Mollenhauer The Boy Paganini for Violin and String Orchestra

Mollenhauer's The Boy Paganini does exactly what its title suggests: it gives a Grade 6 student a taste of Paganini's brilliance in a genuinely accessible format, introducing some of the showier techniques of violin playing in a piece that has real wit and charm. This arrangement sets the original violin and piano version for solo violin and string orchestra, with a newly composed accompaniment.

The technical highlights are the kind that make practice feel worthwhile rather than repetitive. Left-hand pizzicato — plucking the string with the left hand while the bow continues — is one of those techniques that looks spectacular from the front of house and is enormously satisfying once it clicks. The string crossings ask for clean, well-coordinated movement between strings in passages that need to feel effortless rather than mechanical. At Grade 6 these are achievable challenges, and because they are embedded in music with genuine character and forward momentum, the student has a clear musical reason to get them right. Mollenhauer understood how to write for young players: the technical demands are well-chosen, never overwhelming, and always in the service of music that has personality and energy. Whether a student is meeting these techniques for the first time or consolidating them, this piece gives them a context where the effort has an obvious and enjoyable payoff.

The string orchestra provides a supportive, energetic backdrop that gives the young soloist something to project against. The orchestral parts are accessible for an intermediate ensemble.

At four minutes, this is the ideal length for a young soloist's moment in the spotlight: long enough to make an impression, short enough to hold an audience's complete attention.

See and hear the difference

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: ABRSM Grade 6 (solo); Intermediate (ensemble)
• Duration: approximately 4 minutes
• Technical focus: left-hand pizzicato, string crossings, musical wit and character
• Orchestration: newly composed string orchestra accompaniment based on the original piano part
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This is a strong choice for Grade 6 students who are ready to learn new techniques in a piece that makes the learning genuinely enjoyable, and for school concerts and student recitals where something energetic, characterful, and visually impressive is wanted from a young soloist. It also works well as a preparatory piece before moving on to more demanding showpieces.