Position Pieces for Cello, Book 2: Cello Book

This book tackles the exact positions that most intermediate cellists find most confusing, with methodical fingerboard maps and engaging duets that make the abstract concrete. The titles alone tell you Mooney understands that technique sticks when students are genuinely having fun; there's real wit in pairing 'The Happy Certified Public Accountant' with systematic position work.

Creative, playful, and unexpectedly musical. These aren't drill pieces disguised as music; they're short character pieces that happen to be perfectly shaped for position work. The duet format means students are always playing with someone, never alone with a technique exercise.

Intermediate cello students ready to move beyond first position and early extensions, or anyone working through the transition from lower positions to the thumb positions that follow. Studio teachers and ensemble directors will find this especially useful for students who have solidified Positions 1-3 and are ready for the systematic work that Positions 5-7 demand.

• Use the duet format to lock positions acoustically. Playing with another cellist who is anchored in a stable position creates an auditory target that makes your own intonation and location instantly tangible.
• Reference the fingerboard diagrams before each piece so your hand has a mental map before the bow hits the string. Glance at the diagram during rests, not just at home.
• Focus on consistent finger patterns within each position before worrying about shifting between them. Play through one position's pieces as a mini-sequence to consolidate the hand shape.
• Work the duet parts independently at first so you own your voice without being driven by ensemble rhythm. Switch parts to strengthen musicality from both perspectives.

Assign this as the core position text during the middle years of study, moving through it as a natural continuation once students have mastered the first book. Duet partners can come from your studio rotation or ensemble, making this a natural fit for mixed-level group lessons or sectionals where a more advanced student can support a younger one's position work.

• Locating fifth, sixth, and seventh positions using consistent reference points and fingerboard patterns
• Transferring between positions with secure intonation
• Understanding finger spacing and hand shape adjustments across three new positions
• Reading and playing cello duets in intermediate tessitura
• Aural connection between hand location and pitch through ensemble playing