Easy for Kindle

viola is easy book cover

Viola is Easy for Kindle

cello is easy book cover

Cello is Easy for Kindle

Each book will take a complete beginner through the skills that are required to start playing violin, viola, and cello. The books have matching workbooks. Request yours today.

Posted in easy music for strings, music, Music is Easy, sheet music, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mill Creek Birds

This gallery contains 6 photos.

Many birds came out to visit on our last trip to Mill Creek Park.

More Galleries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Pumpkins On Parade

A short video from Pumpkin Walk 2012 at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Youngstown, Pa. The musical background is an original piece, Pumpkins on Parade.

Posted in pumpkins, sheet music | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment