Studio Bookstore
Here are links for purchasing the instructional materials for violin that are most frequently used in my studio. Not every student will use every book on this list. Most of these link to Amazon.com, except where the book is unavailable through this channel. You do not need to purchase from Amazon, but many people have Prime accounts to receive free shipping. (Full disclosure, I have an Amazon Affiliate account so I may receive a small portion of your purchase back as a commission.) Sometimes these books are available for less on sale at Shar Music.
Books and repertoire are listed by level of advancement. Methods and technical studies are on the left; performance repertoire on the right.
Viola books are not linked individually but most are the same as the corresponding Violin books.
Piano books will be ordered for students through PianoPronto.com.
| F-1 Beginner | 5 Late Intermediate | 9 Proficient |
| 2 Advanced Beginner | 6 Advanced Intermediate | 10 Graduate |
| 3 Early Intermediate | 7 Early Advanced | 10+ Collegiate |
| 4 Intermediate | 8 Advanced | For All Students |
Beginner: Levels F and 1
Methods: | Performance: | Theory: |
| Violin Basics All for Strings Book 1 Fiddle Time Scales Book 1 Fiddle Magic Solos and Etudes Book 1 Older Beginners/Adults/Prior music study: | Suzuki Violin Method Book 1 Fiddle Time Joggers (with CD) Mark O'Connor Method Book 1 (with CD) | All for Strings Theory Workbook 1 Theory for Everyone! Book 1 (teacher-authored and published) |
Advanced Beginner: Level 2
Methods: | Performance: | Theory: |
| All for Strings Book 2 Solos and Etudes Book 2 Fiddle Time Scales Book 2 Building Technic with Beautiful Music Book 2 Fiddle Magic Older Beginners/Adults/Prior music study: | Suzuki Violin Method Book 1 Suzuki Violin Method Book 2 Fiddle Time Runners (with CD) Mark O'Connor Method Book 2 (with CD) | All for Strings Theory Wookbook 2 Theory for Everyone! Book 1 (teacher-authored and published) Theory for Fiddlers (teacher-authored and published) |
Early Intermediate: Level 3
Methods: | Performance: | Theory: |
| All for Strings Book 3 Fiddle Time Scales Book 2 Building Technique with Beautiful Music Book 3 Essentials for Strings (Scales) Wohlfahrt Foundation Studies, Book 1 (Rachel Barton Pine ed./DVD) Introducing the Positions Book 1 Winning Rhythms | Suzuki Method Book 3 Solos for Young Violinists Volume 1 Fiddle Time Sprinters (with CD) Disney Solos for Violin (with CD) Mark O'Connor Method Book 3 (with CD) | Theory for Everyone! Book 2 (teacher-authored and published) |
Intermediate: Level 4
Technique: | Performance: |
| Essentials for Strings (Scales) Introducing the Positions Book 1 Building Technique with Beautiful Music Book 3 Melodious Double Stops Wohlfahrt Foundation Studies, Book 2 (Rachel Barton Pine ed./DVD) | Suzuki Violin School Book 4 Solos for Young Violinists Volume 1 Mark O'Connor Violin Method Book 3 (with CD) |
Late Intermediate: Level 5
Technique: | Performance: |
| Essentials for Strings (Scales) Preparing for Kreutzer Book 1 Many etude books for Level 4 are also used for Level 5 | Suzuki Violin School Book 4 Suzuki Violin School Book 5 Solos for Young Violinists Volume 2 Mark O'Connor Violin Method Book IV (with CD) |
Advanced Intermediate: Level 6
Technique: | Performance: |
| Essentials for Strings (Scales) Preparing for Kreutzer Book 2 Kreutzer: 42 Studies for Violin (Int'l. Music Co. edition) | Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor (Schirmer ed.) Solos for Young Violinists Volume 3 Solos for Young Violinists Volume 4 See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources. [Level 6 repertoire selections] |
Early Advanced: Level 7
Technique: | Performance: |
| Scales for Advanced Violinists Preparing for Kreutzer Book 2 Kreutzer: 42 Studies for Violin (Int'l. Music Co. edition) | See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources. [Level 7 repertoire selections] Solos for Young Violinists Volume 5 (Volume 4 also good for this level) |
Advanced: Level 8
The theory book used for Levels 8-10 is Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory, Complete. It is not necessary to purchase the CDs, they are available in the studio.
Technique: | Performance: |
| Scales for Advanced Violinists Kreutzer: 42 Studies for Violin (Int'l. Music Co. edition) | See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources. [Level 8 repertoire selections] Solos for Young Violinists Volume 6 (Volume 5 also good for this level) |
Proficient: Level 9
Technique: Simon Fischer, “Scales”
See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources.Selected major repertoire examples:
Bach: Solo Sonatas and Partitas (selected)
Mozart: Concerto in D, others
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
More Level 9 Repertoire Selections
Graduate: Level 10
Technique: Simon Fischer, “Scales”
See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources.Selected major repertoire examples:
Bruch: Concerto in Gm
Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole
Mendelssohn: Concerto in Em
Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
Students who complete Level 10 repertoire will graduate from my studio and go on to advanced music-school-preparatory instruction.
More Level 10 Repertoire Selections
Collegiate: Level 10+
See below for downloadable and printable sheet music sources.Selected major repertoire examples:
Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Downloadable and Printable Sheet Music Sources:
Check these sites first for free or low-cost downloadable and printable sheet music.
IMSLP Music Library: Completely free printable public-domain sheet music. Search by composer name and/or composition title.
Everynote.com: Printable public-domain music for about $2 per piece (check here if not available on IMSLP). Search by composer name, instrumentation, and/or composition title.
Books For All String Players
Basics Simon Fischer’s definitive book on violin technique; with illustrations and practice exercises to master all aspects of playing the violin.
Practice::250 Step-by-Step Practice Methods for the Violin. By Simon Fischer
The Violin Lesson::You can practically teach yourself the violin with these in-depth technical lessons on 12 topical areas. By Simon Fischer