Violin Answers, Instruction and Advice

Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 13: By Darcy Lewis
March 26, 2006: Vanished Strad returns to Dallas, Louisville inks a deal, Seattle Symphony violinist sues the orchestra and Northwest Chamber Orchestra folds.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 12: By Darcy Lewis
March 19, 2006: Robert & Nicholas Mann join Manhattan faculty, Pittsburgh concertmaster fills in for Robert Spano, the Pacific Symphony tours Europe and spring audition roundup, Part 2.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 11: By Darcy Lewis
March 12, 2006: A home-made violin, 60 years in the making; Richard Aaron joins Michigan cello faculty; Baltimore Symphony deficit tops $16 million; and turnover and talks in Louisville.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 10: By Darcy Lewis
March 5, 2006: A look at CIM’s Concertmaster Academy, violist Milton Katims dies at 96, Michael Ludwig named concertmaster in Buffalo and Kristopher Tong joins the Borromeo SQ.
1 response. Last at 10:26 AM (MST) on March 6, 2006
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 9: By Darcy Lewis
February 26, 2006: Modigliani SQ wins first prize in Young Concert Artists auditions, mediator named in Louisville, and In Memoriam: violinists Bert Siegel and Barbara Faught, plus our springtime audition roundup.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 8: By Darcy Lewis
February 19, 2006: A tale of hide-and-seek with a stolen Strad; Min Jin Kym wins first Heifetz Prize; a Curtis student becomes a cover girl; and Cho-Liang Lin, Felix Fan and Charles Wetherbee perform world premieres.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 7: By Darcy Lewis
February 12, 2006: Finally, a resolution for the Audubon SQ; labor strife continues in Louisville; West Valley (AZ) Symphony folds; and Zukerman will lead NACO next season.
1 response. Last at 12:05 PM (MST) on February 13, 2006
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 6: By Darcy Lewis
February 5, 2006: New contract in San Francisco, Louisville agrees to mediation and are things really so bad in British orchestras?
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 5: By Darcy Lewis
January 28, 2006: Labor snapshot: San Francisco salvages tour amid tense talks, Louisville threatens bankruptcy, Midori & Friends teachers strike and Pittsburgh Ballet restores live music.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 4: By Darcy Lewis
January 22, 2006: Contract negotiations sound dicey in Charleston, SC; major New York performance to benefit S. Asian earthquake aid; and violinist Samuel Thompson to perform a NOLA benefit recital.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 3: By Darcy Lewis
January 15, 2006: Oxford SQ future in jeopardy, Audubon SQ members may keep instruments, S Fla gets a controversial new orchestra, and Zukerman speaks out on NACO.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 2: By Darcy Lewis
January 8, 2006: Audubon SQ members retain instruments while negotiations continue on extension, the NEA receives a $3.1 million funding increase, and violinist Christina Castelli to debut with the Cleveland Orchestra.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 1: By Darcy Lewis
January 1, 2006: Gagliano violin stolen in SF, Kelly Farris to retire as concertmaster in Spokane, Tulsa gets a new orchestra, and the Charlotte Symphony is chosen to perform at the Oscars.
5 responses. Last at 2:03 AM (MST) on January 3, 2006
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 31: By Darcy Lewis
December 25, 2005: Former Hollywood Bowl violinist critically burned in house fire, Zukerman takes an unexpected sabbatical from NACO, Audobon SQ members give up their instruments and Oakland East Bay players picket Oakland Ballet over, you guessed it, recorded music.
1 response. Last at 3:11 AM (MST) on January 1, 2006
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 30: By Darcy Lewis
December 18, 2005: Audobon SQ members ordered to relinquish their instruments, Violinist.com member Caeli Smith joins From the Top, Pittsburgh Symphony adopts “one man-one vote” system for auditions and Washington Ballet cancels performance due to labor dispute.
2 responses. Last at 9:17 AM (MST) on December 20, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 29: By Darcy Lewis
December 11, 2005: Rostropovich backs out on Bolshoi, Rochester inks a deal, Milwaukee and Minnesota are in the red, and cellist Robert Perry dies.
1 response. Last at 3:04 PM (MST) on December 13, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 28: By Darcy Lewis
December 4, 2005: Alina Pogostkin wins Sibelius Competition, Lawrence Conservatory seeks a full-time violin prof, Chattanooga has a new contract, and South Florida gets a new orchestra.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 27: By Darcy Lewis
November 27, 2005: Audobon SQ debacle continues, Allentown and Annapolis hire new strings, San Diego gets a new radio contract, and Colorado Ballet cancels some Nutcracker performances.
7 responses. Last at 1:12 PM (MST) on December 3, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 26: By Darcy Lewis
November 20, 2005: Tentative agreement reached at Radio City Music Hall, IU School of Music gets a huge gift—and a new name, Alexander Kerr joins IU faculty, and the Gulf Coast Symphony gives its post-Katrina opening concert.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 25: By Darcy Lewis
November 13, 2005: St. Louis promotes two violinists, the Carolina Pops Orchestra debuts, the Ft. Worth Symphony signs a labor deal and Karen Gomyo to solo in Honolulu.
1 response. Last at 2:51 AM (MST) on November 15, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 24: By Darcy Lewis
November 6, 2005: Huge gift makes Yale free to music students, musicians strike Radio City Music Hall, British orchestras face huge back tax bill, WCRB may be sold and Frederieke Saeijs wins Long-Thibaud.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 23: By Darcy Lewis
October 30, 2005: National labor board to rule on Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, LPO players honor Radio City labor dispute, Pagannini violin to go on the block, and Trio con Brio Copenahgen wins Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson award.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 22: By Darcy Lewis
October 23, 2005: Montreal strike ends after 5 months, Cincinnati Pops is first American pops orchestra to tour China and New York Phil/LPO to perform a joint benefit concert.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 21: By Darcy Lewis
October 16, 2005: Working score for “Grosse Fugue” found in PA, new contract in Grand Rapids, Juliette Kang named assoc. concertmaster in Philly and the downfall of a Florida violinist.
1 response. Last at 10:36 AM (MST) on October 17, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 20: By Darcy Lewis
October 9, 2005: De Pasquale retires as Philly co-concertmaster, Pittsburgh musicians accept pay cut, Republican Study Committee proposes eliminating NEA and LPO gets back onstage.
3 responses. Last at 11:27 PM (MST) on October 12, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 19: By Darcy Lewis
October 2, 2005: Painful pay cuts in New Jersey and Milwaukee, Pittsburgh might pull back raises, Miriam Fried to teach full-time at NEC and Memphis Symphony plays hurricane benefit concert.
1 response. Last at 4:58 AM (MST) on October 4, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 18: By Darcy Lewis
September 25, 2005: New violin hires in Cleveland and New Haven, Seattle Symphony raises $45,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief, strife in Dubuque and Atlanta extends Spano’s contract.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 17: By Darcy Lewis
September 18, 2005: LPO to play in Nashville, new string hires in Minnesota, new contracts in LA & Seattle and Montreal Symphony cancels four concerts.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 16: By Darcy Lewis
September 11, 2005: Orchestras respond to Katrina, 18 Gulf orchestras still unaccounted for, five orchestras announce string appointments, and where to donate.
A “Monday Morning Gossip” Extra on Hurricane Katrina: By Darcy Lewis
September 10, 2005: LPO violinist evacuates New Orleans after 8 days amid chaos; LPO, ASOL, AFM set up relief funds
1 response. Last at 6:29 PM (MST) on September 15, 2005
Violinists in New Orleans Need Your Help: By Darcy Lewis
September 3, 2005: A 'Monday Morning Gossip' Extra on Hurricane Katrina: LPO violinist trapped in NO, an exclusive LPO interview, and ways to help musicians in need.
11 responses. Last at 2:50 PM (MST) on September 9, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 13: By Darcy Lewis
August 28, 2005: Interlochen shortens sessions and drops challenges, longtime Indy concertmaster Suzuki to retire and violist David Filner switches to the admin side.
1 response. Last at 6:38 PM (MST) on September 1, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 12: By Darcy Lewis
August 21, 2005: In Memoriam: fiddler Vassar Clements, a new contract in Canton, a rare stolen violin returns to its owner and the Juilliard Orchestra launches a European tour.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 11: By Darcy Lewis
August 14, 2005: Bumper crop of upcoming auditions, unfair labor practices charged in Pittsburgh, Isaac Stern’s children win lawsuit and new Vivaldi work is discovered.
3 responses. Last at 8:54 PM (MST) on August 20, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 10: By Darcy Lewis
August 7, 2005: Congress agrees to a $4.4 million NEA increase, Lisa Batiashvili debuts at Tanglewood, no progress in Montreal and fired Dennis Kim lands a new gig.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 9: By Darcy Lewis
July 31, 2005: Alsop still dominates the news; Montreal negotiations break down again, may cancel Fall season; and NY Phil speaks out on Polezhayev.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 8: By Darcy Lewis
July 24, 2005: Marin Alsop makes waves in Baltimore, Hong Kong Phil fires its concertmaster, Philadelphia inks a new recording contract and the NY Phil faces a sex discrimination lawsuit.
10 responses. Last at 12:12 AM (MST) on July 27, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 7: By Darcy Lewis
July 15, 2005: A tentative agreement in Houston, but no settlement in Montreal; the Brentano SQ and Edgar Meyer team up at Aspen and Karen Gomyo debuts in NY.
7 responses. Last at 11:54 AM (MST) on July 22, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 6: By Darcy Lewis
July 10, 2005: The Calder SQ heads to Juilliard, more hires in St. Louis, the Sacramento Phil has a new contract and Modesto Symphony launches Young Idol 2005.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 5: By Darcy Lewis
July 3, 2005: In Memoriam: Isidore Cohen; the Met Orchestra signs a new contract, but Pittsburgh Opera stalls; and Tin Alley SQ wins big in Australia.
1 response. Last at 9:13 PM (MST) on July 4, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 4: By Darcy Lewis
June 26, 2005: Canton & Akron may merge, Michele Auclair dies, a new principal violist in St. Louis and Montreal’s summer season cancelled due to strike
3 responses. Last at 8:50 PM (MST) on July 2, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 3: By Darcy Lewis
June 19, 2005: New faculty appointments at IU, a funding increase for the NEA, NYC’s freelance orchestras sign a contract and performance-based pay in Tokyo.
5 responses. Last at 4:02 AM (MST) on June 23, 2005
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2: By Darcy Lewis
June 12, 2005: New contracts in Phoenix, Buffalo and for Vänskä in Minnesota; “Name That Orchestra” in Sacramento and new faculty appointments at NEC.
Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 1: By Darcy Lewis
June 5, 2005: Bell, Mutter and Carmignola in performance, auditions in Orange County and Glen Falls, money from Midori and remembering Iona Brown.
10 responses. Last at 1:27 PM (MST) on June 11, 2005
K25 and 24. Getting back on track: By Stephen Brivati
January 29, 2005: Undoing the damagefrom a heavy schedule in areas where prunes are not freely available.
44 responses. Last at 9:48 AM (MST) on September 4, 2006
Why attack Alexander Technique if you haven't done it?: By Stephen Brivati
December 17, 2004: A spirited rebuttal of dismissal of the Alexander technique without having considered what it actually is...feeling a tad feisty this weekend!
11 responses. Last at 8:50 PM (MST) on May 9, 2005
Sevcik-the violinists prunes?: By Stephen Brivati
December 13, 2004: Responds rather haphazardly to a request for a discussion on the pros and cons of sevcik
10 responses. Last at 7:06 PM (MST) on December 20, 2004
Gotta practice, gotta practice syndrome.: By Stephen Brivati
December 8, 2004: Why practicing is frustrating and `music stand rage` is becoming the best line of defence after knocking off the mother inlaw.
8 responses. Last at 9:36 AM (MST) on December 12, 2004
K12 and tension in the nose cleaning finger.: By Stephen Brivati
December 5, 2004: Kinesthetic awarness and intonation through K12 with a brief mention of a tension point that many people miss with harmful consequences.
4 responses. Last at 1:21 PM (MST) on December 20, 2004
K20-at last.: By Stephen Brivati
November 16, 2004: There is a lot more to this study than meets the eye. That`s why Kreutzer studies are in the order they are. No fool, our Mr.K. Clealry a prune lover
4 responses. Last at 12:46 PM (MST) on November 22, 2004
Back from the grave.: By Stephen Brivati
November 14, 2004: How to get back in shape after a lay-off and some ideas on Dounis. Limited prune erudition.
Finger actions other than the 'bird.': By Stephen Brivati
November 11, 2004: Why do we neglect two vital finger actions until it is too late? Or prune plucking for beginners...
2 responses. Last at 1:16 AM (MST) on November 12, 2004
A professional sound?: By Stephen Brivati
November 1, 2004: What is a `professional sound,` how does one get it, do prunes help?
36 responses. Last at 7:17 PM (MST) on April 11, 2005
A Capet a Day makes the Prunes Go Away: By Stephen Brivati
October 20, 2004: The recent translation of a classic French text on bowing by Capet raises questions well worth exploring between bowls of prunes.
23 responses. Last at 5:00 PM (MST) on November 9, 2004
Suk Opus 17 and K5 or vice versa.: By Stephen Brivati
October 17, 2004: A neglected masterwork and a a quick commentary of K5. No mention of prunes.
2 responses. Last at 4:53 PM (MST) on October 31, 2004
New Trio, New Life?: By Stephen Brivati
October 12, 2004: A snapshot of Alexander Technique at work to confuse everyone....
2 responses. Last at 9:31 PM (MST) on October 13, 2004
Scales from a dead fish: By Stephen Brivati
October 11, 2004: As Dounis (among others) argues, scales are not something to warm up with. Nor are they limited to s few three octave runs followed by a bowl of prunes.
11 responses. Last at 7:20 AM (MST) on November 18, 2004
Shifting and bs: By Stephen Brivati
October 6, 2004: The folly of intellectual intransigence and K11
7 responses. Last at 8:12 AM (MST) on December 3, 2004
Loose ends on K8 and practice speed: By Stephen Brivati
October 4, 2004: Due to tailbacks, crossing the M1 motorway has always been easier than string crossing in Kreutzer etudes. Plus, slow is not alwys beautiful.
3 responses. Last at 6:36 PM (MST) on October 6, 2004
K13 and the magic circle: By Stephen Brivati
September 29, 2004: Are we so fixated on the index finger that pressing has become the normal method of tone production...?
21 responses. Last at 10:36 PM (MST) on October 26, 2004
Nothing to do with violin- just a prune song: By Stephen Brivati
September 29, 2004: A reminder that life is not just about violin playing. Prunes are important too. (Thanks Ted)
15 responses. Last at 11:51 PM (MST) on October 12, 2004
Just when you thought it was safe....K13: By Stephen Brivati
September 26, 2004: K13 is a lifetime study that can used at one stage for developing bowing basics. But one can then return later at a whole new level of excruciating torture. A great favorite of the Addams family, I believe...
Being present through chamber music.: By Stephen Brivati
September 23, 2004: Musicians are so obsessed with what they could be, or want to be that they rarely find their way there via attending to -what is.- I suggest that chamber music is a powerful antidote, after prunes of course.
9 responses. Last at 3:00 PM (MST) on October 22, 2004
More money burners....: By Stephen Brivati
September 21, 2004: Feeling blue? Now is the time to go out and buy some more books about violin playing.....
6 responses. Last at 3:49 AM (MST) on March 8, 2005
A useful cocktail: By Stephen Brivati
September 18, 2004: Prunes and gin tonics remain a staple of the violinist's diet, together or separate. Here is a practice cocktail, plus a few bits and bobs that will have you reaching for the bottle...
11 responses. Last at 11:37 AM (MST) on November 30, 2004
The dreaded little finger and K9: By Stephen Brivati
September 15, 2004: My long lost Swedish son was pining for some aspects of relaxation other than massage and furniture construction. Here is a morsel.
9 responses. Last at 6:18 AM (MST) on January 15, 2005
K18 and exotic contrast.: By Stephen Brivati
September 13, 2004: By approaching this study from a musical perspective first the technique may take care of itself. Or maybe not...
4 responses. Last at 10:04 PM (MST) on September 28, 2004
K8 The show goes on...: By Stephen Brivati
September 11, 2004: After a quick poem as a diversionary tactic a series of proposals for working on k8 which may or may not give you a headache. Largely Swedish in ethos....
3 responses. Last at 6:11 PM (MST) on September 27, 2004
Preparing for K8: By Stephen Brivati
September 7, 2004: Kreutzer 8 is a milestone in the violinist's manual that depends to a large extent on solid preparation. This 'foreplay' is no less significant than the steps people took to prepare for the expected Millenium Crash.
18 responses. Last at 1:28 PM (MST) on September 18, 2004
Late starters and a little Kreutzer.: By Stephen Brivati
September 2, 2004: Thirty-five and you want to start the violin? Go for it! Ninety-five? No problem! One hundred and five? Mmmm. Consider a job at the local stud farm instead. And then a little Kreutzer no.2...
48 responses. Last at 1:24 AM (MST) on March 24, 2005
Kreutzer Violin Etudes 19 and 23.: By Stephen Brivati
August 30, 2004: Speed on its own has no meaning, so let's work on trills and runs. Here's Buri's first installment on the Kreutzer violin etudes.
35 responses. Last at 3:48 PM (MST) on December 25, 2004
What Should I Practice?: By Stephen Brivati
August 28, 2004: Students who play Paganini should not lack the technique to play a Handel sonata or Mozart concerto. But increasingly they do. It's time to get back to etudes, which go to the heart of violin technique.
12 responses. Last at 7:58 PM (MST) on April 29, 2007