Playing alone, a slightly sharp F# sounds fine. Playing against a viola playing D natural, that F# becomes painful. Students learn to adjust their fingers in real time—a skill no etude book can teach.
While the exact contents vary slightly between print editions (Summy-Birchard vs. Alfred), the standard Volume 2 typically includes the following beloved folk tunes and classical themes:
Each piece is typically 16 to 32 bars long—short enough to learn in one or two coaching sessions, but substantive enough to be concert-ready. suzuki string quartets for beginning ensembles volume 2 pdf
In many beginner quartets, the first violin has all the fun while the second violin and viola play repetitive open-string drones. Not so in Volume 2. Every part has moments of melodic interest. The cello often departs from root-fifth patterns to carry the theme in a low register.
Q: Can I use this book with students who are not in the Suzuki method?
A: Absolutely. The technical level aligns with any standard method (Essential Elements, All for Strings) after about 12–18 months of instruction. Just ensure students can play in D and G major, one octave, with basic slurs. Playing alone, a slightly sharp F# sounds fine
Q: Do I need a full quartet of violinists reading different parts?
A: No. The set includes a viola part and cello part. You can substitute a third violin for viola (reading the viola part up an octave in treble clef, though it loses its dark quality). Better yet: recruit a pianist to play the cello part on keyboard as a temporary solution.
Q: Is there a conductor’s score included?
A: Yes, the book includes a full, spiral-bound score plus separate pull-out parts for Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, and Cello. Each piece is typically 16 to 32 bars
Q: Can I get an audio accompaniment track?
A: The original companion CD (Suzuki Quartets for Beginning Ensembles, Vol. 2 – Performance CD) is out of print but available digitally on iTunes/Amazon Music. Search for “Suzuki Quartets Vol. 2” performed by the Lafayette Suzuki Quartet.
The Suzuki String Quartets for Beginning Ensembles series is a specialized collection of arranged works designed specifically for young string players who have completed or are working through the standard Suzuki Violin, Viola, and Cello School volumes. The Volume 2 edition picks up where the first volume leaves off, offering more rhythmically complex, harmonically rich, and structurally varied works.
Unlike standard quartet repertoire (Haydn, Mozart, etc.), which often places technical demands beyond a beginner’s reach, these arrangements are carefully voiced. Each part remains within the first position, adheres to rhythms found in Suzuki Violin School Volumes 1 and 2, and allows every instrument—violin 1, violin 2, viola, and cello—to share melodic and accompaniment roles.