contemporary

Natural Harmonics Songbook for Violoncello

A new title in our Premiere Pedagogy Series, Natural Harmonics Songbook for Violoncello, by Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick is a fun and detailed “how to” that will be the delight of cellists of all ages and levels of experience. Using tunes that everyone knows, Erika has created a wonderfully inspired method book that teaches how to play natural harmonics on the cello, through songs arranged for cello solo, and cello ensembles up to quartet in size. Erika is well known as a contemporary music specialist, has played in the Hollywood music studios (where she recorded soundtracks for major blockbuster movies), and toured the world with new music ensembles. She also was a professor of music at the innovative California Institute of the Arts.

For 40 years Erika has been composing arrangements of famous melodies, to be played in natural harmonics on the cello. She did it for the amusement of her colleagues, friends, and students. With encouragement, she has now published a beautiful to look at and beautiful to play collection of these fun and creative arrangements.

You will be familiar with the tunes, but Erika expects that you to have a few years of playing experience so that producing these tunes in all natural harmonics (no notes pressed into the fingerboard, just lightly touched) will not be frustrating. In the book, each note is careful explained in three Levels of challenge. Level One is in one, easy position – third. Level Two and Level Three expand on this position and provide more challenge but also more enjoyable tunes. Erika has produced a set of videos to help make it even easier to play beautiful tune all in natural harmonics.

See and purchase Erika’s Natural Harmonics Songbook for Violoncello, on ISG Publications cello page and premiere pedagogy page. Erika’s book will soon be available in PDF for tablets.

September 10, 2025 by cello Composers Pedagogy Sheet Music

More on Carl Flesch Distilled by Mark Rush

Mark Rush’s Latest Violin Book

Rush-Carl Flesch Distilled
Carl Flesch Distilled – Mark Rush

ISG Publications is honored to present and to release a fabulous re-visioning of one of the most important staples of the violin repertory; Mark Rush’s new book, Carl Flesch Distilled, A User-Friendly Approach to the Flesch Scale System. This is the first violin pedagogy title in our Premiere Pedagogy Series.

Mark Rush has a distinguished career as a professor of violin and chamber music, an internationally traveled performer, and a recording artist with numerous albums. His new book is an innovative detail yet simplification of the Flesch Scale System, and focuses on the essence of this system to make scale study for violinists much more productive and less tedious. This is a superb practice book to reside on every violinist’s music stand. Available in PDF also, for tablets.
Read Stephen Brivati’s review of Carl Flesch Distilled on Violinist.com.
Read Mark Rush’s article on the creation of Carl Flesch Distilled on Violinist.com.

With accolades from professional and amateur violinists alike, here are what just a few celebrated performers are saying about Mark Rush’s new book:
“I thoroughly enjoyed this well conceived and beautifully executed re-imagining of one of the essential building blocks of violin technique. I look forward to sharing this with my students and also working on it myself as well. Bravo!” ~ Steven Moeckel, Concert Master, Phoenix Symphony, Santa Fe Opera

“Carl Flesch Distilled is a welcome addition to the library of violin technical studies. Mark Rush has taken the Flesch Scale System and simplified the format into a logical visual and theoretical sequence easily understood by students.” ~ Mimi Zweig, Professor, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University

“… a fresh and imaginative presentation of the Carl Flesch Scale System that makes the benefits of this classic fully accessible to any violinist.” ~ Kevin Lawrence, Professor, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Artistic Director, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival

“The Flesch scale system has been a go-to resource for violin teachers for almost 100 years. Professor Rush introduces scale practice in a more gradual way, and his ideas on fingerings help with the process of memorization and gaining confidence with intonation. I highly recommend this volume for any teacher… or for students who have been frustrated with the complexity of the original.” ~ Charles Wetherbee, Associate Professor of Violin, Colorado University – Boulder

“Mark Rush has taken the beloved Carl Flesch Scale System and has reverently preserved its most essential core, while providing wonderfully clear and helpful additions; perfect for students of all levels, making this classic book more approachable and useable for everyone. What a great idea, wonderfully executed!” ~ Lina Bahn, Associate Professor of Violin, Thornton School of Music, Univ. of Southern California

“What a pleasure to see this valuable contribution to the pedagogical literature which is exactly what it advertises: distilled, thoughtful, and above all,  accessible, while retaining the original inspiration and intent of Carl Flesch. Well done, indeed!” ~ Paul Kantor, Professor of Violin, Shepard School of Music, Rice University

See all of ISG Publications titles at: https://isgpublications.com

August 31, 2022 by Composers News Pedagogy Sheet Music Solo Music violin

New Release – Prokofieff Ballade op.15 for Contrabass and Piano

Prokofieff - Ballade, op. 15 for contrabass and piano
Prokofieff – Ballade, op.15 for Contrabass and Piano (ISG Publications, 2022)

As part of our Virtuoso Performer Series, ISG Publications is please to release Serge Prokovieff’s spirited and contemporary Ballade, op. 15, recently edited and transcribed for contrabass by Patrick Neher. Ballade was originally composed for cello and piano, but the composition lays well on the contrabass and has many “bass-like” characteristics. Patrick Neher has always been inspired by Prokofieff’s music, and Ballade is one of those pieces that is “perfect for the bass,” so he edited and arranged the work for contrabass. This unique publication is an excellent vehicle for a bassist and pianist to explore a wide range of potential expression and emotions. Certainly a “tour de force” work for the pianist, the composition is also complex enough for the bassist to provide years of challenge!

Dedicated to Nikolai Pavlovich Ruzsky, Serge Prokofieff wrote Ballade for Cello and Piano in 1912, and yet it still sounds contemporary, as if written just yesterday! It has a freshness that is timeless. The work is especially challenging for pianists. Clearly Prokofieff’s technique of playing the piano is well on display in this piece, requiring substantial “extended” techniques that even the most accomplished pianists will have to develop to play the work’s emotional content as intended.

Ballade was first performed in Moscow, February 1914, by Prokofieff, with cellist, Yevsey Belousov. The first publication of the work was in 1915 by publisher, J. Jurgenson. This new edition comes with the piano score spiral bound and the contrabass part staple bound. A PDF version is in the works. Purchase the sheet music on ISG Publication’s contrabass solos page.

February 11, 2022 by Chamber Music Composers Duets News Sheet Music Solo Music

NEW RELEASE: Affinità Ferrose – Michele Bernabei

The third composition in our new performance music series, Continually Advancing Music (CAM) is Affinità Ferosse for Piano Trio by young Italian composer Michele Bernabei. Affinitá ferrose is loosely translated into English as “an affinity for iron” or “magnetic attraction.” The music is energetic and very dynamic with challenge of a moderate nature for all instruments. Some “extended techniques” are used, but in general it is the interesting rhythms, dynamic range, pitch range, and counterpoint that the listener will find compelling and attractive (just like iron to a magnet)! The piece is not very long and the composer states that it’s drama fits well at the end of a contemporary music performance, as the finale or as an encore. ISG Publications is excited to publish the work as a wonderful new addition to the piano trio repertory.

Michele Bernabei is an accomplished jazz trumpet player and composer. He earned a BM in trumpet at the Conservatory “N.Paganini” of Genoa and an MM degree with full marks in jazz arranging and composition at the Conservatory “G. Verdi” of Turin, Italy. He studied composition at the Conservatory of Turin with Giorgio Colombo Taccani and in parallel at the “Scuola di Alto Perfezionamento Musicale” of Fiesole with Fabio Vacchi. At the same time he received the ABRSM diploma in String Orchestra Direction under the guidance of Fabrizio Dorsi. His compositional language is influenced both by jazz, improvised music, and the theater.

Purchase the SHEET MUSIC here.

April 26, 2021 by Chamber Music Composers Continually Advancing Music Series News Piano Trio Sheet Music

NEW RELEASE: Wheelock Soliloquy

Donald Wheelock – Soliloquy for Solo Cello

Wheelock Soliloquy for solo cello
Wheelock Soliloquy for Cello

Written in 2004 for Matt Haimovitz, Donald Wheelock‘s Soliloquy for Solo Cello has recently been released in this attractive edition from ISG Publications. The sheet music is published in a clear, performance-ready format that is readily accessible by amateurs and professionals. The Soliloquy is a solemn and expressive piece that spans most of the range of the cello, with deep lyricism and technical challenge, yet is always accessible to audiences of all ages. Total duration of the piece is approximately 5 minutes. Matt Haimovitz plays the Soliloquy on YouTube.

Purchase the sheet music “directly from the publisher” on our Cello Pages.

June 28, 2019 by Composers News Solo Music

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