Compatible String Ensembles: Easy Holiday Duets - Viola

Easy Holiday Duets: 30 Easy Level Arrangements for Any Combination of String Instruments

Learning to play chamber music is an important milestone in the music student’s journey. Playing with a teacher or friend helps develop rhythmic independence, intonation, listening skills, and sense of pulse that are vital to playing in an ensemble.

These progressive duets offer beginning and developing players the opportunity to play along with others, or with the helpful support of the teacher in a lesson. Each duet adds new techniques and challenges that align with the natural advancement of lessons, moving from easy rhythms and keys to staccato bow strokes, slurs, accidentals (low or extended finger patterns), and more complex or independent rhythms. While the melody remains in the top line, musicians can alternate playing the melody as all efforts have been made to keep both parts at a similar difficulty level.

This book features familiar melodies for the holidays, including sacred and secular Christmas songs, music for Hanukkah, and folk tunes from many countries. Appropriate for caroling, recitals, or chamber holiday concerts, there are 30 festive selections of different tempi, styles, and keys for variety, while remaining in string-friendly ranges.

Each duet is one page or less in length, ensuring an immediate sense of success for young players. Put new skills into practice while celebrating the season.