Cello Choir II

 

Cello Choir II.

Students typically spend more than one year in each ensemble.  The Violin and Cello Choirs are supplemental group classes for students taking weekly private lessons, generally through the Duke University String School.

Cello Choir II is a supplemental group class for students taking private lessons through the Duke University String School who have mastered the skills learned in the Cello Choir I Group Class.  Students will build on technical skills learned in the Cello Choir I class to prepare concert pieces as an ensemble.  In this class, students will learn how to play major and minor scales and play them with detaché, martelé, and legato bow strokes.  They will also continue to develop their rhythmic vocabulary and will be introduced to pieces with dotted eighth and sixteenth notes, as well as work on more advanced left hand techniques such as harmonics and introductions to vibrato.

Students will review all intervals in a major scale, learn how to find all major keys with sharps and flats, learn basic conducting patterns, and orchestra seating to prepare for playing in the Intermediate String Orchestra.  Single shifts with the same finger are introduced, followed by shifts to different fingers.  Each type of shift will be presented and developed with interesting melodies in music.  Students will continue to develop ensemble skills by learning to perform exciting pieces with multiple parts.

Students in Cello Choir II should be working on shifting to 3rd and 4th positions and vibrato in their private lessons so that the group can play pieces incorporating these techniques. 

Auditions prerequisites:

  • Mastery of audition prerequisites listed for Cello Choir I
  • Ability to play the C, G, F, and D major scales in one octave
  • Ability to play with slurs, basic rhythms, dotted quarter notes, triplets, sixteenth notes
  • Understanding of dynamics
  • Ability to play forward and backward extensions.

Audition Guidelines: A scale and solo piece of your choice. Memorization of the scale and solo piece is preferred.

Audition Suggestions: C, G, F, or D 1-octave major scale, any piece from the second half of Suzuki Book 1, any piece from String Builder Book 2 (Samuel Applebaum).