Standard music classroom organization consists of: 

A chalkboard or whiteboard on a wall or two 
The teacher's desk and some bookshelves in a corner 
Room to store the instruments and related equipment 
A big open space for chairs/risers and music…

Composer Rebecca Clarke (1886 - 1979) was a trailblazer for proficient female musicians and composers of the Victorian era. Despite living when professional musicianship, particularly the realm of composition, was largely considered the male domain, the UK-native and professional violist…

Claude Debussy is a famous French composer, well-known for works such as Clair de Lune (Moonlight) and Prélude à l'Après-Midi d'un Faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun). A quick listen to either of those works is an aural…

Unlike many contemporary composers, John Williams is a household name, even among families who aren't classic music buffs. To date, his award stats seem inconceivable, even to the most aspiring of professional composers. They include 25 Grammy Awards, seven British…

Aspiring bass players have a plethora of professional heroes to follow, from jazz greats, Avishai Cohen and Charnett Moffett to the great bass “trailblazer,” Gary Karr. Today, we’d like to introduce you to the young, female bass phenom, Mikyung Sung…

This is a controversial and passionate subject in the string instrument world. To give you an idea of just how contentious it is, we'll present multiple sides of the discussion, starting with a quote from the well-known and reputable Jay…

The big dream for most musicians is to play their own music or as part of a prestigious orchestra. But what about those among us that just love to play music? There is a huge market throughout most countries to…

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)  was a prolific, 18th-century Baroque composer who wrote more than 500 concertos. About 230 of those concertos were written for the violin. The most famous of all of Vivaldi’s works is "The Four Seasons” (“Le…

As a beginning and intermediate string musician, you've spent the majority of your time looking at a single part of music - yours! Meanwhile, the conductor (or your instructor) and the pianist had a full score - meaning all of…

Is your bowing arm tired, shaky, sore, tensed, not doing what it's supposed to? It could be that your bowing arm needs a break. Overuse injuries are nothing to scoff at. At best, they are uncomfortable and make practicing or…

You’d think the absence of regular music classes and private lessons would constrain developing your musicianship. Instead, many string musicians are finding that sheltering-in-place is helping them progress in unexpected ways. 

There’s never been a better time to hone your…

The ultimate goal of a string musician is to perform an exquisite piece without mistakes. Muscle memory is required to let go of obsessing over “where the notes are,” freeing you to focus on telling a story with the music…

Spring is the season known for the return of the sun and the giver of new life. Those themes are especially inspiring after a winter of social distancing and increased shutdowns. 

To honor this energetic vibration of spring, we’ve put…

When young string musicians envision a future in the orchestra, they most likely think of themselves as professional musicians or the conductor. Yet it takes far more than the players and the conductor to keep a large orchestra together, rehearsing…

We don’t feel it is hyperbole to say that string musicians fall in love with their instruments. The physical and energetic resonance between a professional musician and the instrument is both visible and palpable on stage. 

And yet, among all…

Students deserve to strike a balance of more play than work during their summer break. That's why we've posted articles such as How to Create a Balanced Practice Schedule for Your Child this Summer (which is excellent advice for older…

Things are finally starting to open up again, which is fantastic news for we string musicians who love to attend live music concerts. And, we have to admit, a silver lining of this past year is that major symphonies worldwide…

Are you ready to take your musical interests to the next level with composition? Composers have another level of musical understanding of music that continues to develop with each song they write. 

The following tips will help you to compose…

The Classical Period of music may have given its name as the popular descriptor for all of Western sophisticated instrumental composition, but its actual timeline is relatively short. All of the other delineated musical eras get at least a full…

5 Steps for Forming a Learning Group for Adult Violinists 

You may be familiar with the adage, “if you build it, they will come.” With a little vision and initiation on your part, you’ll be able to gather two or…