Guidelines for the Young Violinist 🎶

Techniques Starting From Age 6+

Scales: One / Two Octaves

Mastering scales is essential for developing finger placement and intonation. Here are the scales to focus on:

• G Major: F♯

• D Major: F♯, C♯

• A Major: F♯, C♯, G♯

• A Flat Major: A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭

• B Major: C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, A♯

• B Flat Major: B♭, E♭

• C Major

• E Major: F♯, C♯, G♯, A♯

Minor Scales: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic

Each minor scale offers a unique sound and is crucial for musical expression.

• A Minor

• B Minor: C♯, F♯

• C Minor: E♭, A♭, B♭

• D Minor: B♭

• E Minor: F♯

• G Minor: E♭

Bow Technique

Developing bow technique is key to producing a beautiful sound. Explore these techniques:

• Detache: Long or short bows for smooth transitions.

• Staccato: Short, distinct strokes for clarity.

• Legato/Slur: Connecting notes with a single bow movement.

Advanced Techniques:

• Detache: Single, double, triple, quadruple notes.

• Staccato: Single, double, triple, quadruple notes.

• Legato: Two, four, eight, sixteen notes.

Connected and Separated Staccato:

• Connected Staccato: AA, AAA, AAAA

• Connected Staccato Varied: AB, ABC, ABCD

• Separated Staccato: A, AA, AAAA

Patterns:

• Legato Patterns: AB, ABC, ABCD

• Long Short Short: Aaa Bbb

• Staccato Long Short Short

• Connected Short: Aaa (Down A, up up a)

• Reverse Short Short Long: aaA, bbB, ccC or aaB, bbC, ccD, ddE, eeF

Actionable Steps for Young Violinists:

• Daily Practice: Encourage regular practice to build muscle memory.

• Listen and Imitate: Listen to professional recordings and try to imitate the tone and technique.

• Focus on Posture: Maintain correct posture to avoid strain and improve playing.

Different Perspectives:

• Rare Case: Some young students may prefer focusing on a few scales deeply rather than many at once.

• Alternative Opinion: Incorporating fun pieces alongside scales can increase motivation and engagement.

Beginner Ages 6-9 🎶

Starting with the basics, these materials will help build a solid foundation:

• Essential Elements Books 1, 2, 3

• Suzuki Book 1, 2

• 60 Studies, Op. 45 by Wohlfahrt

Intermediate Ages 9-12 🎻

This stage introduces more complex pieces and techniques:

Circle of Fifth

• Suzuki Books 3, 4, 5

• Indian War Dance from the Indian Concertino by Perlman

• Morrison’s Jig

• Solos and Etudes by Gerald Anderson and Frost

• Hohmann's Practical Method for the Violin - Shimer

• Solos for Young Violinist - Selections by Barber

Concertos and Pieces:

• Rieding Violin Concerto in B Minor, Op. 25 (Dark and stormy mood)

• Hans Millies Violin Concertino in D Major (Classical style, like Mozart)

• Seitz Student Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 13 (Adagio, technical)

• Leo Portnoff Concertino in E Minor, Op. 13 (Dramatic genre)

• Adolf Huber Student Violin Concerto No. 4, Op. 8 (Double string, flowing melodies)

Additional Genres:

• Irish Tunes

• Jazz Tunes

Technique Introductions:

• Vibrato Introduction

• Second and Third Positions

Advanced Repertoire 🌟

For those advancing further, these pieces offer rich challenges and experiences:

• Allegro and Prelude - Kreisler

• 24 Etudes - Kreutzer

• The Four Seasons - Vivaldi

• Violin Concertos by Mozart

• Violin Concerto No. 1 - Bruch

• Violin Concerto - Khachaturian

• Violin Concerto in D Major - Brahms

• Sonatas and Partitas by Bach

• Bossa Nova Collection from Tom Jobim

• Irish Tunes and Gigs

Actionable Steps:

• Daily Practice: Encourage regular practice of scales and pieces.

• Listening Sessions: Engage students with recordings of professional performances.

• Integration: Mix genres to keep practice sessions exciting and varied.

Different Perspectives:

• Rare Case: Some students may prefer focusing deeply on specific genres, while others might enjoy a broad exploration.

• Alternative Opinion: Some educators integrate improvisation early to develop creativity alongside technical skills..