Laura's Music Studio Newsletter

Sign up for my free monthly newsletter! Here's what you can expect from this newsletter: links and ideas to improve your musicianship and your teaching abilities. Plus, the occasional discounts on a variety of e-guides and online courses. Sign up here.

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Laura’s Music Studio Newsletter - Paid Subscription Giveaway: Winner!

Photo by Bruno Croci on Unsplash

Drumroll, please! I am pleased to announce the randomly chosen winner of a free yearly paid subscription to my Substack newsletter: virjones. You’ve been notified of your win!

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Laura’s Music Studio Newsletter - Paid Subscription Giveaway

Photo by Bruno Croci on Unsplash

I am giving away a free yearly paid subscription to my Substack newsletter. What does a paid subscription get you? All the perks of a free subscription (a monthly newsletter) plus free sheet music for piano and guitar.

Enter by April 6, 2026 (11:59 pm Central Time).

To enter, sign up for a free subscription to my newsletter here. One winner will be chosen at random from my free subscribers and will be contacted directly on April 7, 2026.

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

My Sheet Music

I’ve composed over 70 pieces for piano players and guitar players. The pieces range from a beginner level to an advanced level.
You can find all of them here.

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

The Cello Suites - Reading Together - Suite No. 6

Welcome to the final post discussing The Cello Suites by Eric Siblin. The Sixth Suite in D major, BWV 1012, is the virtuosic climax of Bach’s solo cello cycle. Originally composed for a five-stringed instrument, likely the violoncello piccolo, its expanded range allows for a radiant, soprano register. This provides a triumphant contrast to the darker Fifth Suite. The opening prelude is a masterclass in momentum, using rapid-fire bariolage and compound meters to create a sense of boundless, joyful energy that defines the D major tonality.

Following traditional Baroque dance structures, the suite pushes every movement to its expressive limit. The allemande is notably ornate, while the sarabande uses dense double-stops to create a rich, organ-like texture. By the final gigue, Bach fully transforms the cello from a supportive continuo role into a powerful solo voice. The work remains a technical summit, demanding both orchestral grandeur and intimate prayer from the performer across its expansive, sophisticated emotional landscape.

If you want to dive deeper into Suite No. 6 with your students, here are some lesson plans to do that.

- D Major: The "Triumphant" Key
Objective: Explore "Affekt" (the Baroque idea that specific keys represent specific emotions). Activity: Listen to the 6th Suite (D Major) and the 5th Suite (C Minor). Have students create a "color palette" for each key based on the emotions they feel.

- Baroque Dance: The Gavotte
Objective: Connect musical suites to historical social dances. Activity: The Gavotte is famous for starting on the "half-measure" (upbeat). Have students clap on beats 3 and 4 while listening to Gavotte I to find the "step." Fast-forward to 21:31 to see/hear the Gavottes on a period instrument.

- Ornamentation: The Allemande "Swirl"
Objective: See how Baroque composers "decorated" a simple melody. Activity: Show students a "bare bones" scale, then play the Allemande. Have them draw "curlicues" on paper every time they hear a melodic flourish.

- Binary Form (A-A-B-B)
Objective: Identify the structural "blueprint" of Baroque dance movements. Activity: Use the Courante. Give students "A" and "B" cards. Have them hold up "A" during the first half and "B" when the music shifts to the second half.

- Modern Remix: From Cello to Marimba
Objective: Explore how music changes when the instrument changes (timbre). Activity: Listen to a movement played on a cello, then on a marimba or electric guitar. Discuss which version feels more "modern."

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.