Bags of Style for Violin Cover Image

Bags of Style for Violin: Violin Book

$8.99 USD
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Bags of Style for Violin Cover Image
Bags of Style for Violin: Violin Book

Bags of Style for Violin: Violin Book

By Mary Cohen

Level: Intermediate

Item: 12-0571532616
$8.99
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Description
Bags of Style takes you on a fantastic musical journey through ten centuries of time, from the 12th to the 21st century. This is great material for concerts, or to liven up history or drama lessons. Each piece is complete in itself, so does not need an accompaniment, but for fun you could ask a friend to improvise a simple rhythm on drum or percussion to fit with your part. Written and arranged by the Britain's leading string pedagogue Mary Cohen, creator of a wide range of imaginative teaching publications.

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Additional Details
Series: Faber Edition: Bags Of
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-53261-6
ISBN13: 978-0-571-53261-2
UPC: 9780571532612
SKU: 12-0571532616

More about this title

About the Arranger: Mary Cohen

Mary Cohen

Mary Cohen has established herself as a leading figure in string pedagogy, with more than sixty publications currently available and her works adopted by major examining boards internationally. She trained in violin, piano, chamber music, and composition at the Royal College of Music, where she earned numerous awards, and spent several years performing with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra before founding her own teaching studio. That studio has become her laboratory for developing educational materials grounded in real classroom needs.

Cohen's influence extends across multiple roles: she serves as a composer and consultant for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music's Music Medals program and founded String Quartets From Scratch, an ensemble club for young players aged 7 to 18. She is equally accomplished as a violinist, violist, and cellist, and her conviction that musical learning flourishes within a broad cultural context shapes every collection she creates. Her pedagogical philosophy balances technical progression with immediate musical appeal, demonstrated most visibly in the Superseries, which has reshaped how string teachers approach early instruction.

Why we love this

Bags of Style answers a real programming need: concert material that stands on its own without accompaniment, yet invites flexible ensemble possibilities. The span from 12th-century music through contemporary works gives you authentic repertoire for history, drama, or interdisciplinary curricula while maintaining genuine musical substance for the violinist, not watered-down arrangements.

What to expect

A musical time-travel experience that bridges centuries with pieces substantial enough to hold a recital alone, yet light enough in presentation to feel accessible. Each work offers a distinct character, creating natural variety whether you play them consecutively or select individual selections for specific occasions.

Who it's for

Intermediate violinists seeking self-contained repertoire for solo recitals, school concerts, or interdisciplinary projects. This book also serves ensemble directors who want to integrate solo violin works into programs without requiring piano or string accompaniment.

How to get the most out of it

  • Explore the historical context of each piece before learning it. Understanding the period and style informs phrasing, vibrato use, and articulation choices in ways that sheet music notation alone cannot capture.
  • Consider the improvisational percussion layer not as an afterthought but as a decision point: some pieces benefit greatly from a steady drum pulse, while others work better left unaccompanied.
  • Vary your tone color across the collection to reflect stylistic differences. The approach to sound production in a medieval piece should feel quite distinct from your approach to a 21st-century work.

How to use it

Build an entire recital around the historical journey this collection offers, pairing pieces with spoken program notes or visual elements for added engagement. Alternatively, select individual pieces to open or close concerts in different eras, or use them to enhance school assemblies focused on history and cultural studies.

Skills your students will build

  • Stylistic interpretation across ten centuries of musical traditions
  • Playing without accompaniment and self-accompanying with rhythm
  • Adapting articulation and tone to period-appropriate musical idioms
  • Building solo recital repertoire that spans multiple genres
  • Collaborating with percussionists on rhythmic improvisation

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