In playing the violin, three things must be particularly observed: first, to [hold] it in as free and unconstrained a manner as possible; secondly, to place the hand in the most favorable position for facilitating the motion of the fingers and attaining correctness of intonation; and, thirdly, so to place the fingers upon the strings that the tone produced may be full and clear.
- Bartolomeo Campagnoli (1751-1827)
The foundations of string playing encompass four essential skills that players must acquire before producing sound: posture/stance, instrument hold, left-hand setup, and bow hold. Establishing these "healthy foundations" is crucial for preparing students to tackle advanced repertoire rather than merely introductory pieces. This involves ensuring naturalness and freedom of movement throughout the body right from the start of instruction. String players
continuously work on establishing, maintaining, and refining these foundations throughout their musical journey.
These instructional videos include explanations and exercises intended to teach foundations of string playing, drawing from a wide range of historical and modern teaching methods. These exercises are suitable for both individual lessons and group class settings.
Captions for all videos are available in the YouTube links provided next to each video.