Suzuki Viola School, Volume 9: Viola Book

Volume 9 collects substantial concert repertoire that marks a genuine shift in what Suzuki violists can tackle. Schubert's D 821 and Weber's Op. 35 represent the kind of literature that makes advanced students feel like real chamber musicians, not just technical exercises in progress.

A leap into the concert hall. These pieces carry genuine expressive weight—Schubert's introspection, Weber's Hungarian fire, Hummel's elegant dialogue between player and keyboard. The viola moves beyond student repertoire into literature that mature musicians still treasure.

Suzuki viola students who have completed Volume 8 and are ready to explore Romantic-era chamber music alongside a qualified Suzuki teacher. This volume assumes solid fundamentals in position work, vibrato, and ensemble awareness.

• Work with your teacher to balance the viola melody against the piano part; these sonatas require genuine ensemble listening even in a private lesson context.
• Use the provided recordings as a daily reference for phrasing and tone production, but avoid letting them dictate tempo or expression choices your teacher endorses.
• Break the larger Schubert sonata into manageable sections when learning; the harmonic language is richer than earlier volumes, so patience with slow practice pays dividends.

Coordinate recital performances with chamber partners as students progress through the sonatas; each piece can serve as a milestone for a private student's annual performance. Group lessons at this level often become semi-public chamber rehearsals, so program these pieces in that collaborative context.

• Romantic-era phrasing and rubato in longer sonata forms
• Position security across the full range of the viola
• Harmonic awareness in accompaniment roles
• Sustained tone production at varied dynamic levels
• Collaborative listening with a piano partner