Pizzicato Passacaglia is one of 16 pieces for elementary string ensemble included in Richard Young's Comprehensive String Pedagogy & Curriculum. On a scale of "Easy", "More Challenging" to "Difficult (but Still Appropriate for Elementary Students)", Pizzicato Passacaglia is rated "Easy". A portion of the proceeds of sales for all CSPC music goes to support free music education at The People's Music School.

Only open strings are used in this piece. Also no bow is required, only pizzicato. Therefore this is an ideal piece for children who are just beginning.
A passacaglia is a set of variations based on the same harmonic framework that is repeated over and over. In this piece, a 2-bar piano interlude introduces a 5-bar chord progression whose notes are played pizzicato by the kids. The rhythmic patterns are very basic at first – only quarter notes. But with each subsequent variation, the patterns become more complex. In the final variation, each string section plays a different pattern, resulting in a final variation that is the most fun of all.
-Richard Young

Full program notes are included with the score. There are fingerings and bowings in all the string parts of every one of CSPC's pieces. These "cooked-in" technical solutions target the particular levels of the students. They are not just pragmatic but "musical." A complimentary keyboard accompaniment sound file for Linguine: Pizzicato Passacaglia is available here.