Looking for works by living composers that are accessible to intermediate students!

Edited: April 5, 2023, 6:20 PM · Can't suggest any particular books off the top of my head, but you might look through the repertoire lists of the Royal Conservatory of Music exam syllabus (which can be downloaded online), as the lists are quite comprehensive and cover beginner to advanced repertoire. There are quite a few contemporary pieces on those lists, including a bunch by Canadian composers, some of which may be potentially challenging to source. According to some scrounging around on google, I found out there's a graded anthology of violin pieces by female composers edited by Cora Cooper, which may be worth looking up. There's also a similar anthology of music by Black composers edited by Rachel Barton Pine.

April 5, 2023, 7:06 PM · Thanks Ella! I was aware of those compilations; they've been on my "check this out" list for a long time, so probably I should actually go ahead and get them! I'd still love to know of specific pieces (even within those) that you guys love to program, for yourselves or students!

April 5, 2023, 7:19 PM · I like Bolcom's Graceful Ghost Rag. I honestly should get to know more contemporary stuff.

April 5, 2023, 7:31 PM · Thanks Ella! I was aware of those compilations; they've been on my "check this out" list for a long time, so probably I should actually go ahead and get them! I'd still love to know of specific pieces (even within those) that you guys love to program, for yourselves or students!

April 5, 2023, 9:53 PM · Christian, sounds fun!

April 6, 2023, 12:12 AM · Aleksey Igudesman is a very prolific composer for violin and viola. His works creach from easy to very advanced: https://www.paganino.com/en/home/#/dfclassic/query=igudesman&query_name=match_and

April 6, 2023, 1:03 PM · Cool Katerina, thank you! Any recommendations of his works that you love?

April 6, 2023, 1:06 PM · BTW I pulled out my Barbara Barber for viola today, and she has quite a few more contemporary works in those volumes! I've only recently begun spending time on the viola side, and probably won't go that route for this concert, but it was a fun surprise!

April 7, 2023, 2:28 PM · It would be good to have today's Bartok writing Mikrokosmos or Violin Duets. Or a Doflein method for contemporary techniques. It seems that if there are those things, they haven't reached consensus yet.

April 8, 2023, 2:10 PM · Here is a recording of a piece by Alfred Schnittke entitled "Polka" played by a Polish student whom I have given a few zoom lessons to in the past year. It is quite attractive and fun. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OR74nqz0z_Esl9TapsWCYaRhoPxZQll0/view

April 8, 2023, 9:39 PM · Bruce, that's a fabulous piece... who's the publisher? It would be great for my students. Congratulations on your student, by the way, she seems very talented

April 9, 2023, 1:16 AM · Disqualified! Alfred Schnittke died almost a quarter-century ago.

Edited: April 10, 2023, 4:27 PM · Spiegel im Spiegel (Violin and Piano) by Avro Part is accessible.

This piece brings to mind an important part of playing the violin or any instrument: attention. Can you play two measures of this piece (or even four of bars of the same sustained note) with the utmost attention without thinking of anything else? That's a challenge but concentration like the violin can be practiced. I think one thing that separates professionals from amateur players besides technique is an outstanding ability to focus and concentrate only on the task at hand.

April 10, 2023, 9:50 PM · A decent chunk of William Grant Still's works for violin are accessible for the intermediate player.