Suzuki Cello School, Volume 3: Cello Book & CD

The newly recorded accompaniments on this CD are performed by someone who understands the Suzuki trajectory intimately. Tsutsumi's cello sound models exactly what students should aspire toward: focused tone, clear phrasing, and musical intention in even the simplest pieces. Having both the cello-and-piano and piano-only tracks gives your students flexibility as they develop independence from the recorded model.

Volume 3 opens toward greater expressive range. You move from the dance-like simplicity of early pieces into music that asks for nuance: the gentle rocking of a Schubert lullaby, the baroque formality of Lully, the playful energy of Webster's scherzo. The music feels more spacious, more like actual compositions rather than exercises.

This volume is designed for cello students who have completed Suzuki volumes 1 and 2 and are ready to expand their repertoire and technical scope. It works equally well for Suzuki-method students in private lessons and for players in group settings who want repertoire that builds systematically.

• Listen to Tsutsumi's phrasing in the Schubert before your first rehearsal. Notice where he shapes the line and breathes; these gestures are part of the learning content, not just accompaniment.
• Use the piano-only accompaniment once students have internalized the melodies. This forces them to hear their own intonation and rhythmic placement without the cello part anchoring them.
• Pay attention to the tonalizations on the Taki piece. These are not warm-ups to rush through; they're opportunities to develop tone quality and listening skills that transfer directly to the pieces themselves.
• Record your students playing along with the full accompaniment track, then have them listen back with their teacher. Self-hearing is one of Suzuki's core tenets, and these recordings make it concrete.

Pair pieces from this volume with earlier Suzuki repertoire in student recitals to show the arc of development within the method. The Schubert and Boccherini miniatures also work as chamber music bridges if you're beginning to introduce students to duet and trio playing. Consider programming the tonalizations as demonstration pieces in parent education workshops to show how Suzuki builds musicianship from the ground up.

• Sustained tone production across multiple dynamic levels
• Baroque ornamentation and articulation (Gavotte, Minuet)
• Phrasing with longer musical lines and clear breathing points
• Intonation accuracy in second and third positions
• Listening discrimination through model performances and independent practice
• Rhythmic precision in compound meters and varied tempos