Strictly Strings, Book 2: Piano Acc. (Instrumental) Book

A piano accompaniment book that actually supports what's happening in the string parts rather than competing with it. The carefully sequenced material mirrors the development of the student parts, allowing you to reinforce ensemble balance and intonation while keeping rehearsals engaging rather than boring for the accompanist.

Accessible and rhythmically clear, with harmonic movement that feels natural rather than imposed. The melodic content is genuinely engaging rather than purely didactic, so accompanying these pieces doesn't feel like a teaching exercise but like making actual music alongside your ensemble.

String program directors and classroom piano teachers who accompany beginning and early intermediate ensembles. If you're using Strictly Strings with your students, this book pairs directly with their learning sequence and eliminates the scramble to find or adapt suitable accompaniments that won't overpower developing players.

• Support the ensemble's ensemble entrance before locking your tempo; listen to the strings' attack and shape your voicings accordingly rather than driving ahead.
• Use dynamics to highlight phrase shape in the string parts. When the primary melody moves between instruments, your accompanying figures can breathe with those transitions.
• Practice the accompaniment away from the ensemble first to internalize the harmonic progression and modal shifts; this frees you to listen and respond during rehearsals.
• Voice the chords to sit comfortably under the string range. The register choices available in this book are intentional and won't muddy younger string players' intonation.

Use this as your primary accompaniment resource throughout the school year if Strictly Strings is your core method. The progression parallels student advancement, so you can move through the book at the same pace as your ensemble without hunting for supplementary material or creating your own arrangements.

• Listening for balanced tone and intonation across four string parts
• Responding to rhythmic and ensemble cues from an accompanist
• Playing with awareness of harmonic function and chord quality
• Executing dynamic and expressive nuance within a coordinated ensemble
• Maintaining independence while contributing to unified phrasing