Welcome to our Music Diary page for Viola

Make a note of these recommended activities in your Music Diary to help with your practice.

Regular practice can be fun and will help improve your playing or singing.

Remember you’re in charge of your practice routine so you can work at your own pace. Keep working on new pieces or skills until you feel confident with them before moving on to the next challenge.

Go to “Additional Activites and Resources” to access the Instrumental Update Worksheets to get the most from these activities in your practice.

Bow Hold (Beginner)

Bow Hold (Beginner)

Learn how to hold your bow correctly with Miss Chappell

Copycats

Copycats

A fun 'call and response' exercise

Left Hand Technique

Left Hand Technique

Some top tips for left hand work

Posture and Playing Position

Posture and Playing Position

Establishing the correct posture is an important every time you play.  Follow Miss Chappell's video and you'll get it right every time

Setting Up

Setting Up

Miss Chappell shows you how to set up your violin or viola properly so you're ready to play

D Major Scale

D Major Scale

Learn the D major scale for violin and viola with Miss Chappell

String Skills

String Skills

String Skills offers a whole range of resources for string players.  You can download a range of well-known tunes to have a go at.  The pieces vary in difficulty, starting with the easier ones and getting progressively more challenging.  Be careful of the use of low/squashy 2s in some of the later ones, and Go Down, Moses should only be attempted by those working towards Grade 2 due to the use of flats.

There are backing tracks available to download for you to play along with (most have an introduction – have a quick listen first before you try playing along).

String Skills Resources Grade 3

String Skills Resources Grade 3

Use the worksheet to navigate the String Skills website.  The worksheet identifies useful activities for grade 3 ability.

Bow Hold (Intermediate/Advanced)

Bow Hold (Intermediate/Advanced)

Two videos of exercises for intermediate and advanced players to help develop a relaxed and flexible blow hold. 1 of 2.

Bow Hold (Intermediate/Advanced)

Bow Hold (Intermediate/Advanced)

Two videos of exercises for intermediate and advanced players to help develop a relaxed and flexible blow hold. 2 of 2.

Vibrato Masterclass

Vibrato Masterclass

Mr Simons demonstrates exercises to help develop your vibrato

String Skills

String Skills

Use the worksheet to navigate the String Skills website.  The worksheet identifies useful activities for grade 4-5 ability.

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Part 1: Sautille

Recommended tutorials from David LePage covering a number of specific bowing techniques.  

Remember that in order to effectively develop these techniques, it is vital that a relaxed and flexible bow hold is established first.

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Part 2: Spiccato

Recommended tutorials from David LePage covering a number of specific bowing techniques.  

Remember that in order to effectively develop these techniques, it is vital that a relaxed and flexible bow hold is established first.

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Advanced Bowing Techniques

Part 3: Ricochet

Recommended tutorials from David LePage covering a number of specific bowing techniques.  

Remember that in order to effectively develop these techniques, it is vital that a relaxed and flexible bow hold is established first.

Strings - Tuning a violin or viola

Strings - Tuning a violin or viola

A simple PDF guide for tuning a violin or viola.  The video shows tuning a violin.

Vibrato with Maxim Vengerov

Vibrato with Maxim Vengerov

How to produce and change vibrato

Recommended tutorials from Classic FM’s Artist in Residence, Maxim Vengerov.

Triple Stop with Maxim Vengerov

Triple Stop with Maxim Vengerov

How to play triple stops

Recommended tutorials from Classic FM’s Artist in Residence, Maxim Vengerov

String Skills

String Skills

Use the worksheet to navigate the String Skills website.  The worksheet identifies useful activities for grade 6-8 ability.

Reward Chart

Reward Chart

Record your practice by colouring in this chart.  How will you celebrate when you've filled it all in?   

How to Tune a Violin or Viola

How to Tune a Violin or Viola

To make the most of your playing, make sure your violin or viola is in tune.  You can learn to tune them yourself using this guide.