This document provides a pedagogical analysis of ten selected duets from Berio’s Duetti per due Violini to give violin teachers a technical overview of the skills required for playing and teaching the duets. Historical movements supporting the importance of teaching contemporary and late twentieth-century works to young students are also covered in this document. Most violin etudes for twentieth-century repertoire make technical demands on the violinist that are not yet appropriate for young violin students who are still getting their bearings on basic finger patterns, instrument position, bow placement, etc. Luciano Berio’s Duetti per due Violini (1979-1983) is written with a clear pedagogical objective and provide young students with the opportunity to learn a new compositional style while focusing on a limited number of technical challenges. Many of the duets are written in first position and are very short, allowing the student to experience the complexities of twentieth-century violin repertoire without going through the cognitive overload typically associated with learning a new musical style. Because general knowledge of Berio’s violin duets is not widespread, teachers may benefit from an introduction to those duets suitable for beginners to work on fundamental violin techniques and develop ensemble skills
