Let’s talk about the violin for a moment. We all know what a violin is. This popular instrument has been around for far longer than any of us have. The violin was invented in the early 1500s and has maintained a solid reputation over time. Playing the violin can be very difficult.
It’s no surprise that people aren’t just picking up violins and creating masterpieces. It takes a lot of time and patience to produce promising works of art with this instrument. When we talk of becoming a violinist, we talk of the stepping stones required down the path to mastery.
Have you heard of a student concerto? Whether you’ve heard of this term or not, it’s very unlikely that you’ve never heard one before. These concertos are where beginners start their paths towards becoming masters of the violin. Are you ready to learn a little more?
The Top 10 Student Violin Concertos
- Vivaldi’s Concerto (A Minor)
- Viotti’s Concerto No. 22
- Rieding’s Concerto (B Minor)
- Mozart’s Concerto No. 3 (G Major)
- Kabalevsky’s Concerto (C Major)
- Haydn’s Concerto No. 1 (C Major)
- De Beriot’s Concerto No. 1 (D Major)
- Bach’s Concerto (2 Violins / D Minor)
- Seitz’s Concerto No. 2 (G Major)
- Accolay’s Concerto No. 1 (A Minor)
Why Student Concertos Are Important
Have you heard of someone who picked up a violin for the first time and played a classical piece from Brahms? There’s a good chance that you haven’t, because someone like this doesn’t exist. Mastering the violin is not an easy task. Stepping stones are required in the early stages.
This is where the student concerto comes into play. Student concertos are meant to help future professional violinists learn all of the early basics involved with playing the violin. All of this is required before taking that advanced step into the pieces that are quite difficult.
Student concertos are by no means simple pieces of art. They are still masterpieces that have stood the tests of time. They are definitely a bit easier to play, though. Student concertos have a special place in the world of violins. Let’s venture into the best student concertos.
1. Vivaldi’s Concerto (A Minor)
Antonio Vivaldi is a well-known name in classical music, period. But he holds a special place within the violin community. This violin concerto is great for beginners as it comes from one of the best musicians and teachers in classical history.
2. Viotti’s Concerto No. 22
Just like Vivaldi, Giovanni Viotti was a classical Italian violinist with lots of experience behind his belt. His 22nd violin concerto is probably one of the most famous out of the 29 concertos he wrote. This work of art is great for many starting violinists.
3. Rieding’s Concerto (B Minor)
This masterpiece was created by Oskar Rieding, and has stood the test of time as one of the best practice pieces for early musicians. On the technical side of things, this concerto isn’t extremely demanding. But it still has an elegant sound to it.
4. Mozart’s Concerto No. 3 (G Major)
When we think of classical musicians, Mozart is one of the first people to pop up. While he has many advanced concertos, this one is actually fairly simple. Even so, there are some technical features in this piece that are great for practice.
5. Kabalevsky’s Concerto (C Major)
Dmitry Kabalevsky is a violinist who was around more recently than many of the classical musicians we think of from the past. This piece was created in the mid 20th century. And it’s known for being a bit advanced for a student concerto.
6. Haydn’s Concerto No. 1 (C Major)
This concerto, written by Franz Joseph Haydn, is the very first out of three that he wrote. There’s a strong theme to this piece. It’s split into three different movements that can have violinists of all experience levels learning and growing.
7. De Beriot’s Concerto No. 1 (D Major)
This piece is split up into three movements and written by popular violinist Charles De Beriot of Belgium. You’ll be able to find double stops in this romantic violin piece. There are also some trills as well as big leaps. It’s great for students.
8. Bach’s Concerto (2 Violins / D Minor)
J. S. Bach is one of the most popular names in all of violin history. This is one of his most notable pieces. It requires 2 different violins (basso continuo and strings). This Baroque piece has been around since the early 18th century.
9. Seitz’s Concerto No. 2 (G Major)
This is one of seven different student concertos written by Fritz Seitz. This one is potentially the most popular of them all. It’s an easy-going concerto that can be played by violinists of all different experience levels. It’s a great practice piece.
10. Accolay’s Concerto No. 1 (A Minor)
It’s not certain whether Jean-Baptiste Accolay actually existed or not. Many believe that this was just a pen-name for Henri Viextempts. Even so, this piece is extremely simple. But it’s also extremely elegant and a true masterpiece.
Student Violin Concertos: Many Great Options
Nobody is going to pick up a violin and immediately become a professional. Playing this reputable instrument takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work. The hard work typically comes in the form of practice. Student concertos are great when it comes to learning.
Student violin concertos play an important role for anyone who is currently, or wants to be, masterful with the instrument. These concertos are not only magnificent, but they’re also a lot easier to play than many of the advanced pieces that exist. They’re stepping stones.
Any violinist can enjoy playing these pieces. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is. What did you think of the violin concertos listed in this article? They’re some of the best ones around. But they’re definitely not the only ones in existence. All you have to do is search around a bit.
Whether you’re starting your journey as a violinist or know someone who is, student violin concertos can really take your skill level up a notch. We wish you the best of luck!
