Portnoff Fantasia No 3 for Violin and String Orchestra

Here's the rewrite:

Portnoff's Russian Fantasias are well-established in the violin teaching repertoire, and No. 3 is a lively, characterful miniature with the kind of spirited melody that sticks in the memory. At Grade 4, the solo part is accessible for a developing player but has enough personality to make an impression in a concert setting. This arrangement gives the violin a string orchestra accompaniment rather than a piano, adding energy and colour to the texture and giving young soloists the experience of playing with an ensemble behind them.

The solo writing is straightforward and idiomatic: first position playing with clean, direct bow strokes and crisp rhythmic definition. The Russian character of the piece asks for a confident, forward sound rather than a delicate one, which makes it a useful vehicle for developing projection and rhythmic security. The string orchestra parts are at a comparable level, keeping the ensemble accessible while giving the accompaniment enough momentum to drive the piece.

At 2 minutes, this is a short piece, but it doesn't outstay its welcome. Its value is practical: a Grade 4 student gets a concert solo that sounds like a real performance rather than a technical exercise, with the energy and character of Russian dance music behind them.

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Violin + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 4 (solo and ensemble)
• Duration: approximately 2 minutes
• Arranger: Paul Wood
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This suits Grade 4 violin students ready for their first orchestral solo experience, where something short, characterful, and achievable is needed for a school concert or youth ensemble programme. The string orchestra parts are accessible enough for players at a similar level to the soloist, making it a genuine ensemble project rather than a performance with advanced backing players.