For many years now, SHAR has carried the much-loved method book series Adventures in Violinland by Shirley Givens. Because of the esteem we have for Shirley, it's a great honor to offer her a space on our blog to answer a question that those of you encountering her well-respected series for the first time might have: "Why should I try Adventures in Violinland?"  

In my experience, young children love the violin! It is small  and huggable—and it makes sounds! How can we nurture this initial enthusiasm for the instrument and transform it into a deeper love of music? My books aim to respond, successfully, to that question.

Topics: Education, Method Books, Adventures in Violinland

When My Very First Cello Method first arrived at SHAR we thought: Another method book . . . is there anything special about this one? What follows is a brief email interview with the author, Kathryn Schutmaat. We hear a little about her professional background, her multicultural identity, and what's special about this particular cello method book. 

Topics: Cello, Teaching, My Very First Cello Method, Kathryn Schutmaat, Method Books