Zombie Tango
String Orchestra - Sheet Music

Orchestra Cello, Contrabass, Piano, Viola, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3 - Grade 2

SKU: CF.YAS129

Composed by James Meredith. Young String Orchestra. Set of Score and Parts. With Standard notation. 16+16+4+10+10+4+10+12 pages. Duration 3 minutes, 21 seconds. Carl Fischer Music #YAS129. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.YAS129).

ISBN 9780825894657. UPC: 798408094652. 9 x 12 inches. Key: E minor.

Imagine two zombies dancing a zombie tango and you get the gist of this clever piece for young string players. It would make a great Halloween concert piece, or anytime zombie fever is taking over your school. This is the first piece in our catalog by composer James Mededith.
Good music performed well inspires the imagination. Zombie Tango had its origin during a round of golf while discussing America’s current interest in zombies. The idea came to mind of two zombies trying to do something elegant, like the tango, while their decaying bodies are falling apart. The more I thought about it, the more feasible it became to write an original piece for young band to depict such a moment.THE STORY: In their earthly lives, Gustavo and Alma were Argentine National Tango Champions many times. When their earthly lives were over they found that they missed the thrill of competition. So finding a way back into the present world, they show up once again at the tango championships to the horror of the fans. And in frustration that their bodies no longer move with agility.First and foremost, Zombie Tango is not so much a humorous novelty as it is a teaching piece. Adherence to the articulations, dynamics, and crisp tempo will create the spirit of the classic tango. The main theme is based on the Dies Irae (from the Mass for the Dead) which is hidden inside the tango beat. It is soon accompanied by thematic hints from Mahler’s first symphony. Peppered throughout are dissonances and sound effects describing the anguish and frustration of Gustavo and Alma as their bodies fall apart while dancing.PROGRAM TIP: On beat 4 of measure 4, substitute the simple quarter rest for a female’s blood curdling scream and have your ensemble create the immediate presence of zombies with distorted faces and spastic poses. After the scream fades away, continue at measure 5 without stopping. I have performed Zombie Tango using these effects with middle-schoolers with hilarious success. Your audience will thoroughly enjoy Zombie Tango, and your students will grow in performance skills and in appreciation for classic dance culture.

About Carl Fischer Young String Orchestra Series

This series of Grade 2/Grade 2.5 pieces is designed for second and third year ensembles. The pieces in this series are characterized by:
--Occasionally extending to third position
--Keys carefully considered for appropriate difficulty
--Addition of separate 2nd violin and viola parts
--Viola T.C. part included
--Increase in independence of parts over beginning levels