Solos for Young Cellists Cello Part and Piano Acc., Volume 1: Cello Book

This collection reads like it was built from the ground up by someone who knows exactly what young cellists need to work on and when. The mix of folk songs, character pieces, blues, and classical movements creates genuine variety in style and technical focus without feeling scattered. Cheney's selections include pieces that have proven their worth as stepping stones to the major repertoire, alongside fresh original compositions and newly published works that keep the collection feeling current.

This book opens up a world beyond scales and studies. You encounter the blues alongside Bach, folk traditions next to a Vivaldi concerto movement, each piece offering its own character and musical story. The variety keeps practice engaging while the careful selection ensures that each piece develops something specific.

Young cellists working through elementary to early-intermediate repertoire will find a structured path through varied musical styles and technical challenges. Teachers seeking supplementary solos that build position work, rhythmic security, and stylistic awareness across folk, character, and classical genres will value the breadth and pedagogical thoughtfulness of this collection.

• Study the piano part beforehand, even if you'll eventually perform with the recorded accompaniment. Understanding the harmonic and rhythmic context helps you shape your phrasing and respond musically to the accompaniment.
• Work through each piece with the piano first at a comfortable tempo before attempting performance speed. The companion CD allows for flexible practice, but building security with a live pianist (or a teacher playing alongside you) creates better musical partnership.
• Attend to position shifts carefully in pieces that explore multiple positions. Mark your shift points clearly and practice the transitions as deliberately as the notes themselves.
• Listen to the recorded accompaniments multiple times without playing along. This trains your ear to anticipate harmonic changes and prepares you to breathe and phrase with the music rather than against it.

Pull individual pieces for student recitals throughout the year, using them to showcase progress in different positions and styles. The collection works well as a primary source for selecting performance repertoire during the elementary and early-intermediate years, allowing you to program a single piece or pair two contrasting selections for a longer recital slot.

• Playing in multiple positions and navigating position shifts
• Reading varied meters and keys across different musical styles
• Responding musically to an accompaniment and maintaining ensemble awareness
• Interpreting character and style in folk, blues, and classical contexts
• Building dynamic control and phrasing in longer melodic lines