Mallet Magic: Original Orff Songs & Arrangements for Young Performers

A joyful, classroom-tested collection for Kindergarten–3rd Grade musicians

Bring your winter concerts and everyday music lessons to life with Mallet Magic, a vibrant collection of original Orff songs and arrangements designed specifically for young performers. Written, tested, and performed with real elementary students, these pieces blend developmental appropriateness with musical richness — giving your students meaningful, confidence-building ensemble experiences.

Recommended for Kindergarten through 3rd grade, this collection features accessible, engaging music for:

• Soprano, alto, tenor & bass xylophones and metallophones

• Contrabass bars

• Triangles & tambourines

• Recorders

Whether you teach with a full Orff instrumentarium or a modest classroom set, the pieces are intentionally crafted with built-in flexibility. Many ostinatos can be doubled, instrument parts are easily interchangeable across octaves, and arrangements can be adapted to suit your students and available resources.

🎶 What’s Included

Every purchase of Mallet Magic includes:

✔ Full Scores for Every Piece

Clear, easy-to-read notation for all parts—including recorder lines, alto/soprano/bass patterns, percussion cues, and optional extensions.

✔ Performance & Practice Notes

Detailed teacher notes, including:

• Suggested instrument setups

• Adaptations for mixed ability groups

• Entry cues and layering ideas

• Introduction and ending options

• Strategies for simplifying or expanding parts

• Notes on mallet technique and student readiness

These insights come directly from classroom performances with young musicians, helping you anticipate challenges and support success.

✔ Recordings of Live Videos

• See an example of students performing each song live in concert. The performances are not perfect but demonstrate a developmentally appropriate rendition of each song.

❄️ Perfect for Winter Concerts — and Beyond

While several pieces shine beautifully in winter or holiday performances, the majority can be used year-round for skill-building, ensemble work, and joyful music-making.

Pieces progress loosely in order of difficulty, beginning with patterns ideal for Kindergarten and first graders (simple ostinatos, bi-lateral movements) and gradually moving toward more complex parts suitable for second and third grade musicians.

🌟 Why Teachers Love This Collection

• Student-tested: All pieces were taught and performed by real K–3 students.

• Flexible orchestration: Easily adapt parts based on the instruments you have.

• Developmentally aligned: Supports one-mallet technique, rhythmic fluency, tonal understanding, and ensemble listening.

• Performance-ready: Build successful concerts without hours of rearranging or rewriting.

• Musically meaningful: Songs are catchy, expressive, and genuinely enjoyable for students to play.