Violin Junior is a new creative violin method for primary-aged children. There are 5 books available at each level:

• Lesson book: a wide variety of music plus technical exercises, aural exercises, guided composition exercises, improvisation games, top tips and fascinating fiddle facts.
• Theory Book: full of games and creative exercises covering music theory, aural skills, rhythm reading, note reading and technique.
• Concert Book: longer pieces in a wide variety of styles suitable for additional repertoire and concert performances. Printed piano and violin accompaniments are included in the book.
• Lesson Book Piano Accompaniments - available for download
• Lesson Book Violin Accompaniments - available for download

Lesson and Concert books include a wide range of repertoire from classical to folk, world and popular music. The music in the Lesson Books is carefully structured so that new techniques and musical concepts are introduced one at a time, with each new piece building on the skills already learnt. The concert books provide longer pieces suitable for additional repertoire or concert performances.

Stylistic performance and backing tracks are available to download and are also available on Youtube and on streaming services (e.g. Spotify).

There is a choice of either violin or piano accompaniment for every piece in the Lesson and Concert books, offering lots of flexibility for teachers. Chord symbols are also included. 

Simple and accessible improvisation, aural and transposition exercises are included throughout the books. Classical violin methods have tended to focus on reading music and technique, but I believe that playing by ear and improvising are equally important skills to develop not least because they help enormously with intonation, rhythmic awareness, confidence and memorisation. When children are introduced to these concepts at an early age they come as naturally to them as reading music.

Violin Junior Lesson and Theory books include numerous “Be a Composer” activities that make use of the notes and rhythms that children are learning in their pieces. These activities are designed to encourage children’s creativity at the same time as developing their understanding of music theory and notation.

There is a strong focus on rhythm, with clapping exercises and word-rhythm games included throughout the lesson and theory books. These exercises are designed to help with sight reading and to develop children’s understanding of pulse, meter and rhythm. Most of the pieces in the lesson books have words and children are encouraged to say or sing the words at the same time as clapping the pulse.

“Now try…” exercises encourage further exploration of new techniques and musical ideas to engage and challenge faster learners.

Technical guidance is included throughout the books in “Top Tips” and illustrations, to encourage children to think about their technique when practising at home.

Short, accessible, free-access demonstration videos cover all the main techniques and musical concepts in the lesson books. These videos are designed to be be watched in-between lessons so that parents who are unable to attend lessons can help their children with their practice. I have tried to keep the advice as general as possible to allow for variations in teaching and playing styles.

The books are full of funny, imaginative and beautiful illustrations by the artist Ulrike Muller. Every picture tells a story and engages the child’s imagination.

I very much hope that you’ll enjoy using Violin Junior in your teaching. If there are any additional resources that you require please let me know and I will endeavour to include them on the additional resources page of this website.

In summary, Violin Junior includes:

• A wide range of music from classical to folk, world, popular music and blues.
• Stylistic performance and play-along tracks for every piece in every book, many performed by a full band, available to download or stream on YouTube, Spotify etc..
• Playing by ear and simple transposition.
• Simple, guided improvisation games and exercises.
• Simple composition exercises.
• Call and response exercises.
• Rhythm games.
• Words for most pieces in the lesson books, to encourage singing and help with rhythm.
• Music theory - games and exercises in reading and writing music.
• Technical reminders throughout the books (top tips and illustrations)
• “Now try…” exercises dig deeper into each new concept, great for students who enjoy a challenge.
• Games and exercises to help children understand how key signatures relate to finger positions (in an effort to banish C sharps from G major!).
• Scales and arpeggios.