Egon Sassmannshaus was a violinist and string teacher. His "Early Start on the viola" Part 1 is a good start especially for children and is followed by three further parts. The work has been translated into Italian, Chinese and English. The method begins with open strings and simple notes. Part 1 uses children's songs, all of which are provided with words to ensure that the melody lines can easily be understood as a whole. Then the third, first and fourth fingers are introduced one after the other. From the very beginning, Part 1 emphasizes note reading and offers practice in moving from one string to another and the accompanying bowing technique. Attractive color illustrations make the part appealing to children.