Superstudies Viola Book 1

The great benefit of these studies is that they are short, musically simple and have relatively undemanding left-hand parts. This allows players to develop various bowing skills, become familiar with different rhythmic patterns, move freely up and down the fingerboard and enjoy producing special violin effects. For example, a scale or an arpeggio, using a particular rhythm and two accented notes repeated three or four times can be the basis of a study as in 'Blast off'. Only two pieces in this book 'Toffee nut fudge cake' and ‘Banana bounce’ use finger pattern 2 as well as l. The titles give both an idea of the character of the study, and suggest the movement required (for example, 'Wave machine' for string crossing); there are also helpful directions above each piece on how to play it (in this case 'Let your right arm bob along with the waves’).Music Teacher Magazine, February 1994This is a very useful collection of studies, working through many technical and rhythmical problems. All the studies are well laid out and carefully printed and each one indicates the technical points covered, useful for jogging the memory of the child. All have original, snappy titles which help to indicate the style of the piece, and the temp is given with a metronome mark and an Italian or English term. Harmonics, semi-quaver moment, pizzicato, slurred and legato bowings, string crossings, various other bowings, syncopated rhythms, etc., are all covered in the first volume…..A very pleasant, appealing, fun set of studies which children would enjoy.European String Teachers Association, Spring 1994

• Blast Off!; Operation Space Station; Rockets to the Rescue; Space Walk; Robots Rocking at the Microchip Ball; Rocking Rowboats; Floating in the Swimming Pool; Wave Machine; Gliding Along at the Octopus Ball; Hear that Whistle!; Hurry if you want to see the Engine!; Strawberry Milk Shake; Toffee Nut Fudge Cake; Rum-Bah Ba!; Vanilla Ice Cream; Cuckoo? Where’s that Cuckoo?; Let’s all go to the Grizzly Bear’s Grump; Tawny Owl Blues; Banana Bounce