The Best of Grade 2 Violin: Violin Book & CD

This anthology rescues genuinely engaging music from the archives of past exam boards rather than settling for whatever current syllabuses happen to contain. The mix of folk material, classical ballet extracts, and contemporary pieces written for learners gives students real variety in style and character within a single cohesive grade level.

You'll move between the sunny folk energy of Kalinka, the playful blues idiom of Huws Jones's contemporary piece, and the romantic elegance of Tchaikovsky's famous waltz. The writing sits naturally under the fingers at this grade while maintaining real musical personality in each selection.

Grade 2 violinists preparing for examinations or simply seeking well-chosen solo repertoire at this level. Teachers looking for reliable material that has already proven its worth in the studio and examination hall will find this collection saves significant research time.

• Consult the included CD for both performance and accompaniment tracks; hearing a polished rendition first helps students internalize phrasing and articulation before attempting their own interpretation.
• Work through the practice tips provided for each piece; they target the specific technical demands you'll encounter rather than generic advice.
• Use the accompaniment tracks to build confidence with ensemble balance, especially for pieces where the piano part carries considerable texture.

Build a student recital around 2-3 contrasting pieces from this book, pairing them with repertoire from other sources to create a diverse program. Alternatively, work through the collection over a full year of lessons, rotating between different styles to maintain student engagement while building consistent technique.

• Reading and playing in positions beyond first position (establishing 3rd position comfort)
• Rhythmic security in common grade 2 patterns including dotted rhythms and syncopation
• Phrasing and rubato through exposure to folk and romantic classical material
• Listening and intonation refinement by following along with the included performance tracks
• Bow control across varied articulation styles from lyrical passages to blues-influenced rhythmic figures