Short Order Cooks [Detailed Instrumentation: String Orchestra]

A short order cook is a professional who cooks and serves food rapidly and to order. They often work on a large flat-top griddle and work on multiple orders at a time. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 short order cooks in the USA. During a busy eating time, these cooks work with great speed under lots of pressure. The music captures the constant energy of the job. After a brief pizzicato introduction, the A section starts at bar 15. Bar 39 marks the B section played with the bow in contrast to the pizzicato A. Bar 66 marks a return to pizzicato and the A section. A brand-new melody is heard at bar 89, and it leads to a return of A at bar 121. A short coda, starting bar 144, takes us to a fun ending. There are so many great teaching concepts in this piece: sudden dynamic changes, accents, crescendos, and after-beat rhythms to mention a few. Best of all, it's a really fun piece by David Bobrowitz which will be enjoyed by both musicians and audience. (3:00)