Summer Assignments

Hello Victims,

Here are your summer assignments. Rest assured that the people that are traveling with me at the various festivals have to complete these as well. I will tell each of you individually in a separate email what your levels are ("I" or "A").

Feel free to comment with any questions, remark on your progress, commisurate with each other, etc.

Level I-


Scales: (pick 2 a week) Mogill Scale system. All 2 octave major scales in all keys, 3 octave major scales in C and D major

Etudes: (pick 1 different Sevcik a week, and 1 different etude a month of the other two composers) Sevcik Shifting Studies, Wolfhardt, Kreutzer no. 1

Bach: (pick 3 movements; memorize at least 2 movements by the end of summer) Suite 1, Suite 3 for Unaccompanied Cello

Pick a movement from the following:

Eccles Sonata for viola
Handel-Casadesus Concerto in B minor for viola
Glazunov Elegie

Theory homework:

Each week, transcribe 16 bars of any solo that is in COMPOUND RHYTHM (i.e. 6/8 or 12/8) to SIMPLE rhythm (2/4 or 4/4, respectively) (The Glazunov Elegie would be a good example)

Each week, do another exercise in the Robert Starer Rhythmic Notation book. Conduct and say “ta”




Level A-

Warm-up: Daily torture exercises (see another post on this blog)

Scales: (pick one major and one minor a week) Flesch Scale System, 3 octaves, all keys.

Arpeggios: (one a week) Flesch Scale System 3 octave arpeggios in all keys, all bowings

Etudes: 1-3/week from Sevcik Shifting Studies. Pick one from the following: Campagnoli, Rode, Hermann, Fuchs, Kreutzer (except #1)

Bach: (pick one suite) Solo Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, 1-5 Memorize three movements by the end of summer

Repertoire: Choose one from each list. Work on at least one movement per piece.

List 1: Schubert Arpeggione, Brahms Sonatas Op 120, Bruch Romanze, Mendelssohn Sonata, Bloch Suite Hebraique, Glinka Sonata

List 2: Stamitz Concerto, JC Bach Concerto, Zelter Concerto, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Bloch Suite for Viola and Orchestra. (Please work on memorization of these as well)

Theory Homework:

1.One exercise from every chapter of Robert Starer Book. Conduct and “ta”

2. Transcribe a favorite work for another instrument into the viola. Limit it to 5 minutes of music

OR

Re-write a movement of Solo Bach for two violas, taking care to separate the lines in a logical and pleasing manner