Music by DANIEL DORFF |
![]() |
MUSIC FOR CHILDREN'S CONCERTS |
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE & OTHER TALES
is available at amazon.com and other leading retailers! Rossen Milanov conducts the Symphony in C, featuring Ann Crumb and Ukee Washington as narrators in Blast Off!, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Billy and the Carnival, and Three Fun Fables (including The Fox and the Crow, The Dog and his Reflection, and The Tortoise and the Hare). Dorff's narrated stories entertain adults as well as children and are frequently performed at concerts around the world, while introducing young listeners to the sounds of an orchestra. Perfect for holiday and birthday gifts, music education classes, and plain old enjoyment!
More information about this CD |
![]() |
NARRATED CHILDREN'S STORIES |
A Treeful of Monkeys for Narrator and Orchestra (or Mixed Quintet) | |
Duration: c. 7½'
COMMISSIONED (for Narrator and Mixed Quintet) by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, May 2015. View the complete orchestral score |
|
Billy and the Carnival: A Children's Guide to Musical Instruments for Narrator and Orchestra |
|
Duration: c. 14'
COMMISSIONED and PREMIERED by Sacramento Symphony (26 performances)
YOUTUBE of the Bridge Records CD |
|
Blast Off! for Narrator and Orchestra |
|
Duration: c. 9½'
Travelogue of a child's journey to outer space - episodes feature various sections of the orchestra to add music educational value. INSTRUMENTATION: 2(Picc)2(EH)22(Cbn)-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings
COMMISSIONED by Lockheed Martin and the Haddonfield
Symphony for NASA Astronaut Kenneth Reightler, Jr. to narrate the PREMIERE,
Daniel Hege conducting.
YOUTUBE of the Bridge Records CD |
![]() |
Goldilocks and the Three Bears for Narrator and Orchestra |
|
Duration: c. 8'
COMMISSIONED (as an octet) by the Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association.
OCTET PREMIERED by the Minnesota Orchestra's Kinder Konzerts with 51 performances in 2000-2001, encored for 50 performances in 2006-07.
YOUTUBE of the Bridge Records CD |
|
Old
MacDonald Had an Orchestra
for Narrator with Oboe, Trombone, Percussion, Cello, and Piano |
|
Duration: c. 6' Old MacDonald enjoyed those sounds on his farm so much that he got himself an orchestra. Using the familiar song, young listeners learn what each instrument sounds like and also hear variations on the song. COMMISSIONED by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, May 2013. |
|
Take the Orchestra Out to the Ballgame for Narrator with Orchestra (or Mixed Quintet) | |
Duration: c. 5' Through musical and mood variations on "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," the narrator tells a story of your local orchestra's baseball team playing against the nearest professional team. QUINTET VERSION: English Horn, Trumpet, Percussion, Bass, and Piano COMMISSIONED by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, March 2003. OTHER QUINTET PERFORMANCES include Aspen Music Festival. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. TEACHING/CURRICULUM USE: Introduces "variations" by using a familiar theme transformed through various moods, and featuring characteristic instrumental solos on the melody.
ORCHESTRA VERSION |
|
The Adventures of Mary's Little Lamb for Narrator and Mixed Quintet |
|
Duration: c. 3½' Through musical and mood variations on "Mary Had a Little Lamb," the narrator tells a story about Mary's little lamb, introducing the concept of variations on a familiar theme to young listeners. QUINTET VERSION A: Contrabassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, and Piano COMMISSIONED by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, May 2002. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. QUINTET VERSION B: Bassoon, Trombone, Violin, Percussion, and Piano COMMISSIONED by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, April 2006. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. |
|
The Bear Went Under the Mountain
for Narrator with Flute/Piccolo, Bass Trombone, Cello, Percussion, and Piano |
|
Duration: c. 5' Through musical and mood variations on "The Bear Went Over the Mountain," the narrator tells a story with a twist on the familiar song, introducing the concept of variations on a familiar theme to young listeners. COMMISSIONED by the Philadelphia Orchestra for its Sound All Around series, April 2004. PERFORMANCES also include the Aspen Music Festival. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
|
![]() 2010 performance at Aspen Music Festival all-Dorff children's concert
|
The Three Little Pigs for Narrator, Violin, and Cello | |
Duration: c. 10½' The familiar story is told with lots of special effects, and with leitmotives identifying each of the pigs and the wolf, to illustrate variations on recurring patterns. A perfect story for illustrating variations on a theme. COMMISSIONED by the American Composers Forum community partnerships for the Auricolae ensemble and Strings in the Schools. PERFORMANCES have included outreach programs of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Aspen Music Festival. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on New
Focus Recordings by the Auricolae ensemble. |
|
The Tortoise and the Hare for Narrator and Orchestra (or Mixed Octet) | |
Duration: c. 5½' A comical telling of the Aesop fable, featuring Contrabassoon and Clarinet as the Tortoise and the Hare. Themes are exaggeratedly low/slow and high/fast to illustrate contrasts in music. This is a stand-alone movement taken from Three Fun Fables (see below). OCTET VERSION: Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, Violin, Bass, Percussion, Harp COMMISSIONED by the Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association for Kinder Konzerts. PREMIERED with 52 performances in the 1996-97 season; encored for 50 performances in the 2003-04 season, and another 48 in the 2010-11 season. OCTET PERFORMANCES also include the Chicago Pro Musica, Aspen Music Festival, and Parlance Chamber Concerts (members of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra). AVAILABLE on rental from Lauren Keiser (Southern) Music. TEACHING/CURRICULUM USE: A very clear illustration of "opposites" in music, making clear contrasts between the low and slow tortoise (contrabassoon) and high, fast hare (clarinet). Frequently used for this purpose in educational concerts. RECORDED on Bridge Records by Symphony In C conducted by Rossen Milanov, featuring Ann Crumb as narrator. Instrumentation makes this a perfect companion for L'Histoire du Soldat performances.
YOUTUBE of the Bridge CD (octet scoring)
ORCHESTRA VERSION |
Daniel Dorff shaking hands with Olympic track star Carl Lewis, narrator for the orchestral premiere of The Tortoise and the Hare |
Three Fun Fables for Narrator and Orchestra (or Mixed Octet) | |
Duration: c. 11' Each character is portrayed by an instrument, allowing for pre-concert illustrations to help instrument recognition, musical contrasts, and familiarity with the story and music. 1. The Fox and the Crow (features Trumpet and Bass) 2. The Dog and His Reflection (features Trombone and Violin/Harp/Percussion) 3. The Tortoise and the Hare (features Contrabassoon and Clarinet) OCTET VERSION: Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, Violin, Bass, Percussion, Harp COMMISSIONED by the Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association for Kinder Konzerts. PREMIERED by the Minnesota Orchestra's Kinder Konzerts with 52 performances in the 1996-97 season; encored for 50 performances in the 2003-04 season, and another 48 in the 2010-11 season. OCTET PERFORMANCES also include the Chicago Pro Musica, Aspen Music Festival, and Parlance Chamber Concerts (members of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra). AVAILABLE on rental from Lauren Keiser Music. TEACHING/CURRICULUM USE: Three familiar stories use humor, irony, and contrast, to illustrate "opposites" in music, and introduce characteristic sounds and moods of the instruments. RECORDED on Bridge Records by Symphony In C conducted by Rossen Milanov, featuring Ann Crumb as narrator9. Instrumentation makes this a perfect companion for L'Histoire du Soldat performances.
YOUTUBE of The Fox and the Crow
"The
hit of the show... more fun for adults than children"
Wolfgang Sawallisch, Music Director, Philadelphia Orchestra |
|
Trees (after the poem by Joyce Kilmer) for solo Flute with narration | |
Duration: c. 5'
COMPOSED for Tiffany Holmes |
![]() |
INSTRUMENTAL | |
Philly Rhapsody for Orchestra | |
Duration: c. 11' Homage to The Sound of Philadelphia (Philly International Records' rhythm & blues style) and "The Philadelphia Sound" of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as a hybrid of these two traditions. INSTRUMENTATION: 3(Picc)23(Bcl)2 4331 Pno Hp DrumSet 3Perc (no Timp) Strings [Ob2, Bn2, Hns3-4 may be omitted].
COMMISSIONED by Network for New Music for Philadelphia's Creative and Performing Arts H.S. |
|
Allegro Volante for Solo Xylophone and Orchestra (or with Band or Piano) | |
Duration: c. 4½'
PREMIERED by Alan Gilbert conducting the
Haddonfield Symphony (now Symphony in C); Dean Witten solo xylophone.
"An entertaining piece, exceptionally well
received by the audience." |
|
Concerto for Contrabassoon with Clarinet, Horn, and Strings | |
Duration: c. 13' Excerpts have been used at youth concerts by the Louisville Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, and other ensembles.
COMMISSIONED by the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia for contrabassoonist Norman Spielberg.
AUDIO EXCERPTS: Roger Soren's performance with the Haddonfield Symphony, conducted by Daniel Hege: |
Daniel Hege, Daniel Dorff, Roger Soren |
Summer Solstice for Clarinet and String Orchestra, Movement 3 jazz waltz | |
Duration of Mvt. 3: c. 5'
AUDIO EXCERPT: John Yeh with the Haddonfield Symphony, conducted by Alan Gilbert |
|
Sunburst for Solo Violin with String Orchestra | |
Duration: c. 3'
COMMISSIONED and PREMIERED by the Colorado Symphony's Up Close and
Musical series for 20-30 performances (1998-2000 seasons), to demonstrate sounds
and colors of the violin. |
|
OPERA FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES |
|
Stone Soup: An Operatic Fable in One Act |
|
Duration: c. 35' A light-hearted comical interpretation of the fable, in which a Solider (T.) is hungry and lost, but with the help of children and Mayor (A.), he convinces the Vegetable Lady (S.) and Butcher (B.) to contribute food to his soup. The musical refrain "It Takes All Kinds of People to Make Up a Happy Town" is echoed by the story's use of all kinds of food to make the most delicious Stone Soup, and to celebrate community and diversity. INSTRUMENTATION: 1111-1110 Pno Hp 1Perc Strings (may be solo or section)
COMMISSIONED by Young Audiences' Philadelphia chapter for ongoing in-school visits continuous run for 20 seasons, over 1000 performances.
|
![]() Scenes from The Atlanta Opera 2012-13 production |
last updated February 5, 2023 home |
|