The longed-for fourth part of the Colourstrings Viola Book D (2/2025) series is here! Book D continues the use of the five-line stave introduced in the Book C and uses folk songs from 12 different countries. New and mixed finger pattern (e.g., the flattened second finger) and major & minor pentachords as well as major and natural minor melodies are introduced by learning one new thing at a time.

An extensive appendix offers 48 pages of exercises in bow division, rests, bouncing bow, arpeggios and chords. Cut out figures for major and minor to be used as pedagogical tools are specially designed for this book. The figures are present on many pages, helping to build the sense of diatonic scales.

The thoroughgoing Handbook for Teachers and Parents (9790550112490) brings together the entire Colourstrings series for the violin / viola. The Handbook guides the teachers and parents through books A-F and Yellow Pages I-III, offering expert advice and methodological support to teaching in Colourstrings method. The page numbers in violin and viola series correspond to each other in order to make the use of the Handbook smooth for both instruments.

The Colourstrings method developed by Géza and Csaba Szilvay has gained an international reputation and is taught all over the world. The method makes use of colourful teaching materials and supports learning by appealing to many senses. Founded on the principles of Zoltán Kodály, Colourstrings developes the capacity for internal listening: the child learns to visualize the notes heard and to aurilize the notes on the page. The strings are symbolized by four characters and different colours. Suitable also for group teaching, the use of colours makes music reading easy right from the start. Colourstrings is the first violin method that makes use of natural harmonics in first position to teach the left hand optimal, relaxed position.

Pirkko Simojoki is a lecturer in the viola at the Espoo and Porvoo Music Institutes and teaches viola pedagogy at the Sibelius Academy. She gives pedagogical and master courses regularly in Finland and abroad. From 2001 to 2014 Simojoki was a lecturer in the viola at the East Helsinki Music Institute. From 2008 to 2012 she was vice principal of the same institute. She has been coaching and conducting several youth and children's orchestras in East Helsinki, Porvoo and Espoo. Simojoki studied conducting with Jorma Panula. Simojoki started playing the violin at the age 5 as a pupil of Géza Szilvay.