Portnoff Concertino Op. 14 for Violin and String Orchestra

Portnoff's Concertino, Op. 14 is one of the most dependable pieces in the intermediate violin repertoire: characterful, well-crafted, and genuinely rewarding to play at Grade 4–5 standard. This arrangement gives the solo violin a string orchestra accompaniment rather than a piano, which changes the texture considerably and gives developing players the experience of performing a concerto with a real ensemble behind them.

The solo writing asks for clean articulation, expressive tone production, and the kind of musical confidence that comes from controlled, purposeful bow use. Portnoff writes melodic lines that a player at this level can genuinely shape and own, which makes this as useful a study in musical personality as in technique. The string orchestra parts are accessible for players at a similar level, providing rhythmic energy and harmonic support without demanding anything technically beyond a competent youth ensemble.

At 7 minutes, it sits well as the centrepiece of a student recital or as a solo feature in a school orchestral concert. It's long enough to make an impression without outlasting its welcome, and the concerto format gives younger audiences something they can follow and respond to from the first bar.

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 4–5 (solo and ensemble)
• Duration: approximately 7 minutes
• Arranger: Paul Wood
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This suits violin students at Grade 4–5 who are ready for a concerto-style solo feature with an ensemble rather than a piano. It works particularly well in school concerts and youth orchestra programmes where the solo and ensemble parts can be drawn from the same player pool, and it gives students genuine orchestral experience before they step up to a full concerto.