Music Notes

Despite using correct bowing technique, my student's bow kept sliding around during a recent lesson. No matter how much she tried to keep it in one spot near the bridge,…

I'm a Suzuki violin instructor who has taken Suzuki teacher training through all 10 books. I work closely with students to develop strong technical skills and expressive musicianship. My intermediate…

Many adult violin students assume they need a full-size (4/4) instrument to learn effectively but that’s not always the case. In reality, playing a violin that isn't the right size…

Many of my students play in their school orchestra, and I often get asked how private lessons fit in with orchestra.The short answer is that they solve different problems. School…

Every year I work with students who have played violin for a year in their school orchestra, and a few of the same technical issues come up again and again.…

The importance of good sight reading skills in youth orchestra auditions cannot be underestimated. With all things being equal, the better sight reader will outrank the inferior one. Many auditions…

Note reading is another skill I teach online, using flashcards, a well-sequenced method book, and close coordination with parents in the room. Starting with Flashcards I start with just two…

Intonation is another technique people assume needs a teacher's hands on the string, physically nudging a finger into place. But I've taught accurate intonation to students who take violin lessons…

Whether it's a parent exploring violin for their child, or an adult ready to try something they've always wanted to learn, the answer tends to be the same: yes, with…

Left-hand evenness, each finger landing with consistent weight and timing, is something I work on with online students just as much as in-person students. It's what makes fast passages sound…