Birds on a Wire

Birds on a Wire is a bouncy, twittering fantasia for strings. A chirping three note figure flits antiphonally among the upper strings before taking off into an extended melody for the viola and cello. The piece has much to interest the performers: each part alternates freely between melody and accompaniment using an assortment of techniques including spiccato, double stops, pizzicato and dynamic changes. The aspects of traditional counterpoint and melodic development will provide teachable moments for the director, while the students will enjoy the pop-influenced rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary.