This is an introductory book that shows the first steps of learning how to play the viola. The book is organized with ascending level of difficulty into nine chapters; each chapter has a theme of different viola techniques or theory concepts. With author's own learning tips, each technique is usually demonstrated with concrete verbal explanation as well as photos and diagrams. Additionally, various kinds of pieces, ranging from popular tunes to scales, etudes, concert pieces are selected, adapted, or composed by author as exercises to demonstrate the concepts in each chapter. As Mr. Ventre, head of the Department of Music, Choate Rosemary Hall said "This is indeed a very fine method for young violists, with wonderful instructional photos and a clear and precise text, which explains so carefully, creatively and eloquently every aspect of how to play the viola."
CONTENTS:
Chapter One Background Information and Skills
1.1 Sheet Music
1.2 Appearance and Mechanism of the Viola
1.3 How to Hold the Viola and Its Bow
Chapter Two Open String and Simple Fingering
2.1 Open String
2.2 Left Hand Fingering
Chapter Three Slur and Maintaining Fingering
3.1 Slur
3.2 Maintaining Fingering
Chapter Four Scale, Key Signature, and Accidental
4.1 Major and Minor Scales
4.2 Key Signature
4.3 Accidental
Chapter Five Dash, Staccato, Dynamic and Accent
5.1 Dash
5.2 Staccato
5.3 Dynamic
5.4 Accent
Chapter Six Triplet and Grace Note
6.1 Triplet
6.2 Grace Note
Chapter Seven Higher Positions and Shifting
7.1 Second Position
7.2 Shifting
7.3 Third Position
Chapter Eight Advanced String Crossing and Double-Stop
8.1 String Crossing
8.2 Double-Stop
Chapter Nine Review
About the Author: Junhui Christine Liu has studied violin and viola with Mr. Yanhong Wang of Beijing for 9 years and Ms. Jody Rowitsch of West Haven for 2 years. Ever since she switched from violin to viola at the age of nine, she has showed great dedication to the viola as an active solo, chamber, and orchestral violist. As the chief viola in her former school orchestra in her hometown of Beijing, she performed on the stage of Musikverein in Vienna in 2008 and won the first prize of 37th International Youth & Music Festival & Competition there in the same year. As a solo violist, she has been awarded the First Prize of Beijing Music Festival for young artists. After joining Choate Rosemary Hall as a scholar and a musician in 2011 fall, she has won 1st place in Hamden Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition in 2013 and 1st place in Wallingford Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2013.
Now a seventeen-year-old rising senior at Choate, Junhui is part of the intensive Arts Concentration program for viola. She takes advanced music theory and history courses, as well as performs in student recitals, rehearses with chamber groups, and serves as the principal viola in Choate Rosemary Hall Orchestra. Junhui is also the president and co-founder of the Choate Teach Music club, which organizes volunteer music lessons for Choate musicians to teach children at Spanish Community of Wallingford.
Besides music, Junhui is also a talented and passionate chemist who wishes to persue for a career in health care industry that can help people more directly and effectively.
