Dancla Concert Solo No.2 Op. 77 for Violin and String Orchestra

Dancla's Concert Solos, Op. 77, were written by a professional violinist and pedagogue who knew exactly what a developing player needs: music that is technically demanding, musically satisfying, and genuinely enjoyable to work on. Concert Solo No. 2 is one of the most varied and well-constructed of the set, covering an unusually wide range of technical ground for a single piece at this level. This arrangement by Paul Wood sets the solo violin against a string orchestra, replacing the original piano accompaniment with a fuller, warmer texture that gives a young soloist the experience of performing with an ensemble behind them.

The solo writing sits at around ABRSM Grade 8 standard and asks for a broad spread of skills. The lyrical passages go up the G string and need a genuinely singing sound with real shape and direction to the phrases. The faster sections bring arpeggios, scales, and staccato playing that demand both left-hand speed and clean bow technique, and the string crossing in particular requires the two hands to be tightly coordinated: any looseness in the right arm will immediately show up in the articulation. This is a piece that exposes the relationship between left and right hand more than many at this level, which makes it genuinely useful as a study even as it rewards the player with music that sounds and feels impressive. It takes real practice to bring together, but the payoff is considerable.

The string orchestra parts are intermediate-to-advanced and well-suited to a youth or school ensemble. The accompaniment is supportive without being plain, and it gives the orchestra its own sense of musical purpose rather than simply marking time behind the soloist.

At five minutes, Concert Solo No. 2 is substantial enough for a proper solo feature in a school or youth concert programme without outlasting its welcome.

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Violin + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 8 (solo); Intermediate–Advanced (orchestra)
• Arranger: Paul Wood
• Duration: approximately 5 minutes
• Style focus: G string tone, arpeggios and scales, staccato, left and right hand coordination, string crossing
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

This arrangement suits student solo features in school concerts and youth ensemble programmes where a Grade 8 violinist needs a piece that will genuinely test and develop their technique while sounding impressive in performance. It works well as preparation for the step up to full concerto repertoire, and for teachers looking for a solo vehicle that covers a wide range of technical demands within a single, musically engaging work.