Preface I have written this book for cello teachers and particularly those who want to know more about teaching the instrument to children. It is also intended for parents, and will make it easier for them to help their children during daily practise. Teachers of other string instruments, such as the violin will, I think, find it particularly interesting. I also hope to clear up some misconceptions about the Suzuki teaching method, wrongly considered to be superficial in its approach. Children that study with the Suzuki method are often considered “battery hens”. But a closer lookwill reveal the seriousness and excellence of its technical procedures. The Suzuki Method is similar to many others: it demonstrates that children can learn music in the same way as they learn a language, when they are very young, and that thinking only talented children can study music is a misconception. It also demonstrates that all human beings can learn a musical instrument, and that music is an important, indeed essential, life resource. Any teacher using this method will have to humble himself: the child he is to teach is not there to be dominated, but to be lead with great respect, in the way and in the time that suits him or her. The teacher will find, all things considered, that he has got more to learn than he ever imagined. This book is the result of my many years of experience as a teacher and includes the technical knowledge handed down to us as students, by great players, such as Antonio Saldarelli, Giuseppe Selmi and Gaspar Cassadò. I firmly believe that, irrespective of the teaching method used, whether teachers are good or not depends on the love they put into their work. So, with this in mind, I have decided to put pen to paper and pass on my own experience in this field.