Strictly Strings, Book 3: Violin Book

This book cuts through the clutter by combining fingering and bowing suggestions with genuine orchestra repertoire excerpts rather than exercises in isolation. Advanced middle and high school violinists get the reference they need without sacrificing the musical context that makes technical study meaningful, and the 40-plus two and three-part arrangements let students work independently while still building ensemble awareness.

This is a working musician's handbook, not a textbook. The excerpts come from real orchestra literature, so studying them feels less like drill work and more like getting a backstage pass to how professional musicians solve musical problems. The density of information rewards repeated returns to the same pages as your understanding deepens.

Violinists in advanced middle school and high school orchestras who have already built fundamental skills and are ready to deepen their technical vocabulary and musicianship. The book works equally well as a natural progression from Strictly Strings Book 2 or as a standalone reference for students who need targeted guidance on fingerings, bowings, and repertoire-based practice.

• Consult the suggested fingerings early in your preparation so you can develop muscle memory that serves the music, not the other way around.
• Work through the multi-part excerpts with other violinists from your section to hear how your line balances and breathes within the ensemble.
• Return to difficult passages using the bowing suggestions as your foundation; once secure, allow your own understanding of phrasing to guide any adjustments you choose to make.
• Use the book as a warm-up reference before rehearsals to reinforce technique without eating into sectional time.

Assign sections of this book during the spring concert cycle when your orchestra is tackling more demanding repertoire; students can use it to solve technical challenges independently and come to sectionals with clearer questions. It also serves as a permanent resource in your library that advanced students will reference throughout high school and beyond, making it a solid investment in long-term musicianship.

• Interpreting fingerings and bowings from a professional reference source
• Reading and performing multi-part violin arrangements
• Applying technical solutions to real orchestra excerpts
• Developing independence in addressing technical challenges
• Balancing individual line work with ensemble awareness