Laurie Niles

Laurie Niles is the founder and editor of Violinist.com, which has served the violin and classical music community on the internet since 1996. A violinist herself and a former newspaper reporter, Niles lives in Pasadena, California, where she also maintains a private violin studio and freelances in the Los Angeles area.

In addition to Violinist.com, she also writes articles for The Strad magazine, Strings magazine, Symphony magazine and the American Suzuki Journal and published two books: Violinist.com Interviews Vol. 1 and Violinist.com Interviews Vol. 2. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from Indiana University. She has completed SAA training courses in all 10 Suzuki books and is a recipient of the LA-area ASTA Distinguished Service Award.

Your Favorite Album: The Houston Grand Opera's 1977 recording of "Porgy and Bess," as well as hundreds of albums by violinists!

Favorite Song to Play on Your Instrument: Any and all of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin.

Instrument of Your Dreams: I'm very much in love with—and grateful for—my own violin, a 200-year-old Gagliano that has been my musical partner for a little more than 10 years.

Articles by Laurie Niles

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How To Master the Legato Bow Stroke (Hint: It’s Harder Than You Think)

By Laurie Niles | From the November-December 2020 issue of Strings magazine Flashy bow strokes, such as spiccato, sautillé, staccato, and ricochet, get a lo... Read More...

How to Practice String-Crossing Technique for Bariolage

All Motions Great & Small: How to Practice String-Crossing Technique for Bariolage

“Bariolage” is a French word for a bowing technique that involves rapid changing of strings, often between open strings and “stopped” strings—that is, strings with the fingers down.

violinist practicing Martele bowing technique on violin

A Refresher on Bold Martelé Bowing Technique

Martelé bowing is remarkably useful as a teaching tool, specifically for bow-hand strength & balance, & for development of accurate direction in the bow arm.

left hand playing vibrato on violin

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.

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Audiences Can Be Noisy—Learn How Professionals Handle Performance Distractions

Nothing beats the energy of a top-notch performance before a live audience. But how does a performer handle the unpredictable nature of a live audience?

Leopold Auer

Tackling the Runs in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

By Laurie Niles | From the July-August 2020 issue of Strings magazine Leopold Auer might have hit on some truth when he declared that the violin concerto wr... Read More...

playing violin in tune

Tools and Techniques to Help Dial In Your Pitch on Strings Instruments

To play in tune, one must work on the ability to hear pitch clearly and physically produce the note in a consistent way. Here are some tips on playing in tune.

The Spiccato Bariolage Passage of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto Is One Challenge Among Many

By Laurie Niles One of the most dazzling moments in violin repertoire occurs in the Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, when the pyrotechnics... Read More...