Let's Duet: Volume 2 - Violin: Violin Duet Book

Latham designs these duets as genuine technique builders, not merely transportation vehicles for classical melodies. Each arrangement targets specific skills in sequence, so by the time students encounter shifting, they've already internalized the rhythmic and bow control demands that make the leap manageable.

Accessible yet rewarding. Classic melodies provide immediate gratification and motivation, while the technical demands keep students engaged in real problem-solving around intonation, shifting, and coordinated bow work. There's a tangible sense of accomplishment as techniques accumulate across the book.

Intermediate violinists ready to move beyond first-position basics and explore the technical vocabulary that opens intermediate and early-advanced repertoire. Duet partners may include violists, cellists, or bassists working at compatible levels, making this series ideal for mixed-string coaching and private studio instruction.

• Balance the melodic interest between parts so neither student dominates; the top line carries the tune, but the lower voice shapes phrases through articulation and dynamic support.
• Approach the shifting passages deliberately, using the classical themes as anchors. Since students know these melodies, they can focus entirely on hand position rather than reading and musicality simultaneously.
• Experiment with bow stroke variety early in rehearsal, isolating measures that introduce new techniques before playing through full phrases.
• Use pizzicato sections to reinforce rhythmic precision and ensemble listening; the familiar harmonic progressions let students lock in timing without worrying about tone production.

Build this into private lessons as a supplementary duet partner book alongside solo repertoire, or use it in chamber coaching sessions to strengthen ensemble listening and technical facility without introducing sight-reading challenges. The familiar tunes also work as informal performance pieces in studio recitals where duet pairings can be arranged flexibly.

• Reading and executing dotted rhythms and 6/8 meter
• Chromatic fingerings and shifting in tune
• Bow stroke variety including pizzicato and sustained techniques
• Double stops with stable intonation
• Ensemble balance and listening while managing technical demands