Learning Together 2: Violin Book & Online Audio

Three award-winning educators with over a century of combined classroom, studio, and conducting experience wrote this collection from the ground up for real teaching scenarios. The flexibility of the arrangements means you can shape each piece to your ensemble's current makeup, whether that's a full mixed orchestra, like instruments, or individual soloists. The included recordings model both solo and ensemble performances, giving your students clear aural references without requiring you to voice every arrangement yourself.

Clean, purposeful arrangements that prioritize clarity without sacrificing musicality. Each piece is designed to feel complete and satisfying to play, even at early levels, with melodies that sit naturally under the fingers and harmonies that reinforce proper intonation.

String teachers working in class or studio settings who need sequential repertoire that grows with their students from early reading through more complex ensemble playing. This book serves violinists of all ages, whether they're learning together in a school orchestra or progressing through private lessons with carefully scaffolded musical material.

• Listen to the ensemble performance tracks before rehearsal to internalize the sound and phrasing you're aiming for, then use them selectively during rehearsal rather than as a constant reference.
• Begin with the solo tracks to help individual students feel secure with their parts before layering in harmony and bass lines.
• Experiment with different combinations early in the year (all violins in unison, then adding one harmony part, then full arrangement) to build confidence as students adjust to reading in ensemble settings.

Build a concert around pieces from this collection as your program core, layering in more advanced repertoire alongside it. The flexibility of the arrangements makes it ideal for mixed-level orchestras or large festivals where you need music that accommodates violinists at different stages. Use the unison material as a foundation in September and October, then gradually introduce the harmony and bass parts as your ensemble solidifies basic playing habits.

• Reading in unison and transitioning to harmony parts
• Listening for blend and balance in an ensemble setting
• Sustaining tone and managing bow distribution across longer phrases
• Matching pitch with peers and responding to intonation adjustments
• Building awareness of ensemble roles (melody, harmony, bass line)