This arrangement was written for a middle school orchestra to perform at the National Anthem Project road show. With the exception of the optional notes in the 1st violin, everything in the arrangement corelates with most 2nd year orchestra books. The meter change at the end is in essence a written in fermata and allargando. While you may vary the tempo, there is no need to do so with a young group. Some of the goals I had for this version: 1. Each section would at some time play the melody. 2. It would be creative but still traditional. 3. The low key would facilitate audience singing. 4. Hopefully, the students will enjoy playing it. (This appears to be the case.)

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I recently had another orchestra teacher here locally tell me that they are playing this arrangement every year. It is a vertically aligned system. They teach it in middle school where it is used twice a year. If there is a need for it at the high school the players already know it and it can be brushed up quickly. In my last high school we used it for a naturalization ceremony that was held yearly. It was great to see the reactions of the new citizens hearing their national anthem for the first time. If you ever do this for an event it tends to be come "traditional" quickly.