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Work method for orchestration - Set up an orchestral score in Sibelius and add a piano part at the bottom. - In the piano part, copy the choir or original piano part from the original score. Before starting the orchestration, become familiar with the piece. What is the tempo? What form does it have? What is it about? Are there descriptive words in the lyrics that hint to use a typical instrumentation? Is it a gentle introvert piece or is it lled with excitement and movement? Make notes while studying the music and nd the instrumental setup that describes the piece the best. When using a full orchestral template in Sibelius, hide the instruments that you are not planning to use in a particular song to make the score easier to work with. Strings rst Start with lling in the melody, bass and harmony of the complete piece in the string section. Imagine that you are writing for strings only. This will speed up the creative orchestration process later on because you dont need to search for chords and correct voicing. Notes: Repeated sections Many songs have repeated sections using the repeat bar-line, in the orchestration however it is more interesting to re-orchestrate a repeated part. Intros and codas Not every song starts with an intro or ends with a short coda. Maybe though this will work good for the orchestrated version.

See score examples on the next page

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The rst song in A Christmas Collection is Awake, awake and greet the new morn. Here is the original score:

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And here is the arrangement for strings only:

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Orchestrating the Melody Now you have a fully worked out string version of the song, create an interesting and colourful piece by dividing the melody, its phrases and motives over different solo instruments, or within a single orchestral section or by combining orchestral sections. The main words in your mind should be Contrast and Variation! While working on the melody, ask yourself this: 1. Is the melody assigned to one instrument only, or is the melody passed to other solo instruments phrase by phrase? 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Which solo instruments are used? In what register are they placed: low, medium, high, very high, across registers, leaps? Whats the dynamic level? What other instruments in the orchestra are also playing? What is their dynamic level? In what register? Is the melody passed from a solo instrument to an orchestral section? If the melody is passed from a solo instrument to an orchestral section, does it go back to a solo instrument?