Scale Performance for the Cello, Book One: Three-Octave Major Scales

You know your scales—but can you perform them confidently when the pressure is on?

Scale Performance for the Cello, Book One: Three-Octave Major Scales was created for advanced cellists who want to move beyond simply playing scales correctly and develop the mastery required for playing demanding repertoire in auditions, performances, juries.

How Does this Book Work?

The book begins with 20 Scale Workouts that cover all major keys. Each key is then explored through three pages of Intensive Exercises that focus on the unique technical challenges presented by that particular scale. A section on the C chromatic scale is included, and the book concludes with exercises for 11 scale excerpts (including excerpts from Haydn, Lalo, and Saint-Saens Concertos) found in advanced cello repertoire. 

How is This Book Different from Other Cello Scale Books?

Rather than teaching cellists how to play three-octave scales, this book addresses how to perform them reliably. Many of the exercises are designed around situations that cellists experience in real performances. For example, because players often shift with excessive force when nervous, certain exercises deliberately recreate and train those movements so that technique remains secure under pressure. Throughout the book, the goal is not simply repetition, but the development of strength, control, flexibility, accuracy, consistency, and confidence.

This is not a substitute for learning scales. Cellists who are trying to learn three-octave major scales should begin with Learning Three-Octave Scales on the Cello, Book One by Cassia Harvey. Scale Performance for the Cello Book One is the next step: a specialized performance-training volume that helps advanced players prepare scales for auditions and concerts while strengthening the technical skills needed for successful repertoire performance.

Contents include:

• 20 major-scale performance Workouts
  • Three pages of Intensive Exercises for every major key
  • C chromatic scale exercises
  • Exercises for 11 scales found in advanced cello repertoire
  • Performance-focused shifting, intonation, and technical training
  • Audition and concert preparation strategies through practical exercises

Master your scales, strengthen your technique, and perform with greater confidence.

by Cassia Harvey
160 pages CHP455
978-1-63523-351-3
©2026 C. Harvey Publications.