Ludwig van Beethoven wrote the uplifting 'Ode to Joy' melody as the main theme for the final, majestic movement of his 9th Symphony, for full choir and orchestra.
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote the uplifting 'Ode to Joy' melody as the main theme for the final, majestic movement of his 9th Symphony, for full choir and orchestra.
Here's the scale of C Major in one octave. Listen, sing, then play along with the track until you know the pattern from memory!
This traditional French folk song from the 1500s was a popular choice for singing and dancing in French villages, so play it with plenty of energy!
Make the journey as smooth as you possibly can, as you cross the open strings in a variety of different bowing patterns. Smooth sailing all the way!
If you always know how to improve then you'll always be getting better and better! And this Practice Menu helps provide a clear structure for your violin practice.
This useful checklist of practice techniques will help you to stay focused on what you need to do to make effective progress in your violin practice.
A 7-step approach to violin practice. Follow these steps to achieve continual improvement in your violin playing!
Use these checklists to remember the most important aspects of good posture. Keep your body balanced, your breathing free, and avoid unnecessary muscle tension.
A traditional Czech folk song. Keep the bow strokes very short - particularly on the ‘Cuc - koo’ call in lines 3 and 4!
Play this piece really smoothly, as if your bow was flying in the sky! The Italian words legato and glissando describe how to play the music.
Rejoice! Here's the popular Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's oratorio Messiah. In this arrangement, you only need to use one finger on the strings. Hallelujah to that!
Time for some first finger shenanigans! Practise bringing your hand to the instrument and, using all your senses, drop the first finger in the right place every time.
A jaunty Baroque dance for two! This famous tune by English composer Henry Purcell will have your fingers springing sprightly up and down the G major scale!
Hanon made loads of exercises for pianists to develop the speed, agility, strength and accuracy of their fingers. They work pretty well for violinists’ fingers, too!
Practise these pattern-building exercises and you will always be two steps ahead when it comes to outsmarting one-octave scales in G, D, and A major!
Offenbach's famous 'Can-Can' is a classic of the genre... a high-octane dance that's full of energy, and sure to get your feet tapping!
This famous Viennese Waltz by Johann Strauss II was inspired by the river Danube, one of the longest rivers in Europe.
It’s okay to cross the line in these exercises, as long as you do it smoothly and in tune! Practise silky smooth slurred string crossings in A, D, and G major.
Who will win in this game of two halves … the lower half or the upper half of the bow?! Each half is competing to be the most exact and the most pleasing to the ear!
Here's the scale of A Major in one octave. Listen, sing, then play along with the track until you know the pattern from memory!
Here's the scale of D Major in one octave. Listen, sing, then play along with the track until you know the pattern from memory!
