Does anybody know of any good collections of duets for violin and cello suitable for two 11 year olds - Violin approx grade 5 and Cello approx grade 6/7? It's just for fun playing through so level of difficulty is not absolutely critical.

Any musical styles are of interest - original works or arrangements

Thanks in advance for any ideas

Pachebels Canon.

Try doing a search for it on Sibeliusmusic.com - I think they do a free printable version of it for violin and cello.

Edit: Sorry - Didn't see you wanted collections. Have you looked at Handel's 4 sonatas for treble recorder and basso continuo. They are meant to be for recorder but are on the grade 5 flute list and also work on violin, and the bass part is written for cello (there's a piano part as well, but it would probably work without it).

Good suggestions. There is also a book available of Handel duets arranged for violin and cello - Katyjay played one of them with Supea at the recent Adult learners concert. I can't think of the title of the publication, but if you sent a PM to Katyjay I'm sure she would oblige with the information. I will point out that not all of them are easy duets, some are actually quite difficult and will need a higher skill level before tackling them.

Generally speaking, lower level duets for violin and cello are thin on the ground, especially as collections. Plenty at the upper end of the learning curve - some terrific duos by Beethoven for example.

The duet book AmandaL refers to is

"Acht stüke flöte oder violine und violoncello" by Handel, arranged by Eric Guignard. Published by Amadeus Verlag catalogue no. BP652.

Suepea and I found these duets to be just about within reach of our current musical abilities (she has grade 2 'cello, I have grade 1 violin), so Grade 5/6 players should find them comfortably manageable.

Thanks for your input everybody. I've tracked down a book of 6 Handel sonatas for treble recorder and continuo also some Handel sonatas for violin/cello/continuo but they may be a bit harder. Haven't found Katyjay's suggestion yet but will keep looking

I bought my copy from Dot's Camden Music Shop. They don't keep it in stock, so if you use them it's best to ring up. Mine took about 10 days to come - I think they have to get it from Germany. It's a good selection of pieces and I think it will last Katyjay and I for a while!

There's also some nice Bach... try looking that up somewhere...

Thanks, earplugs, for starting this thread. I LOVE the sound of the cello and would be very keen to find a BOOK of duets for both violin and cello at grade 5 and 6 levels, too.

Keep them coming, folks!