Emily Blain

Choosing Repertoire for the Young Violist Age 10-18

By Emily Blain

Luther College Music Major, Education Minor, Class of 2012

Dr. Spencer Martin, senior paper adviser

Page | 1
 Emily Blain

Choosing Repertoire for the Young Violist Age 10-18

Many undergraduate music education curricula focus more on ensemble and large group

instruction rather than individual lessons. In the absence of a pedagogy class that teaches how

to choose solo literature for students, I decided to compile a graded list of solo viola repertoire.

The biggest challenges are knowing when to introduce different techniques and how to choose

repertoire from all the resources available. Most of those issues are primarily subjective and

dependent on an individual student’s talent, ability, and drive. I hope to present a logical list of

repertoire and my rationale for classifying the pieces and levels the way I do.

Most beginning students do not have the patience to focus for too long on any one

piece, so having a wide variety of pieces available to keep them interested will be necessary.

Once students become more dedicated, they will be willing to focus on one piece for a more

extended period of time. Often beginners do not care as much about achieving perfection as

they do about having fun and making something sound good. A fourth grader’s level of

proficiency on a certain piece does not need to be as high as a high school student’s does. The

fourth grader should focus more on learning techniques and developing a good ear than on

specific pieces. The music he or she is working on should help in developing those skills. Many

beginning viola books, both repertoire and method, have more pieces in them than the

advanced books. This is due both to the nature of beginning pieces – that they are shorter, and

that students will move more quickly through a beginning book than they will through later

works.

Page | 2
 Emily Blain

Each teacher has his or her own method for assigning literature to students. Some allow

students to choose their own music, some exercise a bit more control and give students a few

options, and some simply hand students a piece to work on. Generally, I believe the idea of

giving students a few options is best so that they have some ability to choose a piece they will

be interested in and like enough to practice. It seems like very little gets accomplished if a

student dislikes the piece he or she is working on. In my own lesson experience, I have found

that my practice time is much more focused and efficient and sometimes actually longer if I’m

really passionate about the piece I’m working on. Allowing students to have some choice in

what music they are playing might generate better results.

In order to be able to provide students with choices, a teacher needs to have a variety of

music accessible. In the course of researching various viola syllabi, I discovered the extremely

wide variety of music that exists. Having some type of sorted list of good music is vital. Without

it, a teacher would have to start anew each time a student needed a new piece of music.

However, following only one established syllabus or series of books leaves out many equally

good and important works. One standard, respected, and very comprehensive syllabus is that of

Donald McInnes, but his only covers repertoire for advanced high school to collegiate level

music. I was not able to find a very comprehensive syllabus for beginning to intermediate

students, thus the need to compile them and create a different syllabus.

There is a very broad section of music that I have chosen not to include, that of popular

music. It is possible to find any number of Broadway or Disney books transcribed for viola.

While these pieces can be great for encouraging kids to get involved with the instrument, I

believe that the focus should be on more classic literature. That being said, one could consider

Page | 3
 Emily Blain

supplementing the more classical literature with popular tunes every once in a while, to keep

the student playing over the summers.

Another issue especially relevant to violists is which transcriptions to use. To flatly

refuse to use any transcriptions limits the number of pieces available, and bans such standards

as the Bach Suites. However, using any piece for viola and paying no heed to whether it is a

good transcription or not can lead to a lot of bad music. The book The Viola: Complete Guide for

Teachers and Students has an interesting section about transcriptions. One thing it says is that

the transcriptions of Lionel Tertis, William Primrose, and Paul Doktor may be “accepted without

question”1. I hesitate at saying that anything can be accepted without question, but it is true

that I have yet to see something transcribed by any of those three that is not quality music.

Other than those three, it completely depends on the piece, the transcriber, and to a certain

extent the teacher as to whether it is or is not a good transcription. Choosing transcriptions that

are standard literature is also clearly a good way to find repertoire given that their value has

already been established.

Many resources have been published for finding and grading literature that range from

general method books to books specifically aimed at the string teacher. The Suzuki books are

very standard and respected repertoire for string players in the United States, so it makes sense

to take these into consideration. However, I did not want to only use the Suzuki books. While

they have become standard literature, they do not provide a very wide variety of music

especially in the earlier books. However, both the Suzuki books and the Solos for Young Violists

books are full of good repertoire that is laid out overall in a logical order so it makes sense to
1
Barrett, Henry. The Viola: Complete Guide for Teachers and Students. (University, Alabama: The University of
Alabama Press) 1972. 5.

Page | 4
 Emily Blain

use them as resources. The Suzuki books tend to have music by older composers, primarily

Baroque, while the Solos for Young Violists series includes more of a mixture of contemporary

composers. In their very convenient list of music from all five volumes in the front of each

volume, it is easy to see how many of the composers died in the 20 th century which provides

some contrast to the majority of the composers in the Suzuki books.

Other resources I consulted to find repertoire include the American String Teacher’s

Association Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP) list of suggested repertoire 2, the book

Guide to Teaching Strings3, and the Scope and Sequence of Instruction from Teaching Stringed

Instruments4. I also found another list at viola.com of an “unofficial compilation of the viola

pieces set in recent years by the three Examining Boards which organise British nationwide

music exams” (Bainbridge)5. While overwhelming at first, the list had a lot of material I had not

heard of before. Much of it is not included in my repertoire list because I did not have a way to

evaluate it well. It is certainly a channel to explore further should the need or want for a wider

variety of repertoire arise.

2
“ASTA Certificate Advancement Program for Viola.” American String Teacher’s Association. n.p. Web.
<http://www.revisemysite.com/pdfs/61-AstacapViolaRepertoire.pdf>. (Accessed 18 October 2011).

3
Lamb, Norman and Susan Lamb Cook. Guide to Teaching Strings. Seventh Edition. (New York: McGraw-Hill)
2002.

4
Teaching Stringed Instruments. MENC: The National Association for Music Education (New York: Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers, Inc.) 1991.

5
Bainbridge, Lisanne. “Viola Music Graded for Difficulty.” Viola.com. May 1999. n.p. Web.
<http://viola.com/aebvla/>. (Accessed 18 October 2011).

Page | 5
 Emily Blain

The ASTACAP6 list proved helpful in providing another frame of reference for how to

grade the music. It also gave me a few more ideas on which pieces to include in my list. One

nice thing about this list is that it has a fairly even number of pieces between levels. It is easy to

find many more advanced pieces, but finding quality literature for younger or beginning

students can be challenging. At that age though, it is just as important to get students to play

every day and get them hooked as it is to have them play classic literature. Once they have

become dedicated to the viola and want to play for the sake of playing, they will be more willing

to try out a piece that they do not love at first. It can still be a challenge to find alternatives to

the many arrangements of classical tunes and folksongs that do exist, so having those other

options is important.

Guide to Teaching Strings has a very informative list of etude and methods books in

Appendix 37. It begins with a general list of methods books then lists “Other Materials for the

Viola” in three different levels. Most of the books listed under “Other Materials” also have an

annotation to the side detailing what the contents of the book are and giving a more specific

idea of the difficulty. One problem is that many of the entries under Advanced have only

“difficult” or “difficult to very difficult” written beside them. That is not very specific as far as

what is difficult about them. Some, such as “25 Melodious and Characteristic Studies” at least

give some idea of what the focus of the book is, but when the title is “24 Etudes” and the only

description is “Difficult. From the violin book.” it is hard to know what the book is about.

6
“ASTA Certificate Advancement Program for Viola.” American String Teacher’s Association. n.p. Web.
<http://www.revisemysite.com/pdfs/61-AstacapViolaRepertoire.pdf>. (Accessed 18 October 2011).

7
Lamb, 182-183.

Page | 6
 Emily Blain

Guide to Teaching Strings also has a very brief section on how they grade the orchestral

repertoire listed in Appendix 48. While it is more focused on the orchestral music, the grading

system still applies to solo literature as well. Many of my ideas for the levels came from there as

well as the “Scope and Sequence of Instruction” from Teaching Stringed Instruments9.

The “Scope and Sequence of Instruction” is a very valuable resource because it is

extremely comprehensive. I chose to use five levels as opposed to six, but I like that the chart

includes playing considerations such as tone quality, rhythm and bowing, and finger patterns

and scales as well as more theory-based activities like ear training, music reading and

vocabulary, and music theory and history. I focused more on the left side of the chart (the

playing considerations) rather than the right side with the theory, but every music teacher

should also be aware of the importance of all of the right side items. Understanding the history

behind a piece or the form can really help students grasp the piece better. Also, once they learn

basic stylistic characteristics of certain periods or composers they can apply those to other

pieces.

The pieces contained in the first level have very simple key signatures. Most public

schools in the United States start students in D major, with the “high 2” and having the second

and third fingers next to each other on violin and viola (referred to after this as whole step,

whole step, half step, whole step or WWHW). It makes sense for very early repertoire to stay

consistent with that since so many beginners will start that way. Many early viola books contain

primarily folk tunes and simple classic melodies because of their simplicity and appeal. Suzuki

Volume 1 begins with Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star followed by seven different folk tunes, all in D
8
Lamb, 187

9
Teaching Stringed Instruments. 4-5.

Page | 7
 Emily Blain

major10. The next key commonly introduced is G major, as it has the same finger patterns on the

G and D string as D major does on the D and A strings. Once students are relatively comfortable

with the notes on the D and A strings in the basic “WWHW” finger position, the G string notes

in the same pattern can be introduced. All this should definitely happen in the first year of

teaching.

The fourth finger should be introduced for violists as soon as students are relatively

comfortable with the other fingers. Since the fourth finger in first position doubles the open

string, it is not needed to play most simple melodies. However, once students begin to learn

more advanced repertoire, they will need it to assist in speed, avoiding string crossings and

consistency of timbre. Another approach is taken by the new Alfred Orchestra Expressions

books: starting students with all four fingers down as a way of strengthening the fourth finger

and making it more equal to the other fingers11. This also allows students to get used to keeping

all four fingers down, something that can really help them advance in the future. Too many

young players take the one finger approach and then struggle trying to play things quickly

because their fingers simply aren’t used to hovering over the string. Either approach could

work, as long as the first is not delayed for too long.

Something that many people delay too long in teaching is low second finger. This can

present a bit of a “problem” because it is usually the first finger that students are asked to put in

a different place from where they initially learned. However, if this is done earlier (sometime in

the first year), the students will be less set in their ways and more willing to accept that their
10
Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 1. (Summy Birchard) 2008.

11
Brungard, Kathleen Deberry, Michael Alexander, and Gerald Anderson. Orchestra Expressions Book 1. Alfred
Publishing Co., Inc., 2004.

Page | 8
 Emily Blain

fingers can move. Knowing low second finger (the WHWW finger pattern) opens up many

different key possibilities – the first of which being two full octaves of C major. For violists, the

two octave C major scale can be played as soon as low second finger is learned. It is easy to turn

that into a major achievement for the students. They can play a scale using every single string –

something to be proud of.

Bowings should be very simple for beginners. Staccato and détaché can be introduced

very early on, but anything more advanced should be left until after the student is more

comfortable with the instrument and the bow. Both of those bowing styles focus primarily on

the middle of the bow, which is the easiest to use. After a few months simple slurs are a good

idea to teach, though anything past four eighth notes in a moderate speed is probably too much

to ask. Later in the first year, slurred staccato of two notes under the slur can be introduced to

allow for more variety of articulation. More than that is probably too complicated for the

beginner, though everything depends on the student. Different students progress at different

speeds, so what is overwhelming for one will be more easily achievable for another.

By the time students have been playing for a year, they should be completely

comfortable with both high and low second finger in first position and at least somewhat

comfortable with fourth finger even if they do not use it all the time. The repertoire can now

expand into C and F major. With F major, the only difference from what they have already

played is low one on the A string, as they already know low two that would be B-flat on the G

string. Assuming they have accepted that second finger can be high or low, the concept of first

finger being able to move should not be too complex. The second Suzuki book subtly introduces

G-sharp before B-flat, but to me it seems more logical to proceed to B-flat first. However, it still

Page | 9
 Emily Blain

makes sense to begin to introduce high third finger during the second year of playing, so the

repertoire in the second level does have some more advanced key signatures and accidentals.

Once B-flat on the A string is learned for F major, learning B-flat major is a logical progression as

E-flat is simply low 2 on the C string and low 1 on the D string.

By the end of fifth or sixth grade, students should be introduced to shifting and third

position. Instructing them to keep their hand in the right position, but just slide it around to

create slide whistle-like tones is fun and gets them accustomed to the idea of moving their

entire hand as a unit. Once they are ready for a bit more structure, they can begin to shift

specifically to the octave harmonic. The harmonic provides a very easy reference point – if they

do not hit it right on, it will not sound. The next step, after they are comfortable with the octave

shift, is to have them slide their first finger from E to G (on the D string) and back to get them

used to shifting into third position. Then they can start actually playing in third position, while

continuing to practice shifting from first position up to third.

Some of the pieces and anthologies in the second level contain third position. Suzuki

Volume 2 introduces second and third positions right in the middle of the book and then

continues to use them in the rest of the book. I do not think second position should be

introduced at the same time as third, or at least it shouldn’t be emphasized. The Suzuki book

introduces it, and then has a page two pages later about how to practice second position, yet

none of the repertoire in Volume 2 actually uses second position. I really like the approach

taken in the first half of Volume 1 of the Solos for Young Violists series; both the first and third

position fingerings are printed so that a student who does not know third position can still play

the piece, but they would also make good learning pieces for students who are new to third

Page | 10
 Emily Blain

position. Second position is more confusing because fingers that were previously on only lines

or spaces in first and/or third positions are suddenly on the opposite. Many more advanced

players struggle with second position, so I think it should be introduced and focused on earlier,

but not nearly as early as third position.

One thing that the Solos for Young Violists first book does earlier than the Suzuki books

do is introduce double stops. The very first piece only has two rolled, three-note chords, but the

second piece, the Conte Sérieux, is almost completely made up of double stops 12. They are all

one stopped note with an open string which is clearly the easiest way to learn double stops.

Conte Sérieux probably is not the best way to introduce even the simple double stops because it

is too overwhelming. The first piece in Suzuki Volume 4, the Concerto No. 2 3rd movement by

Seitz has just two measures of simple double stops and a few rolled three-note chords later

on13. After giving the student some introduction to and some practice with open string double

stops, this piece would be a very good introduction to double stops in context.

By late middle school (Level 3) students should be relatively comfortable in first and

third positions and beginning to familiarize themselves with second and fourth positions. Suzuki

Volume 4 is full of third position with a few moments of fourth position and a few places where

second could be useful. The first half of Solos for Young Violists Volume 2 drops the double

fingerings for both first and third that Volume 1 has and simply provides a few third position

fingerings, as well as an extended range that requires shifting into third position. Jesu, Joy of

12
Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 1. (Miami: Summy-Birchard Music) 2003. 5

13
Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 4. (Summy Birchard) 1999. 6-7

Page | 11
 Emily Blain

Man’s Desiring goes very briefly into fourth position, but it is a pretty easy shift so that can be

dealt with easily and act as a good introduction and first piece with fourth position 14.

The bigger obstacle as you get farther in the Suzuki books and the Solos for Young

Violists books is that treble clef begins appearing more and more often. As third and

especially fourth position get up to three or four ledger lines in alto clef, it makes sense to

introduce treble clef around the same time as fourth position or earlier so that students are

comfortable with it when they begin using fourth position. Viola students who have had piano

experience have a definite advantage here, as they are already familiar with treble clef.

Hopefully students who have not had piano have had some introduction to treble clef in general

music class. However, that cannot be taken for granted especially since much of what the

students will be reading in treble clef is above the notes they would be singing from in general

music or choir.

Another thing to begin introducing in earnest around this time, though again it varies

from student to student, is vibrato. Once students have consistently good intonation and have

shown that they are developing a good ear, vibrato can be introduced without fear of it masking

pitch issues and being used as a crutch. It is also around Level 3 music that more lyrical pieces

are introduced. Before then, there aren’t too many pieces that necessarily need vibrato to

sound good. As mentioned earlier, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring is in the second Solos for Young

Violists book15. While the majority of the piece consists of constantly moving eighth notes, there

are a few places with the more melodic part of the tune that should have vibrato.

14
Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 2. (Miami: Summy-Birchard Music) 2003. 8-9.

15
Barber. Vol. 2. 8-9.

Page | 12
 Emily Blain

The 4 Melodies for Viola and Piano by Fauré provide a good venue to practice vibrato

and shifting16. They are a different type of music than a lot of what is featured in the early

Suzuki books. The first three pieces are all slower and lyrical which allows students a chance to

vibrate and giving them time to shift slowly. The fourth piece, “Toujours” (Always) is a fun,

spunky piece that is supposed to represent the “petulant anger of a jilted lover” 17. It is faster

than the previous three, but still provides opportunities for vibrato. The pieces also provide an

opportunity to discuss different eras of music, especially as many of the early Suzuki books have

almost exclusively Classical and Baroque music.

At this point students should also be learning more advanced bow techniques such as

spiccato. The second piece in the fourth Suzuki book, the first movement of Seitz’s Concerto No.

5, has a nice variety of articulations ranging from lyrical passages that require vibrato to a few

places with spiccato18. A few other pieces in Suzuki Volume 4 also have a few measures of

spiccato here and there, allowing students to get used to using spiccato in context without

overwhelming or exhausting them. The Solos for Young Violists series and Paul Doktor’s Solos

for the Viola Player both follow a similar pattern – introducing spiccato in many different pieces,

but only in small amounts.

The range for Level 4 increases up to fifth position. Three octave scales can help students

get more comfortable with moving around through higher positions on the instrument. Though

a lot of orchestra music at this level does not require violists to go very high, solo literature can

16
Fauré, Gabriel. 4 Melodies for Viola and Piano. Ed. Michael Staudt. Arr. Tess Remy-Schumacher. (Basel,
Switzerland: Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel) 1996.

17
Fauré. 2.

18
Suzuki Vol. 4. 8-9.

Page | 13
 Emily Blain

and does. Most of the literature I have classified as Level 4 does not require fifth position, but it

is my opinion that playing higher on the instrument is something best to be learned ahead of

time. Also, there are a few examples of fifth position in the repertoire. Bloch’s Meditation

technically goes up into 8th position, but only at the very end, and it is only one shift from third

position into eighth that can and should be very connected19. The connection allows students to

shift slowly and listen closely for when they arrive at the right note. The Processional is the

easier of the two movements, though it does go into sixth position 20. However, the first time it

goes into sixth it is a very gradual shift up the instrument, and the second time is an octave

above the previous note, which provides a very stable reference.

Late middle school/early high school is also a good time to start introducing fingered

double stops in earnest. The Hungarian Dance No. 5 in Suzuki book 6 (No. 6) is a good first

piece21. While it has quite a few double stops, they are all thirds, sixths, or octaves, the easiest

intervals to hear, tune, and play. In addition, there are only two occasions where the player has

to slide their fingers from one interval to the next without a pause between. In both cases the

two double stops are both major sixths, so the fingers are able to slide and stay in the same

position they were in before, making them easier than if the intervals were unequal.

By Level 4, students should have a working vibrato and know when to use it. Students

need to learn that vibrato should not be used all the time. In the Bach Suites for example,

vibrato is considerably less important. Since modern instruments are being used, some vibrato

is acceptable occasionally, but it should be a completely different vibrato than in a Romantic

19
Bloch, Ernest. Meditation and Processional. (G. Schirmer, Inc.) 1954. 2.

20
Bloch. Processional. 3.

21
Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. (Summy Birchard) 2000. 22-23.

Page | 14
 Emily Blain

piece such as the Bruch Romanze. In the Romanze, a very passionate, active vibrato should be

used to bring about the necessary richness of sound.

The entire Level 5 repertoire requires more advanced bowing techniques, expressive

vibrato, and/or more mature interpretation. For example, “Aprés un Reve” in Suzuki Volume 7 is

not an incredibly challenging piece technically speaking22. But without a mature sound and

some sense of direction and emotion, it becomes very flat and boring. That can be one potential

problem with extremely talented younger children. If their technique advances beyond their

musicality, their playing may be brilliant but uninteresting. Technical skill can be taught fairly

easily, but some things require emotional maturity and the ability to communicate.

The biggest difference between Levels 4 and 5 is the level of technique needed. Many of

the techniques needed for Level 5 (vibrato, spiccato, collé for example) are primarily more

advanced versions on the ones needed for Level 4. The music itself becomes more complex,

requiring a more developed and disciplined approach to practice. The student can approach his

or her practice either by building muscle memory through repetition or by focusing on the

message he or she is trying to convey through the music.

22
Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. (Summy Birchard) 2000. 22.

Page | 15
 Emily Blain

Level 1:

Applebaum, Samuel. Twenty Progressive Solos. Alfred, 1995.*

Bay, Bill. Fun with the Viola. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay Publications, 1978.

Rhoda, Janice Tucker. The ABCs of Viola for the Absolute Beginner. New York: Carl Fischer, n.d.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 1. Summy Birchard, 2008.

Level 2:

Applebaum, Samuel. Twenty Progressive Solos. Alfred, 1995.*

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 1. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2003.*

Doktor, Paul ed. First Solos for the Viola Player. G. Schirmer, 1969.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 2. Summy Birchard, 2009.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 3. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Level 3:

Bach, Johann Sebastian. “‘A Merry Tune’ (From the Peasant Cantata BWV 212).” 1742. Baroque Pieces for
Viola and Piano. Ed. Watson Forbes. No. 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. 6-7.

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 1. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2003. *

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 2. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2003.*

Boetje, Joseph, ed. Viola Music for Concert and Church. Boston: The Boston Music Company, 1953.

Bohm, Carl. “Moto Perpetuo.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 7. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Dvorak, Antonín. Sonatina, Op. 100. Alan H. Arnold, ed. Berlin: Bosworth, n.d.

Fauré, Gabriel. 4 Melodies for Viola and Piano. Ed. Michael Staudt. Arr. Tess Remy-Schumacher. Basel,
Switzerland: Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel, 1996.

Flackton, William. Sonata in C Op. 2, No. 4. Schott Music, n.d.

Page | 16
 Emily Blain

Flackton, William. Sonata in C Minor Op. 2, No. 8. Ed. Walter Bergmann. Schott Music, n.d.

Flackton, William. Sonata in G. Ed. K. Cummings. Schott Music, n.d.

Marais, Marin. “Old French Dances.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 5. No. 8. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Marcello, Benedetto. Two Sonatas in C major and G major. Ed. Joseph Vieland. New York: International
Music Company, n.d.

Marcello, Benedetto. “Sonata in G Major.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 1.
Summy Birchard, 2010.

Marcello, Benedetto. Sonata in e minor. Ed. Gaston Marchet. New York: International Music Company,
n.d.

Marcello, Benedetto. Two Sonatas No. 1 in F major; No. 4 in G minor. Ed. Milton Katims. New York:
International Music Company, n.d.

Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista. “Nina.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 3. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Rubinstein, N. “Spinning Wheel.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 4. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Seitz, Fritz. “Concerto No. 2, 3rd Movement.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 1. Summy Birchard,
1999.

Seitz, Fritz. “Concerto No. 5, 1st Movement.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 2. Summy Birchard,
1999.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 4. Summy Birchard, 1999.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 5. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Telemann, Georg Philipp. “Concerto in G Major.” Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 5. Summy Birchard,
1999.

Telemann, Georg Philipp. “Concerto in G Major for Two Violas.” Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 6.
Summy Birchard, 1999.

Veracini, Francesco Maria. “Gigue.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 5. Summy Birchard, 2010.

Vivaldi, Antonín. “Concerto in D Minor (transcribed from Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3 No. 6 for violin) 1 st
Movement.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 3. Summy Birchard, 1999.

Vivaldi, Antonín. “Concerto in D Minor (transcribed from Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3 No. 6 for violin) 3 rd
Movement.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 4. Summy Birchard, 1999.

Weber, Carl Maria von. “Country Dance.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 4. No. 2. Summy Birchard,
2010.

Page | 17
 Emily Blain

Level 4:

Bach, Johann Christian. “Concerto in C minor.” Suzuki Viola School Volumes 6 and 7. Ed. Henri Casadesus.
Book 6 No. 9 and Book 7 No. 5. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Bach, Johann Sebastian. “Arioso.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. No. 4. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Bach, Johann Sebastian. “Concerto for Two Violins 1st Movement (Violin II arranged for Viola).” From
Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. No. 8. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Bach, Johann Sebastian. “Suite Nos. 1-3.” Six Suites for Solo Violoncello, Transcribed for Viola. Ed. Simon
Rowland-Jones. London: Edition Peters, 1998.

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 2. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2003.*

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 3. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 1997.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. “Country Dances No. 1-6.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. Transcriptions for
viola and piano by Watson Forbes and Alan Richardson. No. 7. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Bloch, Ernest. Meditation and Processional. G. Schirmer, Inc., 1954.

Brahms, Johannes. “Hungarian Dance No. 5.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. No. 6. Summy Birchard,
2000.

Bridge, Frank. Four Pieces for Viola and Piano. Faber Music, 1998.

Clarke, Rebecca. Shorter Pieces for Viola and Piano. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Díaz, Manuel, ed. The Solo Viola – Transcriptions from the Masters. Columbus, GA: Columbus State
University Press, 2004.*

Doktor, Paul, ed. Solos for the Viola Player. G. Schirmer, 1959.

Fiocco, Gioseffo Hectore. “Allegro.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. No. 2. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Marais, Marin. “La Folia.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 1. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. “Adagio and Rondo in D.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. Ed. Doris Preucil.
No. 5. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Schubert, Joseph. Concerto in C Major. Ed. Karlheinz Schultz-Hauser. Schott Music, n.d.

Schumann, Robert. Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70. New York: International Music Company, n.d.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 6. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Page | 18
 Emily Blain

Zelter, Carl Friedrich. Viola Concerto in E-flat Major. Ed. Franz Beyer. Edition Kunzelmann, 1998.

Level 5:

Bach, Johann Sebastian. Suite No. 4. Six Suites for Solo Violoncello, Transcribed for Viola. Ed. Simon
Rowland-Jones. London: Edition Peters, 1998.

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 4. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2004.

Barber, Barbara, ed. Solos for Young Violists Vol. 5. Miami: Summy-Birchard Music, 2004.

Bloch, Ernest. Suite Hebraïque. New York: G. Shirmer, Inc., 1953.

Borissovsky, Conus, and Katims, eds. Album of 6 Pieces for Viola and Piano. New York: International
Music Company, n.d.

Bruch, Max. “Romanze, Op. 85.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 8. Summy
Birchard, 2005.

Corelli, Arcangelo. “Allegro from Sonata, Op. 5 No. 1 in D Major.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. No. 4.
Summy Birchard, 2005.

Caix d’Hervelois, Louis. “Suite in A.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 1. Summy
Birchard, 2005.

Debussy, Claude. Beau Soir for Viola and Piano. Arr. by Katims-Gretchaninoff. New York: International
Music Company, n.d.

Díaz, Manuel, ed. The Solo Viola – Transcriptions from the Masters. Columbus, GA: Columbus State
University Press, 2004.*

Fauré, Gabriel. “Après un Reve.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 7. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 6. Summy
Birchard, 2000.

Frescobaldi, Girolamo and Gaspar Cassado. “Toccata.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil.
No. 1. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Fuchs, Robert. Phantasiestücke, Op. 117. Munich: Verlag Walter Wollenweber, 1977.

Handel, George Frideric. “Concerto in B minor.” From Suzuki Viola School Volume 7. Ed. Henri Casadesus.
No. 7. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Handoshkin, Ivan. Concerto in C major for viola and piano. New York: International Music Company,
1962.

Page | 19
 Emily Blain

Hoffmeister, Franz Anton. Viola Concerto in D major. G. Henle Verlag.

Hummel, Johann Nepomuk. “Fantasie for Viola and Orchestra.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris
Preucil. No. 7. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Hummel, Johann Nepomuk. Sonata Es-Dur Op. 5 Nr. 3. 1798. Vienna: Doblinger, 1960.

Kreisler, Fritz. “Andantino (in style of Martini).” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 2.
Summy Birchard, 2005.

Leclair, Jean-Marie. “Sonata No. 3 in D Major (for Violin and Piano), Sarabande.” From Suzuki Viola
School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 4. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Leclair, Jean-Marie. “Sonata No. 3 in D Major (for Violin and Piano), Tambourin.” From Suzuki Viola
School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 5. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Mendelssohn, Felix. “Song Without Words, Op. 109.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil.
No. 3. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Schubert, Franz. Sonata in A Minor (Arpeggione) D. 821 for Viola and Piano. G. Henle Verlag, n.d.

Schubert, Franz and August Wilhelmj. “Ave Maria.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. Arr. Doris Preucil. No.
3. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Schumann, Robert. Der Märchenbilder, Op. 113. Ed. Davis. New York: International Music Company, n.d.

Stamitz, Karl. Concerto in D, Op. 1. Ed. William Primrose. G. Schirmer Inc., n.d.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 7. Summy Birchard, 2000.

Suzuki, Dr. Shinichi. Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Szeredi-Saupe, Gusztáv. Music for Viola II. Budapest, Hungary: Editio Muisca Budapest, 1986.

Telemann, Georg Phillip. “Fantasia VII for Solo Viola.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil.
No. 6. Summy Birchard, 2005.

Vivaldi, Antonín. “Concerto in B-flat minor.” From Suzuki Viola School Vol. 8. Ed. Doris Preucil. No. 2.
Summy Birchard, 2005.

Etudes/Technique/Method books:
Page | 20
 Emily Blain

Beginner:

Allen, Michael, Robert Gillespie, and Pamela Tellejohn Hayes. Essential Elements for Strings. Books 1-3.
Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1995.

Anderson, Gerald E and Robert S. Frost. All for Strings, Books 1 and 2. San Diego: Neil A. Kjos Music
Company, 1986.

Intermediate:

Flesch, Carl. Scale System. Adapted by Charlotte Karman. New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1942.

Galamian, Ivan. The Galamian Scale System for Viola, Parts I and II. Ed. Karen Olson. E.C. Schirmer
Publishing, n.d.

Isaac, Merle J. and Ralph C. Lewis, transcribers. Wohlfahrt Foundation Studies for the Viola, Books 1 and
2. New York: Carl Fischer Inc., 1970.

Langey – Carl Fischer Tutor for Viola. New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1948.

Mazas, Jacques-Féréol. 30 Etudes Speciales Op. 36, Books 1 and 2. Transcribed by Louis Pagels. New York:
International Music Company, n.d.

The Study of the Viola Book 1. Ed. Ulrich Drüner. Basel, Switzerland: Bärenreiter-Verlag Basel, 1981.

Advanced:

Dont, Jakob. Etudes and Caprices Op. 35. Ed. Vieland. International Music Company, 1966.

Kreutzer, Rodolphe. Forty-Two Studies Transcribed for the Viola. Ed. Blumenau. G. Schirmer, Inc., 1950.

Schradiek, Henry. School of Viola Technique. Ed. Louis Pagels.

Sevcik, Otakar. Sevcik for Viola Op. 1 Part 1: School of Technique. Ed. Lionel Tertis. Bosworth: 2003.
And other books.

The Study of the Viola Book 2. Ed. Ulrich Drüner. Basel, Switzerland: Bärenreiter-Verlag Basel, 1982.

Trott, Josephine. Melodious Double-Stops Book 1. Transcribed for viola by Jane Daniel. G. Schirmer, Inc,
2004.

Page | 21
 Emily Blain

Bibliography:

“ASTA Certificate Advancement Program for Viola.” American String Teacher’s Association. n.p. Web. 18
October 2011. < http://www.revisemysite.com/pdfs/61-AstacapViolaRepertoire.pdf>.

Bainbridge, Lisanne. “Viola Music Graded for Difficulty.” Viola.com. May 1999. n.p. Web. 18 October
2011. < http://viola.com/aebvla/>.

Barrett, Henry. The Viola: Complete Guide for Teachers and Students. University, Alabama: The
University of Alabama Press, 1972.

Brungard, Kathleen Deberry, Michael Alexander, and Gerald Anderson. Orchestra Expressions Book 1.
Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2004.

Kjelland, James. Orchestra Bowings: Style and Function. Alfred, 2003.

Lamb, Norman and Susan Lamb Cook. Guide to Teaching Strings. Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-
Hill, 2002.

Teaching Stringed Instruments. MENC: The National Association for Music Education. New York: Rowman
& Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1991.

Page | 22