Severn Polish Dance for Violin and String Orchestra

Severn: Polish Dance (Arr. Violin and String Orchestra)

Severn's Polish Dance is a lively, rhythmically driven character piece that translates well to the string orchestra setting. This arrangement takes the original violin and piano version and builds the accompaniment from the piano part, with the harmonic foundation kept intact and the inner textures rewritten to suit strings. The solo line remains exactly as Severn wrote it.

At around ABRSM Grade 7 standard, the solo part makes varied and specific demands on the bow arm: spiccato at the heel of the bow, legato playing in the lyrical sections, and passages where off-the-string bowing moves directly into left hand pizzicato. That combination is the most distinctive feature of the piece, and it sits particularly well against an orchestra, where the ensemble can hold the harmonic and rhythmic support steady while the soloist negotiates the coordination. Double stopping adds weight at key moments, and the snappy rhythmic character throughout keeps both soloist and ensemble on their toes. The ensemble parts sit at around Grade 5–6 standard, with a clear supporting role that doesn't ask the orchestra to compete with the solo line.

Seven minutes gives the piece real programme weight, and the folk-inflected dance character communicates clearly in a concert setting. For a student performing with an orchestra for the first time at this level, the Polish Dance is a good choice: the musical intention is straightforward, the solo writing is genuinely rewarding, and the piece holds an audience's attention from start to finish.

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)
• Original instrumentation: Violin and Piano
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 7 (solo); Grade 5–6 (ensemble)
• Duration: approximately 7 minutes
• Style focus: spiccato at the heel of the bow, legato bowing, left hand pizzicato, double stopping, off-the-string to left hand pizzicato coordination
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

This suits Grade 7 violin students ready for a substantial solo feature with orchestra, in school concerts, music festivals, or end-of-year performances. Music services and youth orchestras looking for a solo vehicle with real technical interest at this grade, without the rehearsal demands of a full concerto, will find it a practical and musically rewarding option.