# Help needed with viola



## Nariette

So I started playing the viola around half a year ago(I'm 16 years old). I have played piano for very long, so in theory it would just be learning the technique. Note that I haven't played the violin beforehand, I think only two years when I was a kid, never got far with it. Apparently I had a click with the instrument, and people have told me that I make progression very fast. I'm playing the scales over three octaves, until the highest positions (I also use them while playing, not just for the scales). I also play the scales with two notes at the same time, in octaves, sixths and thirds. I am learning how to use finger bow motion and my teacher and I have speculating about learning vibrato. Now I don't consider myself to be an exceptional student, but my teacher, who is a student at the conservatory of The Hague and currently studying in Switzerland, took me to her own teacher at the conservatory, and I have been accepted as her private student. So I guess that I am doing something right. (the reason for that initiative is because she would be moving to Switzerland, and wanted to find a different teacher for me so I could keep on learning)

I'll be starting with this new teacher when summer ends, and she told me that I needed to find some pieces that I liked, but were playable. The piece I played for her was a Telemann concerto in g major(I'm sure most viola players will know which one I am talking about), but I know I can do better than that. It's difficult to find recordings of solo viola on sites like youtube, and I don't really know composers who wrote a lot of pices for viola, because I grew up as a pianist. So I have no idea where to look, most pieces I find are insanely difficult, even for my teacher. So I was wondering if any of you know composers who composed playable and enjoyable pieces for viola. My soon to be teacher also told me that they preferably would have a lot of switches in position. I know that there are a lot of skilled and educated musicians here, that's why I'm asking you.


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## SuperTonic

IMSLP's List of Compositions Featuring Viola


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## hreichgott

We know a viola duo here in town -- Scott Slapin and Tanya Solomon -- who play a lot of Scott's compositions.
A lot of other people play them too.
http://www.violaduo.com
I'm sure you could ask them directly about availability of scores.


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## Nariette

thanks, both of you. I'm not sure if it's my level yet, but thanks anyway.


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