Celebrate with your beloved!

Before recorded music was possible, people had little control or options over the music they could hear. For many centuries, external powers like the church or aristocracy commanded music – they directed its creation and performance. 

During the Classical Period…

The violin is the undisputed leader of the orchestra. Anyone passingly familiar with music knows of the violin. But how much do you know about its origins and evolution? 

ANCIENT ORIGINS OF THE VIOLIN 

The oldest known ancestor to the…

pps dedicated to musicians and violinists have made it easier than ever to practice, learn, and deepen their understanding of core music theory and technique – even when they’re on the go. Some apps are better than others, so we’ve…

omposing is an important musical skill – and it’s worth mastering. While you may not create a piece worthy of the next Top 10 Songs For the Violin, the process of composing is a way to reverse engineer what you’ve…

urturing and supporting talented music students through high school, and then facilitating their launch to the best music school is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a music teacher. Deciding on which type of school to attend, and…

One of the most difficult challenges for adults taking on the role of beginner violin student is finding age-appropriate music. While children may be happy to play Row, Row, Row Your Boat and other classic nursery rhyme tunes, adults need…

Private lessons have a notably positive impact on a string musician's progress and ability. First and foremost, private lessons provide customized – and differentiated – instruction for the string player, ensuring s/he remains at the edge of the learning curve. 

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The violin is the undisputed leader of the orchestra. Anyone passingly familiar with music knows of the violin. But how much do you know about its origins and evolution? 

ANCIENT ORIGINS OF THE VIOLIN 

The oldest known ancestor to the…

pps dedicated to musicians and violinists have made it easier than ever to practice, learn, and deepen their understanding of core music theory and technique – even when they’re on the go. Some apps are better than others, so we’ve…

So much of what we enjoy today has ancient origins. People have been fermenting grapes into wine for 10,000 years. Baking bread goes back even farther. The way these things are made by hand varies little today from the ancient…

The holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to make those gift lists. If you have a string musician in your life, the following eight gift ideas are right up his/her alley. We’ve done our homework and found…

Italian instrument maker, Antonio Stradivari, has long been regarded as one of the finest instrument makers of all time. Primarily a builder of violins, violas, and cellos, his career started around 350 years ago. Today, many instruments he made with…

on one hand, there are no rules in art. Art is whatever the artist has created. But does that mean all art has merit? Some say no. However, there is plenty of room within that statement to reasonably argue whether…

he holiday season is  a special time for making and sharing music. Often it is the first experience young string musicians have with playing in public or performing in front of others. 

Between growth in musicianship and greater playing experience…

In the beginning, you learned the basics of violin bowing – a proper bow hold, keeping your elbow at a right angle with a relaxed wrist, and using a mirror to check your form. Now that you’ve arrived at the…

The good news is unless you’re in a group like Apocalyptica, you won’t need to replace your instrument’s bow hairs nearly as often as you need to change its strings. Even so, bow hairs break, wear out, and become sticky…

As someone with a serious appreciation for classical music, chances are you’ve been in the audience for your share of live performances. But, have you experienced a concert in any of the world’s most historic or interesting venues? 

Some are…

Approach any circle of friends at random and you’ll find common interests. Maybe it’s gaming, or the Marvel or DC universe. Sports could be a common thread. Books, or culinary adventures, perhaps. 

When it comes to classical music, though, it…

Most non-professional violinists replace their strings every 300 playing hours or so. That works out to about every three to six months. More serious students and professionals change strings more frequently.  Since this routine maintenance task takes place so often…

For many teachers, adult students are the calm in the teaching storm. What a treat it is to spend time teaching students who are eager and willing to learn because their interest in the violin is entirely self-generated. 

On the…