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Jun 06, 2021

20% off Viola play-alongs!
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20% off viola play along!

Hundreds of discounted viola play-along, sheet music with accompaniment CD.

Now you can play with your own orchestra or other instruments! For players of all levels, beginners and advanced, from classical chamber music (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Puccini...), solos and concertos (Hoffmeister, Mozart, Stamitz, Telemann) to folk music and famous movie tunes (Disney, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings) and much more!

For you and as a gift idea. Take advantage of this special offer!

Continue reading "20% off Viola play-alongs!
Hundreds of titles for you"

May 10, 2021

Viola in Music's Collection of 13 famous tunes: My Bonnie, Danny Boy..

Buy Viola in Music's Collection written for viola in alto clef, enjoy playing them instantly! My love is like a red, red rose, Skye boat song, Fanny Power etc.

Continue reading "Viola in Music's Collection of 13 famous tunes: My Bonnie, Danny Boy.."

Dec 16, 2020

📆 17 December 🎶Happy 250th birthday, Beethoven!🎻

Beethoven's birthplace in Bonn

Today, 17 December 250 years ago, Beethoven was born in Bonn. He is celebrated all over the world for his wonderful music also for the viola.

Read more about Beethoven music and the viola and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 17 December 🎶Happy 250th birthday, Beethoven!🎻"

Feb 03, 2020

Valentine music. Famous romantic classical music, for viola and all instruments

Here you'll find Valentine music for your romantic night party, to impress your partner or to play at a gig! Mp3, MIDI and printable sheet music to download

Continue reading "Valentine music. Famous romantic classical music, for viola and all instruments"

Feb 03, 2020

Valentine sheet music, for viola & instruments. Famous romantic music for a gig

String quartet & string orchestra Valentine sheet music for a special, romantic night. Famous love songs, Gershwin’s I've Got A Crush On You, Porter’s Night & Day, Presley’s Love Me Tender. Unmissable

Continue reading "Valentine sheet music, for viola & instruments. Famous romantic music for a gig"

Jan 27, 2020

Kegelstatt Trio: clarinet, viola & piano by Mozart. A jewel with viola

Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio K498 is another beautiful work for viola with clarinet & piano. He played the viola with his friend Stadler & a piano pupil. Listen

Continue reading "Kegelstatt Trio: clarinet, viola & piano by Mozart. A jewel with viola"

Jan 27, 2020

Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola & orchestra: a jewel

Listen to one the most beautiful music, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin & viola (which he played) with orchestra. Unusaully, cadenzas are by Mozart

Continue reading "Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola & orchestra: a jewel"

Jan 27, 2020

27 Jan. Biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his music and the viola

27 January: Mozart's bithday. From the biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, find out what he thought of the viola, the music he wrote and played

Continue reading "27 Jan. Biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his music and the viola"

Dec 29, 2019

29 December: birthday of Lionel Tertis, famous viola player

Learn about Lionel Tertis, the viola player who first became a world famous viola virtuoso

Continue reading "29 December: birthday of Lionel Tertis, famous viola player"

Dec 08, 2019

Antonin Dvorak, his music and the viola

From the biography of Antonin Dvorak, find out what he thought of the viola, the music he wrote and played

Continue reading "Antonin Dvorak, his music and the viola"

Nov 22, 2019

Saint Cecilia, patron of musicians, played the viola?

Today is Saint Cecilia, the saint celebrated as patron of musicians. Find out why and who she was

Continue reading "Saint Cecilia, patron of musicians, played the viola?"

Nov 20, 2019

-20% Viola play-along sheet music & CD. Play with your own orchestra!

20% OFF Have fun with viola play-along CDs! Play the soloist part accompanied by orchestra, piano or other instruments. Enjoy your practice and rehearsals more

Continue reading "-20% Viola play-along sheet music & CD. Play with your own orchestra!"

Nov 11, 2019

Christmas Carols free MIDI files, for all instruments with sheet music

Find here a lot of Christmas Carols free MIDI files to download for viola with piano, violin, cello, string trio, quartet etc., with sheet music to download

Continue reading "Christmas Carols free MIDI files, for all instruments with sheet music"

Nov 11, 2019

Christmas Carols Mp3 for 1, 2 violas & other instruments. All levels!

Christmas Carols Mp3 files, for viola and other instruments, with downloadable sheet music, for you to play during Christmas time

Continue reading "Christmas Carols Mp3 for 1, 2 violas & other instruments. All levels!"

Oct 01, 2019

Halloween music. Famous scary music for viola & instruments. MP3, MIDI

Halloween music for your scary night party, play quartet with invited ghosts, impress friends, have lot of fun! With simpler version. Printable, printed music

Continue reading "Halloween music. Famous scary music for viola & instruments. MP3, MIDI"

Jul 28, 2019

Weber's opera Der Freischutz and the viola

The opera Der Freischutz and other Weber's works give the viola important parts. Here is a solo viola accompanying a whole aria. Listen to it

Continue reading "Weber's opera Der Freischutz and the viola"

Apr 02, 2019

Stage fright, its causes and cures - Are drugs the only remedy?

Find out what you can do to overcome stage fright & enjoy more your playing. Especially related to violin, viola, string playing, useful tips for all performers

Continue reading "Stage fright, its causes and cures - Are drugs the only remedy?"

Mar 17, 2019

📆 17 March: St. Patrick's 🍀 day. Good for folk viola music

St. Patrick's 🍀 day. Good for folk 🎻viola music

Today, 17 March, St. Patrick's day is celebrated by Irish people allover the world but also by many folk music players and lovers. Irish(and other) folk music soundsgreat on the viola.

Readmore about folk viola musicand listen to it, guess who plays it...

Continue reading "📆 17 March: St. Patrick's 🍀 day. Good for folk viola music"

Jan 07, 2019

Farewell to Kato Havas: child prodigy, exceptional musician, teacher

Kato Havas is a very special teacher! She created a New Approach to string playing, from her you can learn not only how to prevent & eliminate physical injuries & stage fright related to VIOLA (and violin) playing, but also learn how to use music to really communicate freely

Continue reading "Farewell to Kato Havas: child prodigy, exceptional musician, teacher"

Jan 03, 2019

Viola in music: History, the viola seen by famous composers & players

The role of the viola in music: learn about famous viola works, players, view and listen to beautiful viola music

Continue reading "Viola in music: History, the viola seen by famous composers & players"

Nov 20, 2018

Scordatura: what is it? See a great example on the viola

Learn about the scordatura, or mistuning, a clever trick composers used for viola and other string instruments to improve their sonority and make performers' lives easier

Continue reading "Scordatura: what is it? See a great example on the viola"

Sep 08, 2018

📆 8 September: Antonin Dvorak, great composer, violist, conductor

Antonin Dvorak, great composer, violist, conductor!

Today, 8 September, in 1841, a great composer, conductor and also viola player, was born! Another of the many composers who played the viola.

Continue reading "📆 8 September: Antonin Dvorak, great composer, violist, conductor"

Sep 03, 2018

I help professional viola and violin players play freely

Monica Cuneo helps professional violin & viola players play free from pain, injuries and stage fright

I help professional violin and viola players play without aches & pains, tendonitis and paralyzing stage fright.

If you're interested in playing more freely and enjoying it more, click the link below to learn more.

Continue reading "I help professional viola and violin players play freely"

Aug 25, 2018

📆 25 August: Leonard Bernstein, great composer, pianist, conductor, educator

Leonard Bernstein, great composer, pianist, conductor, educator!
Today, 25 August, in 1918, a genius, great composer, pianist, conductor, educator, was born!

The year 2018 is the centenary of his birth.

He dedicated a beautiful, moving melody to the viola, listen to it and celebrate his birthday!


Read more about Leonard Bernstein and listen to Somewhere on the viola!

Continue reading "📆 25 August: Leonard Bernstein, great composer, pianist, conductor, educator"

Aug 23, 2018

📆 23 August: William Primrose,
the Hollywood star viola!

William Primrose, the Hollywood star viola!Today, 23 August, in 1904, the first star of the viola was born, he actually got a Hollywood star!

He was a wonderful player and also commissioned many viola works, the best known of which is Bartok viola concerto.

There is something special in his playing, even (or maybe especially) when he plays just a few slow notes, that I find very touching, while instead I find a lot of other players are stiff, soulless, dead. His playing is perfectly accurate yet flexible, fluid, with a myriad of nuances.

Read more about William Primrose and listen to his amazing playing!

Continue reading "📆 23 August: William Primrose,
the Hollywood star viola!"

Jul 13, 2018

Are you a professional viola or violin player struggling to play and work because of pain or nerves?

Monica Cuneo helps professional viola and violin players play free from pain, injuries and stage fright

I help professional viola and violin players play without aches & pains, tendonitis and paralyzing stage fright.

If you're interested in playing more freely and enjoying it more, click the link below to learn more.

Continue reading "Are you a professional viola or violin player struggling to play and work because of pain or nerves?"

Mar 21, 2018

📆 21 March: Bach, composer who loved and played the viola

Composed a 2 viola concerto

Bach, composer of a concerto with not one but TWO solo violas!


Today, 21 March, in 1685, the composer of a concerto for TWO violas was born! This concerto is one of the 6 Brandenburg Concertos written by him for different groups of instruments, in addition to hundreds of other instrumental works and church music.

Read more about the concerto for TWO violas, Brandenburg Concerto n.6 and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 21 March: Bach, composer who loved and played the viola"

Mar 20, 2018

Bernstein's Somewhere features a solo viola! Happy 100th birthday!

Did you know that Bernstein's Somewhere, from West Side Story, features a solo viola? Listen to this wonderful melody and play it yourself. Celebrate year 2018, the centenary of his birth

Continue reading "Bernstein's Somewhere features a solo viola! Happy 100th birthday!"

Dec 13, 2017

Music gift ideas for a musician or music lover

Need an original, great idea for a music gift? Find here the perfect music gift ideas for a musician or a music lover

Continue reading "Music gift ideas for a musician or music lover"

Nov 25, 2017

Stamitz Viola concerto: read here, you'll love it!

Read and listen to Carl Stamitz viola concerto, a lovely piece by a virtuoso viola player, one of the best known concertos for viola. Listen to the whole work, find sheet music

Continue reading "Stamitz Viola concerto: read here, you'll love it!"

Oct 11, 2017

Harold in Italy, Symphony with solo viola by Hector Berlioz

Berlioz's Harold in Italy is one of the most exciting viola and orchestra compositions, read about its origin, who was it written for? Listen to it, find recordings and sheet music

Continue reading "Harold in Italy, Symphony with solo viola by Hector Berlioz"

Oct 07, 2017

Rebecca Clarke and the viola

Rebecca Clarke was a woman composer and viola player who composed chamber music also with viola

Continue reading "Rebecca Clarke and the viola"

Mar 14, 2017

📆 14 March: Telemann, composer of first viola concerto

Areally forward-looking genius

Telemann, composer of first viola concerto. A really forward-looking genius


Today, 14 March, in 1681, the composer of probably the first viola concerto ever writtenwas born! This concerto is one of the 125 concertos written by him forone or more instruments, in addition to hundreds of other instrumentalworks, operas and church music.

Read more about the first viola concerto and listen to it and try and guess who plays it...

Continue reading "📆 14 March: Telemann, composer of first viola concerto"

Mar 08, 2017

📆 8 March: Women's day with a viola player and composer

Today, 8 March the world celebrates Women's Day so let's celebrate not a birthday but a woman viola player and composer, Rebecca Clarke, still not well known. It is a rarity amid rarities!
Read more about this woman viola player and composer and listen to her music

Read more about Rebecca Clarke, woman viola player and composer and listen to her music

Continue reading "📆 8 March: Women's day with a viola player and composer"

Mar 06, 2017

📆 6 March: op.127 Quartet premièred by Beethoven's teased friend

Today, 6 March, in 1825, Beethoven's Quartet op.127 was premièred. The quartet's first violin, Ignaz Schuppanzigh, was a famous violinist who also played the viola, actually started with it. He was a close friend of Beethoven's who used to tease him because he was fat and composed a little joke about him.

Read Read more about this Famous violinist who played the viola and listen to a musical joke

Continue reading "📆 6 March: op.127 Quartet premièred by Beethoven's teased friend"

Mar 04, 2017

📆 4 March: Vivaldi's birthday. Did he compose viola concertos?

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born today in 1678. He didn't compose viola concertos although his viola d'amore concertos are sometimes performed on the viola.

Read more about Antonio Vivaldi viola concerto and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 4 March: Vivaldi's birthday. Did he compose viola concertos?"

Feb 23, 2017

📆 23 February: Handel's birthday. "Non-composer" of famous viola concerto

Georg Friederich Handel was born today in 1685. A viola concerto bears his name but was not actually composed by Handel, although he could have well written it.

Indeed, in some of his operas he gave the violas an important role and composed some arias with solo viola accompaniment.

Read more about Handel viola concerto and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 23 February: Handel's birthday. "Non-composer" of famous viola concerto"

Feb 22, 2017

📆 22 February: Bowen's birthday. Composer and viola player, friend with Tertis

York Bowen was born today in 1884. English pianist, composer, organist, horn and viola player. He was friend with the viola soloist pioneer Lionel Tertis and played at the piano with him.

With his viola works, Bowen helped Tertis in his efforts to make the viola become more popular.

Read more about York Bowen and listen to his music

Continue reading "📆 22 February: Bowen's birthday. Composer and viola player, friend with Tertis"

Feb 21, 2017

📆 21 February: Kalliwoda's birthday. Famous violin player who also played the viola

Johann Kalliwoda was born today in 1801. He was a Bohemian violinist, composer and conductor, Kapellmeister.

He was another famous violin player who also played the viola and composed music for it.

Continue reading "📆 21 February: Kalliwoda's birthday. Famous violin player who also played the viola"

Feb 17, 2017

📆 16 February: Urhan's birthday. First performer of Harold en Italie

Chrétien Urhan was born today in 1790. He was a French viola player, violinist and composer, the principal viola of Paris Opéra and very religious man.

Berlioz asked him to perform the viola solo in the première of Harold en Italie and Meyerbeer wrote the viola d’amore solo in the first act of Les Huguenots for him. Urhan performed Harold in Italy at the Paris Conservatoire in 1834 and several times in the following years always with great success.

Read more on Harold in Italy

Continue reading "📆 16 February: Urhan's birthday. First performer of Harold en Italie"

Feb 17, 2017

📆 17 February: Vieuxtemps's birthday. Famous violin player played the viola

Virtuoso violin player played and composed for the viola. Listen to his music

Continue reading "📆 17 February: Vieuxtemps's birthday. Famous violin player played the viola"

Feb 16, 2017

📆 15 February: Fuchs's birthday. Praised by Brahms

Composed composed orchestral works, much chamber music especially for strings, duos trios, quartets, Viola Sonata and 6 Fantasy pieces (Phantasiestücke) for viola & piano,

"Fuchs is a splendid musician; everything is so fine and so skilful, so charmingly invented, that one is always pleased".

Continue reading "📆 15 February: Fuchs's birthday. Praised by Brahms"

Feb 10, 2017

📆 9 February: Ferdinando Carulli's birthday. Virtuoso guitar player and composer

Ferdinando Carulli was born on 9 February in 1770. He was an important virtuoso guitar player who composed much chamber music for guitar, also with the viola.


Read more about Carulli and listen to his music with viola

Continue reading "📆 9 February: Ferdinando Carulli's birthday. Virtuoso guitar player and composer"

Feb 08, 2017

📆 8 February: Birthday of a (different) Hollywood star who composed a viola concerto

On a different page I mentioned the viola player William Primrose being a Hollywood Star of Recording in the Walk of Fame.

Now here is a different Hollywood Star, although he is not (yet?) in the Walk of Fame, who has to do with the viola.

John Williams was born today in 1932. He is an American pianist, composer and conductor. He is famous for having composed perhaps countless scores with the music for some of the most famous Hollywood movies, including Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List and some of the Harry Potter.

Continue reading "📆 8 February: Birthday of a (different) Hollywood star who composed a viola concerto"

Feb 08, 2017

📆 8 February: A viola player is a Hollywood Star!

Today, 8 February, in 1960 the name of a viola player was included in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as a Star of Recording. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a boulevard in Los Angeles with brass stars embedded in the sidewalks, honouring achivement in the entertainment industry.

This star was William Primrose. Other classical musicians that I found included there are the opera singers Maria Callas, Enrico Caruso, Richar Crooks, the violinists Fritz Kreisler, Jasha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin and Mischa Elman, the pianists Arthur Rubinstein and Vladimir Horowitz, the composer George Gershwin, conductors Arturo Toscanini, Leonard Bernstein and Zubin Mehta, just to name a few, but there are many more.
Read more about the viola Star of Recording and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 8 February: A viola player is a Hollywood Star!"

Feb 03, 2017

📆 3 February: Mendelssohn's birthday: He played viola and composed a viola sonata

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was born today in 1809. Besides being a child prodigy pianist and composer, he played the viola well enough to play chamber music with noted musicians. He composed a Sonata in c minor for viola and piano when he was 15. He also wrote interesting parts for violists in his orchestral works, like for examples The Hebrides ouverture, one of my favourite ones.
Read more about Mendelssohn viola sonata and listen to it

Continue reading "📆 3 February: Mendelssohn's birthday: He played viola and composed a viola sonata"

Feb 03, 2017

📆 2 February: Fritz Kreisler & Jascha Heifetz Two top violinists played with a viola Hollywood star


2 top violinists who played with a viola star were born today, 2 February: Fritz Kreisler in 1875 and Jascha Heifetz in 1901. Both are considered among the top violinists of the last century, for different aspects: Kreisler for his seemingly effortless execution, Heifetz for his flawless technique. Kreisler was also a composer and composed dozens of pieces in the ‘olden style’ which he attributed to various almost unknown 18th-century composers, thus misleading many experts. Both played with the viola virtuoso William Primrose. Read more about William Primrose and listen to him play

Continue reading "📆 2 February: Fritz Kreisler & Jascha Heifetz Two top violinists played with a viola Hollywood star"

Feb 01, 2017

📆 1 February: Puccini's Manon Lescaut premièred. The famous opera features a viola solo

The opera Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini was performed for the first time today, 1 February, in 1893 at La Scala opera house in Milan. It features an orchestral Intermezzo opened by a cello solo, dialoguing with a viola and a violin, concluding with the viola solo. Then the Intermezzo proceeds with the full orchestra. It is a short solo, much shorter than the one in Der Freischutz mentioned a few days ago, but very intense. This piece too is often in the list of solos at orchestra auditions for principal viola.">
Read more about Famous viola solos and listen to Manon Lescaut

Continue reading "📆 1 February: Puccini's Manon Lescaut premièred. The famous opera features a viola solo"

Jan 31, 2017

📆 31 January: Schubert's birthday. A work of his played on the viola would be otherwise almost unheard

Franz Schubert was born on 31 January 1797. He was a prolific composer in a very short life, he played the viola himself in his family string quartet. He composed a sonata for Arpeggione and piano which is usually played on the viola. Read more about Franz Schubert and listen to his music

Continue reading "📆 31 January: Schubert's birthday. A work of his played on the viola would be otherwise almost unheard"


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Play easily without pain &
nerves

Related pages

Read the book Read the book "Stage fright - Causes and cures", by Kato Havas, and play freely

Buy Viola in Music's Collection of 13 famous tunes (19 pages)
£7.99 and download them instantly
They are in their original keys, so you can play them in sessions with other instruments

Jesu, joy of man's desiring
Michael Turner’s waltz (2 versions)
The greenwood tree
The south wind
Fanny Power
Ye banks and braes
Skye boat song
My Bonnie
My love is like a red, red rose
Sportsman’s hornpipe
The road to Lisdoonvarna
Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
Iron legs

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