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.
