Encouragement & Advice for Advancing Amateur Orchestral Musicians
Playing in a community orchestra can be one of the great joys in life
Olivia Wise
How to Start An Adult Chamber-Music Ensemble
If you’re wondering how to get a new chamber ensemble together, there are numerous programs and services that can help get you started.
F-Holes Are All Basically the Same—Except That They’re All Different
Every violin f-hole looks like its twin, and they all look the same. But this is not the case with classical makers, especially the Italians of the Golden Period.
8 Adult Amateurs Talk Transcendent Moments & Finding the Time to Keep Playing
We spoke with eight string players from various camps or schools of study about challenges and what keeps them coming back to the practice room for more.
It’s Never Too Late to Pick Up an Instrument—Here are 5 Tips for Adult Beginners
It takes bravery to start taking music lessons, but according to the mature beginners I interviewed, no one is ever too old.
Developing Structure and Flexibility in Your Bow Hold
Awareness of the bow arm is key to improving tone and technique—and it all begins with the bow hold. Here's how to develop structure and flexibility in your bow hold.
Fixing the Pinky Problem: How String Players Can Retrain a Collapsing-Locking Left 4th Finger
The “pinky problem” is one of the top complaints among string players. But fret not, here's how to retrain a collapsing-locking feft 4th finger.
3 Keys to Conquering Upper-Position Anxieties on Stringed Instruments
Many advancing violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists have a fear of playing in the registers beyond the neck position. Here are 3 keys to conquering those upper-position anxieties.
4 Things to Check If Your Vibrato Isn’t Working the Way It Should
Here are a few specific points to check in your left hand and arm to make sure you’re ready for an effective vibrato in your string playing.
Yo-Yo Ma and Silk Road Ensemble Members Team Up with Maestro Long Yu on Youth Music Culture Guangdong
Yo-Yo Ma and maestro Long Yu founded Youth Music Culture Guangdong to help coach young musicians in chamber music and orchestral settings.
