Some time ago I was at a concert in Los Angeles given by principles of the LA Phil. The playing was really quite good. Some of the stage presence was really quite not. At the end of the performance the violist decided it was time to have a chit-chat with the cellist. Problem was, he […]

Was flipping through a music catalogue last night checking to see what new instructional DVD material there is out there. One that caught my eye focused on ‘techniques for playing more relaxed.’ Well, let me tell you. There is just one thing you need to know to be completely, utterly, and totally relaxed. And that […]

As this communication reaches you today I will be in the midst of a music scoring session for a brilliant film entitled, ‘All The Kings Men,’ starring Sean Penn and an incredible supporting cast. It looks to be an outstanding piece of work. The music accompanying the live action will be equally memorable. Composed by […]

Some months ago, before beginning my ‘Kreutzer project’ I worked out pretty exclusively on Paganini and Bach. And I mean Worked Out. I had a set of 12 Caprices I played daily along with the Bach Chaconne and other movements from the various Sonatas. Once I got started on the Kreutzer project I added the […]

In ‘early music’ days – pre-baroque – trills were referred to as ‘shakes.’ I find it somewhat ironic, actually, because as a student I was always cautioned against shaking my left hand when trilling. There is a good reason for this. The problem with shaking your hand – in effect using vibrato – to produce […]

Today’s newsletter is going to be a little bit different. Usually I write about matters specifically related to the violin. Today I would like to draw your attention to the broader subject of how our bodies and minds are affected by the sounds in our environment. Most of us just accept and try to tune […]

It was a phrase Dan Lewis used often when he wanted members of the USC Symphony to play really quietly. And when he spoke it was in a stage whisper, barely audible but incredibly intelligible. Those days were quite a few moons ago for me, but the phrase has remained in my memory as unforgettably […]

Let me start by thanking those that have taking time to write in with feedback and thoughts lately. They are appreciated. Yesterday I got a note from a new subscriber by the name of Vuc. Welcome aboard, my friend. He wrote; ‘Since you knew Milstein, could you tell me if Kreutzer was part of his […]

Today I spent a good amount of time in two airports, as my wife, four your old daughter and I made our way back from a very stimulating set of meetings in Tampa, Florida. In the airports we were bombarded with CNN’s coverage of the latest Middle East blowup. I mean, it’s like some sort […]

It is a footnote in music history now, but Giuseppe Tartini earned himself some lasting fame in part due to his conscious use of an acoustical phenomenon. When you play 3rds and 6ths on the violin, especially on the A and E string where the effect is most audible, you will hear, if you listen […]

Recently, a violinist came to play for me, and I almost had to leave the room due to motion sickness. Now, before I go further, let me just say that what I am going to describe is more common in players today than white tails on a rabbit farm. Well, that might be a slight […]

The other day I received an email from a very trusted source on physical fitness. He talked of the importance of training slow, and training fast. Same principles apply in violin training. The secret is knowing when and how to do both. First, slow practice. Most violinists don’t spend enough quality time playing slowly, it’s that simple. […]

In its broadest sense, ‘fun’ can cover a lot of ground. It can refer to spontaneous moments of delight, the experience of exhilaration, a growing expectation of reward, the feeling of achievement, or just basic physical pleasures. Simply put, however, the more fun you have, and the more types of fun you have in your […]

Many people today, and there may be a few of you reading this email, are feeling that life is passing them by, and that few of their dreams are being realized. If this is not you, then you needn’t read further. Now then, if you are still with me, let’s talk. Last night I was […]

There are indeed few of us who have no fear of performing in front of people, especially if those people are sitting in judgment, as, say, at an audition or competition. By the way, when I told Nathan Milstein of my intention to play at the Flesch competition he shook his head in disgust and […]