Bach for Kids - VIOLA -SAMPLE - on sale now!

I work as a cello pedagogue, chamber music teacher, student orchestra conductor and also teach cello pedagogy at university level. My passion is to find new ways to teach young musicians and to spark a genuine love for classical music. We constantly need new ideas and paths to inspire students, as well as new repertoire. This version works well also on viola so I arranged the Suite for viola as well!

I remember myself as a student dreaming of playing the great masterpieces, especially the J. S. Bach Solo Cello Suites. However, they always felt far away because of the technical skills required. Having played and performed all of the Bach Cello Suites many times in recent years myself, I often wondered how it might be possible to create a pedagogical path that would allow young cellists to enjoy the feeling of these masterpieces at an earlier stage of their development. And how to create “lower steps” so that, later on, the original works would feel more approachable.

There is wonderful repertoire available for young students, yet I felt the need to compose pieces that function as miniature replicas of the Bach Suites, in order to inspire students through classical music. These movements carry a similar spirit to the originals, with comparable harmonic language and structure, but in a smaller and more accessible form. In this way, it becomes possible to experience Bach-like music much earlier.

This repertoire also allows teachers to introduce stylistic elements, Baroque dance forms, and the historical background of the Suites. Each movement contains specific technical ideas to develop, such as simple double stops and varied bow strokes.

The score is intentionally presented without fingerings, allowing students and teachers to invent fingerings together, explore different positions, and learn to play without fixed guidance. Short preparatory exercises—such as open-string bowing or pizzicato work for the left hand—can be useful before learning the movements. Each piece introduces new musical or technical elements, offering many possibilities for developing different aspects of cello playing.

While practicing these pieces, students can listen to both the original works and the recording of this suite. I recommend first introducing the original recording, followed by this version, to encourage reflection and inspiration.

I hope you enjoy this suite and that it brings many beautiful moments with Bach-inspired music!


Best regards,

Markus Hallikainen


Cellist
Lecturer of Cello
Cello Pedagogy Teacher
www.markushallikainen.com