Concertino: Viola

Boismortier's Concertino balances genuine Baroque substance with immediate approachability. Audiences respond to its clear melodic lines and rhythmic vitality without needing extensive program notes, yet the piece demands real musicianship from your students through its technical writing and bowing variety.

Bright and energetic, with the kind of crystalline elegance that comes from clean lines and rhythmic precision. The piece moves with purpose, full of dance-like rhythms and textural variety that keeps both players and listeners engaged from start to finish.

String orchestra directors working with Grade 3 ensembles who want to introduce genuine Baroque repertoire without overwhelming their students. This arrangement works well for schools preparing festival or contest repertoire that offers both musical substance and student engagement.

• Shape the octaves with precision and uniformity across the section. Slight inconsistencies in articulation or timing will be audible, so use rehearsal time to unify attack and release.
• Anchor staccato passages with a steady pulse in the cellos and basses. Lightness in the upper strings depends on that rhythmic foundation.
• Balance the melodic lines carefully between violin sections and any interior voices. The Baroque period values clarity of line, so each strand should sing through without being buried.

Program this as a standard-setting piece on a pops or family concert, where its accessibility to listeners creates immediate goodwill. It also fits naturally into a Baroque-era curriculum unit or a concert pairing other French Baroque works.

• Baroque articulation and staccato technique
• Multiple bowing patterns and bow control
• Playing in octaves with rhythmic and tonal precision
• Baroque ornamentation and phrase shaping
• Section balance and ensemble unification