Teaching Cello
  • Home
  • Teaching Cello: The Steps
    • Step One: Cello First Position >
      • Methods for Beginning Cello Students
      • Exercises for Beginning Cello Students
      • Etudes for Beginning Cello Students
      • Duets for Beginning Cello Students
      • Repertoire for Beginning Students
      • Lesson Material for Very Young Beginners
    • Step Two: Building Early-Intermediate Cello Skills >
      • Methods and Exercises for Teaching Shifting
      • Etudes for Teaching Shifting
      • Duets for Teaching Shifting
      • Repertoire for Early-Intermediate Students
    • Step Three: Building Late-Intermediate Skills >
      • Methods and Exercises for Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Etudes for Late-Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Duets for Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Repertoire for Late-Intermediate Skills
    • Step Four: Starting Cello Thumb Position >
      • Exercises for Early-Advanced Cello Skills
      • Duets for Early-Advanced Students
      • Repertoire for Early-Advanced Students
    • Cello Sight-reading
    • Cello Alternative Styles
    • A Practical Guide to Bach Cello Suite Editions
  • Planning Cello Lessons
    • Organizing a cello lesson
    • What do Cello Students Need? >
      • What Beginning Cello Students Need
      • What Intermediate Cello Students Need
      • What Advanced Cello Students Need
  • Cello links and resources
    • Cello teaching supplies
  • Contact/Blog
    • Contact
    • Cello Teaching Blog

Teaching Cello - Repertoire for Beginning Cello Students

Students at every level should play through as much music as possible, to aid in building strong sightreading skills. But this music should generally be at (or occasionally slightly below) their level.

Beginning students need to get used to playing in closed first position for a good amount of time before extended positions are started; this allows them to develop a strong knowledge of where to put their hand (which will be useful later on, when they start shifting).

As a teacher, I have bought multiple copies of some of these books and lent them to students who weren't going to be studying the books very long, just so they could have more material to read through. I love the books with cello-part-only purchase options; much more affordable for students!

While you can move quickly through many of the pieces in these beginning books, books like String Festival Solos and Solo Time have repertoire that you can have your students study a little longer and then perform.

Beginning I: Solo Books

Compilations of easy cello pieces that include no (or very little) extended first position.

The Marvelous, Essential Waggon Wheels Series!

Stepping Stones and Waggon Wheels are incredible books; I use them with virtually every student. Stepping Stones has songs with open strings and first finger, while Waggon Wheels has songs with third and fourth fingers. Fast Forward has some extended first position but includes charming songs!
4136147 look inside Stepping Stones (Cello and Piano). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello, Piano (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 16 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087448. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011271).
4136151 look inside Stepping Stones (Cello Part Only). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello, Piano (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 8 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087455. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011272).
4136184 look inside Waggon Wheels (A second book of 26 pieces for beginner). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello, Piano (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 30 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087486. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011275).
4136191 look inside Waggon Wheels (Cello Part Only). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 12 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087493. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011276).
4132381 look inside Fast Forward (Cello and Piano). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello, Piano (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 40 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060090837. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011354).
4132397 look inside Fast Forward (Cello Part Only). Composed by Katherine & Hugh Colledge. For Cello, Piano (Cello). Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 11 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060090844. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011355).

Easy Solos for Beginning Cello

Easy Solos, by Craig Duncan is a good book to follow Waggon Wheels. And after that, or along with it, my favorite book of longer beginning solos has to be Applebaum's String Festival Solos.
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1724618 look inside Easy Solos for Beginning Cello Level 1 Composed by Craig Duncan. For cello. Saddle-stitched, Solos. Building Excellence. Classic. Beginning. Book. 40 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc (MB.94659).

String Festival Solos

I absolutely love these books! Come to the Sea has been a favorite of my beginning students for years. Contains some adorable playing-intensive solos that don't use extended position (hooray!). 
1440859 look inside String Festival Solos, Volume 1 (Cello Piano Acc.). Edited by Sel., transcr., and ed. Samuel Applebaum. For Cello Piano Acc.. String Series. Grade 1; Grade 1.5; Grade 2. 24 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.EL9599).
1440859 look inside String Festival Solos, Volume 1 (Cello Piano Acc.). Edited by Sel., transcr., and ed. Samuel Applebaum. For Cello Piano Acc.. String Series. Grade 1; Grade 1.5; Grade 2. 24 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.EL9599).

Playing the Cello

Playing the Cello, Book One is a fun first position solo book with exercises interspersed throughout. A piano accompaniment is also available.
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Solo Time for Strings - for Cello

Solo Time begins with piece that uses only open strings, first finger and then a piece that uses only open strings, first and third fingers, allowing very beginning students to play actual solos. When played with the piano accompaniment, they are really great! With some optional first finger E's in fourth position later in the book, I return to a few of these pieces when my students start fourth position.
3547725 look inside Solo Time for Strings, Book 1 (Cello). Composed by Forest Etling. Orchestra. For Cello. Method/Instruction; String Orchestra Method/Supplement. Book. 32 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.13063).
3520354 look inside Solo Time for Strings, Book 1 (Piano Acc.). Composed by Forest Etling. Orchestra. For Piano Acc.. Method/Instruction; String Orchestra Method/Supplement. Book. 36 pages. Published by Alfred Music (AP.13065).

Little Mozart Pieces for Cello

Great book of first position cello pieces by Mozart!
20064313 look inside The Student Cellist: Mozart Composed by Craig Duncan. For cello. Perfect binding. Classics. Beginning-Intermediate. Book. 48 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc (MB.98265M).

Solos for Strings

Blast from the past. 
Cover tiny file look inside Solos For Strings - Cello Solo (First Position) Arranged by Harvey S. Whistler. Rubank Solo Collection. Concert, Contest. 16 pages. Published by Rubank Publications (HL.4473220).
Cover tiny file look inside Solos For Strings - Piano Accompaniment Arranged by Harvey S. Whistler. Rubank Solo Collection. Concert, Contest. 28 pages. Published by Rubank Publications (HL.4473240).

Piece by Piece for Cello

Lots of fun!
Piece by Piece 1 look inside Piece by Piece 1 (Cello and Piano). By Sheila Nelson. Cello. Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. 26 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087912. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011290)

...more info

Piece by Piece 2 look inside Piece by Piece 2 (Cello and Piano). By Sheila Nelson. Cello. Boosey & Hawkes Chamber Music. Book only. 44 pages. Boosey & Hawkes #M060087929. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48011291)

...more info


Premier Voyage: A Huge Amount of Material

Very easy, very short pieces.
Premier Voyage Premier Voyage By Alain Voirpy. For cello and piano. Classical. Grade 1. Score. 29 + 10 pages. Published by Editions Henry Lemoine (LM.26076)

...more info


Beginning I: Solo Pieces

These folios contain a single solo piece.

Earnshaw's Tarantella

This Tarantella, by Earnshaw, is so adorable that I find myself smiling whenever I play it with a student. And there's the giant spider-web on the cover that is so fascinating to my students. This is a great piece to work on 6/8 timing and prepare for future Tarantellas!
Cover tiny file look inside Tarantella Op. 44 No 4 Composed by Alfred Earnshaw. String music. Published by Stainer & Bell Ltd. (ST.H467).

Carse's Merry Dance

Cover tiny file look inside Merry Dance for Cello and Piano Composed by Adam Carse. String music. Published by Stainer & Bell Ltd. (ST.2202).

Aller's Gavotte

3003403 look inside Gavotte in G (Cello Solo with Piano - Grade 2 (First Position)). Arranged by G. Aller. For Cello. Rubank Solo/Ensemble Sheet. Grade 2. 8 pages. Rubank Publications #RUBX574. Published by Rubank Publications (HL.4472910).

Muller's King of the Deep

Cover tiny file look inside King of the Deep - Cello Solo Composed by J. Frederick Muller. Collection. Instrumental part. Published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company (KJ.S5220).

Vallee's Petit Concert No. 1

19471576 look inside Petit Concert No. 1 Composed by Georges-Robert Vallee. For cello and piano. Classical. Score. 4 pages. Published by Edition Delrieu (LM.GD10881).

Squire's At Twilight

3554753 look inside At Twilight (Triste) (Triste - Violoncello Solo with Piano). Composed by William Henry Squire. Edited by Alvin Buechner. For Cello Solo, Piano. Solo part with piano reduction. Standard notation. 4 pages. Published by Carl Fischer (CF.S4306).

Paxton's Allegro Moderato

A one-page piece in mostly eighth notes and quarter notes with some very brief extending to reach 4th finger C-sharp on the G string. Some sixteenth notes. Perfect for older students and adults who want to play "real music" and less of the kiddie stuff.
Cover tiny file look inside Allegro Moderato op. 5/3 From Sonata op. 5/3. Composed by Stephen Paxton. Edited by Dinn. Arranged by Freda Dinn. This edition: Saddle stitching. Sheet music. Schott. Contemporary, Classical. 11051, op. 5/3. 6 pages. Schott Music #ED 11051. Published by Schott Music (HL.49002632).

Beginning II: Solo books that are a bit more complicated

 These books might have more extended first position or half position than the books above. The rhythms are more complicated as well. For younger students, I may skip these books and pieces altogether and go straight to easy fourth position material, such as Fourth Position Preparatory Studies and Fourth Position Pieces for the Cello.

Older students and adults, however, can often do quite well with some of the material listed below. I don't like to wait very long before starting fourth position because the students need to be as comfortable as possible moving around on the cello. However, one option would be to start teaching fourth position through a method and assign some of these more difficult first-position pieces as repertoire.

Classical Album for Cello

Classical Album of Early Grade Pieces Classical Album of Early Grade Pieces (for Cello and Piano). Arranged by C. Paul Herfurth. For Cello. Music Sales America. Classical. 48 pages. Boston Music #BMC9918. Published by Boston Music (HL.14006936)

...more info


Fantastic Material by the Great W.H. Squire!

Beautiful 2-page pieces that are all in first position. Can be used quite effectively for recitals. 
Cover tiny file look inside Petits Morceaux, Op. 16 Composed by William Henry Squire. String music. Published by Stainer & Bell Ltd. (ST.H409).

Cello Book

Bigger notes means that this book is more complicated than it looks.
Cover tiny file look inside Cello Book Edited by Heilbut. Cello & Piano Albums. Collection. Heinrichshofen Verlag #N4107. Published by Heinrichshofen Verlag (PE.N4107).

Melodies by Old Masters

Substantial book of pieces; great for older students.
Melodies by Old Masters - Volume 1 Melodies by Old Masters - Volume 1 (for Young Cellists). By Various. Arranged by Alfred Moffat and Eugen Rapp. Schott. 36 pages. Schott Music #ED2384. Published by Schott Music (HL.49003727)

...more info


Beginning II: Solo pieces that are a bit more complicated

Hindemith's Three Easy Pieces

Three Easy Pieces Three Easy Pieces (Cello and Piano). By Paul Hindemith (1895-1963). Schott. 10 pages. Schott Music #ED2771. Published by Schott Music (HL.49003961)

Smp_stars40 (1) ...more info


Scarmolin's Introduction and Dance

Cover tiny file look inside Introduction & Dance Composed by Anthony Louis Scarmolin (1890-1969). Strings. Published by LudwigMasters Publications (LG.10730199).

Two Pieces by Squire

3554867 look inside At Morn (Joyeuse) (Joyeuse - for Cello and Piano). Composed by William Henry Squire. Edited by Alvin Buechner. For Cello Solo, Piano. Solo part with piano reduction. Standard notation. 4 pages. Published by Carl Fischer (CF.B2936).
3554783 look inside Fairy Tales (L'Innocence) from Petits Morceaux, Op. 16, No. 5 (L'innocence - from "Petits Morceaux" - for Violincello and Piano). Composed by William Henry Squire. Edited by Alvin Buechner. For Cello Solo, Piano. Solo part with piano reduction. Standard notation. Opus 16, Number 5. 4 pages. Published by Carl Fischer (CF.B2725).

Beginning Cello Sonatas and Concertinos

Check out pieces by Rudolf Matz

Although they are difficult to find, Sonata Da Camera and Sonatina in C Major, both by Rudolf Matz, are wonderful beginning pieces. (Try Shar Music for pieces by Rudolf Matz.)

Reinagle Sonatine

Three short movements, one instance of extended position. 
Cover tiny file look inside Sonatina G major From: Progressive lessons for the Violoncello. Composed by Joseph Reinagle. Edited by Rainer Mohrs. This edition: Saddle stitching. Sheet music. Cello Library. Classical. Softcover. Composed 1800. 223. 8 pages. Schott Music #CB 223. Published by Schott Music (HL.49018166).

Vivaldi Concerto

If you cross out the fingerings, this is entirely playable in first position. And how often does a beginner get to play an actual concerto?! Some extended first position.
Cover tiny file look inside Cello Concerto in C Major RV399 Composed by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). Edited by Mariassy / Pejtsik. Sheet Music. Edition Kunzelmann #GM963. Published by Edition Kunzelmann (PE.GM963).

Breval Concertino in C

Beautiful little 3-movement concertino with some extended first position. Perfect for talented students who are starting on a high-level performance track from the very beginning.
Cover tiny file look inside Concertino No. 4 en Ut maj. Composed by Jean-Baptiste Breval. Classical. Score. 8 + 4 pages. Edition Delrieu #GD1028. Published by Edition Delrieu (LM.GD1028).

Breval Concertino in D

Another beautiful little 3-movement concertino that has more extended first position than the C major Concertino. Also great for talented students who are starting on a high-level performance track from the very beginning.
Cover tiny file look inside Concertino No. 5 en Re maj. Composed by Jean-Baptiste Breval. Classical. Score. 6 + 2 pages. Edition Delrieu #GD1029. Published by Edition Delrieu (LM.GD1029).

Schaffrath Sonata

Slightly more complicated rhythmically than the other pieces listed here but still all in first position. Written as a duet with a cello continuo part but this edition includes a piano part as well. 
Sonata G-Dur Sonata G-Dur By Christoph Schaffrath (1709-1763). Edited by Hugo Ruf. For cello and basso continuo. This edition: CB 157. String Instruments. Cello-Bibliothek (Cello Library). Grade 2. 32 pages. Published by Schott Music (SD.49001524)

...more info


Klengel Sonatina in C

A free cello sonatina that is all in closed (!) first position. Rather rare for not including extended first position, this sonatina has slightly complicated rhythm, making it a great piece for older learners. 

Next: Early-Intermediate Methods and Exercises 

Teaching Cello

Repertoire and advice for cello teachers.



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  • Home
  • Teaching Cello: The Steps
    • Step One: Cello First Position >
      • Methods for Beginning Cello Students
      • Exercises for Beginning Cello Students
      • Etudes for Beginning Cello Students
      • Duets for Beginning Cello Students
      • Repertoire for Beginning Students
      • Lesson Material for Very Young Beginners
    • Step Two: Building Early-Intermediate Cello Skills >
      • Methods and Exercises for Teaching Shifting
      • Etudes for Teaching Shifting
      • Duets for Teaching Shifting
      • Repertoire for Early-Intermediate Students
    • Step Three: Building Late-Intermediate Skills >
      • Methods and Exercises for Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Etudes for Late-Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Duets for Intermediate Cello Skills
      • Repertoire for Late-Intermediate Skills
    • Step Four: Starting Cello Thumb Position >
      • Exercises for Early-Advanced Cello Skills
      • Duets for Early-Advanced Students
      • Repertoire for Early-Advanced Students
    • Cello Sight-reading
    • Cello Alternative Styles
    • A Practical Guide to Bach Cello Suite Editions
  • Planning Cello Lessons
    • Organizing a cello lesson
    • What do Cello Students Need? >
      • What Beginning Cello Students Need
      • What Intermediate Cello Students Need
      • What Advanced Cello Students Need
  • Cello links and resources
    • Cello teaching supplies
  • Contact/Blog
    • Contact
    • Cello Teaching Blog