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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Trill Studies for the Cello, Book One: Preparatory Exercises

by Cassia Harvey

Instrumentation
Cello
Publisher
C. Harvey Publications
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Cover of Trill Studies for the Cello, Book One: Preparatory Exercises
Cover courtesy of C. Harvey Publications

About this piece

Trill Studies for the Cello, Book One, Preparatory Studies teaches your fingers to be efficient and move faster. Focusing on short bursts of fast notes, the book uses common principles of physical conditioning to help you build a better left hand. Trill Studies Book One is entirely in closed first position. Playing this book will train your left hand to play trills and gain in speed and agility. This book could be studied along with Finger Exercises for the Cello, Book One to get you in shape quickly! How to use this book: Add one page a day to your practice routine. Repeat the page until you are playing as fast as possible. Play each page for 3-5 days before moving on to the next page.

Technical overview

This beginning cello technique book help you develop faster fingers and prepare to play cello trills.

Level rubric

Early Intermediate

Left Hand

  • Regular shifting among 1st–4th positions.
  • Frequent shifts with target notes & prepared approaches.
  • Introduce ornamentation (grace notes, slow trills, turns).
  • Begin basic double stops (often with one open note).
  • Combine extensions with shifting.
  • Consistent vibrato on sustained notes with speed variations.

Right Hand

  • Bow arm gains finesse and speed.
  • Introduce controlled spiccato.
  • Sautillé appears in rapid passages.
  • Expand legato into longer, sustained lines.
  • Practice advanced articulations (martelé, refined string crossings).
  • Add complex strokes for double stops/chords.

Bow Strokes

  • Use context‑appropriate strokes: legato, spiccato, martelé.
  • Subtle bow changes during string crossings.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Increased challenges: sixteenths, dotted rhythms, syncopation, contrasting subdivisions.
  • Emphasize expression with crescendos/decrescendos & vibrato.
  • Balance technical precision with emotional delivery.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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