Quick Change! for Viola: Viola Book

Cohen designed this collection specifically for the clef-reading barrier that stops so many violinists from transitioning to viola. By pairing alto and treble clef versions of familiar repertoire, she removes the intimidation factor while building genuine fluency in both clefs simultaneously, making the shift feel natural rather than punitive.

Familiar melodies return in a new light, removing the cognitive weight of learning strange repertoire while you're wrestling with unfamiliar notation. The progression builds from comfort to capability, rewarding effort with the pleasure of recognizing yourself getting faster and steadier each time through.

Violinists adding viola to their toolkit who need a confidence boost in alto clef, and young violists strengthening their fluency across both clefs without grinding through tedious exercises. This collection appeals to any studio teacher managing mixed-string groups where some players need clef flexibility.

• Anchor yourself in the alto clef first, then glance at the treble version to spot the note relationships rather than translating from scratch each time.
• Play through the scales in both clefs back-to-back to train your eye to recognize the same pitch in different positions.
• Work with a partner: one reads alto, one reads treble, same piece, and listen for unison to catch any lapses in reading accuracy.

Assign selections as sight-reading warm-ups during ensemble rehearsals with mixed string sections, or slot specific pieces into recitals by transitioning violists to demonstrate their growing command of both clefs. Solo study during the early weeks of viola adaptation ensures technique stays consistent while notation skills catch up.

• Reading alto clef with automatic accuracy
• Transferring pitch knowledge between alto and treble clef without deliberate conversion
• Scale facility in multiple clef contexts
• Recognizing intervallic relationships regardless of clef environment
• Confidence tackling unfamiliar notation under performance conditions