While listening to the piece will generally get the right notes in your ear, it can’t give you a perfect aural understanding of every section. When you encounter a section that is difficult to make out, this exercise is perfect for getting the pitches in your ear.

1. Put your music on the piano music stand and slowly play the pitches on the piano.
2. Once accurate, record the pitches.
3. Play the recording 5x while you simultaneously play the pitches on your viola, checking them against the piano notes.
4. Repeat until you have the pitches firmly established in your aural memory.

EXAMPLE

Lillian Fuchs: Sonata Pastorale, 1956
Second Movement: Pastorale