Bags of Tunes for Violin Cover Image

Bags of Tunes for Violin: Violin Book

$8.99 USD
$8.99 USD
Skip to product information
Bags of Tunes for Violin Cover Image
Bags of Tunes for Violin: Violin Book

Bags of Tunes for Violin: Violin Book

By Mary Cohen

Level: Beginner

Item: 12-0571531121
$8.99
Shipped

One moment…

Description
Bags of Tunes is an irresistible collection of tunes for solo violin, written and arranged by leading string pedagogue Mary Cohen especially for beginners. The pieces are gently progressive and all based around the first finger pattern - excellent for consolidation work alongside any teacher or for enjoyable sight-reading practice.

Bags of Tunes for Violin: Violin Book isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Faber Edition: Bags Of
Publisher: Faber Music
Page Count: 16
ISBN10: 0-571-53112-1
ISBN13: 978-0-571-53112-7
UPC: 9780571531127
SKU: 12-0571531121
Instrumentation: Violin

More about this title

About the Composer: Mary Cohen

Mary Cohen

Mary Cohen's approach to string pedagogy rests on decades of direct teaching experience and a clear-eyed understanding of what young musicians actually need to progress. Her portfolio of sixty-plus publications reflects this philosophy: music that teaches, engages, and respects the learner's intelligence. She studied violin, piano, chamber music, and composition at the Royal College of Music, earned prizes there, and spent formative years as a violinist in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra before establishing a private teaching studio that has become a laboratory for her educational innovations.

Cohen's reach extends internationally through her work with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, where she has shaped the Music Medals project since 2001, and through seminar leadership across the UK and abroad. She brings chamber music into first-term lessons intentionally, founded String Quartets From Scratch as a bridge into ensemble playing for young musicians, and continues to write with an ear for what catches a child's attention. Her Superseries remains influential in contemporary string pedagogy, known for reshaping how teachers approach early learning while keeping joy at the center.

Why we love this

Cohen's beginner collections succeed because they sound like real music from the first page, not exercises dressed up as tunes. This book stays rooted in first-finger work without sacrificing melody, humor, or the satisfying feeling of actually playing something worth playing. Teachers rely on these books to build confidence and fluency in early learners, which means students arrive at their next lesson eager to sight-read whatever comes next.

What to expect

Warm and unpretentious. These melodies stay conversational, avoiding the overly simplified sound of many beginner collections while respecting the technical reality of early learning. Each tune invites the player to shape phrases naturally and discover that music-making is fundamentally satisfying.

Who it's for

This book is designed for absolute beginners working through their first year of violin study alongside a teacher, or for students ready to consolidate first-position work through solo repertoire. It also serves as engaging sight-reading material for slightly more advanced beginners who want to build fluency without technical stretches.

How to get the most out of it

  • Let students choose which tunes appeal to them for practice rather than prescribing a daily order; ownership increases engagement and sight-reading happens naturally.
  • Encourage looking ahead in the phrase when reading rather than staring at each individual note; Cohen's melodic shapes naturally support this habit.
  • Use the variety in this collection to identify which musical styles each student responds to most, then build repertoire recommendations from those preferences.

How to use it

Assign tunes as weekly solo repertoire to build independence away from the method book, or excerpt them for informal studio recitals where beginners can perform without the pressure of technical complexity. The consistent level across the book makes it ideal for mixed-ability group lessons or community ensemble warm-ups.

Skills your students will build

  • First-position finger placement and intonation control
  • Sight-reading fluency in moderate tempos
  • Phrasing awareness and musical line within a limited technical range
  • Solo confidence and performance readiness

You May Also Like