Dancing on the Fingerboard

[October 15, 2021]

The first eight pieces in this set use guiding fingers to help shift between first and third position. “Cloud Nine,” introduces harmonics in order to remind the hand and arm of the physical distance from first to fourth position. “Second Hand,” and “What’s on Second” explore second position, and “Who’s on Third?” incorporates third, and re-introduces the harmonic. “Fourth Dimension,” “Can I Have a Little More,” and “Second Chance,” use the first four positions.

“Fifth Business I” and “Fifth Business II,” marked “Serioso” and “Scherzando,” introduce fifth position. The titles refer to the Robertson Davies novel with the same name, and the character (tempo) markings suggest masks of tragedy and comedy. “Sixth Sense” and “Six degrees of Separation” introduce sixth position and a little bit of half position. “At Sixes and Sevens,” is a transposed version of “Six of One,” the first piece in “Half a Dozen of the Other.” It introduces seventh position, and is ironically calm in character.

2026 UPDATE: Now we have a new transcription for cello!

You can find the music on this page of the IMSLP.

Half a Dozen of the Other: Six Studies for Solo Viola (or cello)

[September 9, 2021]

The pieces in this set of solo viola studies are in the more "unusual" keys of F-sharp major, G-flat major, B major, F minor, C-sharp minor (and major), and G-sharp minor. You can find the music on this page of the IMSLP.

UPDATE: Now for cello, on the same page of the IMSLP.

Arrangement: Shchedryk (Ukrainian bell carol) for solo violin, solo viola, or solo cello

"Shchedryk" is Ukrainian for "Bountiful Evening." This traditional New Year's Eve song is about a sparrow who flies into a household and brings news of a good year to follow.

The Wikipedia article about Shchedryk has a lot of interesting information.

You can find these arrangements of Mykola Leontovych's continuation of the opening four-note motive of the traditional melody set for solo violin, solo viola, or solo cello here now, or later on this page of the IMSLP.

Dreidel Fantasy for solo cello or solo viola

You can listen to a cello performance here, and find a PDF file (along with a version for solo violin) on this page of the IMSLP.

A Cellist's (or Violinist's or Violist's or Bass player's) Garden of Verses

This is a set of solo pieces that lie mostly in the first position. You can find the music on this page of the IMSLP. There are also versions of this set of pieces there for solo violin, for solo viola, and for solo double bass.


Here's a great performance of the whole set by cellist Diane Chaplin:


I love this recording of the set put together by Sam Araya and his students at Sam's Cello Studio in Urbana, Illinois. It has Stevenson's poems, artwork by kids, and excellent, thoughtful, heartfelt performances by his students.



2026 UPDATE: The Schoen Duo (flutes, violin/viola) have put together a series of video recordings that incoporate text, stage performances, readings, images, and "field" video. You can find their project here.

Ferdinand II for Solo Cello or Solo Euphonium

You can find the music on this page of the IMSLP

Ferdinand for solo cello or solo viola

The music is available on this page of the IMSLP.

Sephardic Suite for Solo Cello or Solo Viola

March 2003

You can listen to Shannon Haydn's cello performance of the Veil Dance here.

Both the cello version and the viola version are available from Subito. You can find the cello version here, and you can find the viola version here.

Here is a recording of Molly Gebrian playing the whole piece on viola.



May 2022 UPDATE: You can find violist Paul Cortes's recording through this link.

2024 UPDATE: Diane Chaplin gave a beautiful performance on March 5, 2024 that is archived on YouTube.