About this Site

ViolinPractice.com…..

Rebecca Henry and Phyllis Freeman

Supports students, parents and teachers in their journey towards developing musicianship from the beginning to advanced levels through a variety of resources, including:

• Guided Practice Videos for young students.                            
• Videos of how to teach and practice specific techniques
• Videos of Performances and Lesson Observations
• Practice Charts and Repertoire Lists

​The use of these materials will help students develop effective, mindful and creative practice habits that will lead to higher levels of artistry and a lifelong love of music.

ViolinPractice Method is a holistic, web-based violin method that integrates the development of technique and musicianship through a sequence of repertoire, VP videos and supporting materials.  (Learn More)

• Foundation Level: Students play along with the step by step Guided Practice Videos.  We invite you to view Level A1, Step 8 (Flower Song) free of charge.
• Intermediate Stages and Advanced Stages: Videos provide detailed instructions on development of specific skills (bow strokes, shifting, vibrato), on ways to practice scales and repertoire excerpts. View a few examples.

ViolinPractice Pedagogy provides detailed video demonstrations and explanations of pedagogical principals and offers practice suggestions for sequential skill development and highlights in specific repertoire and assists with revisiting and refining foundation skills.  Click here to view just a few of the over 100 videos that are currently on this site. 

OUR BACKGROUND AND PHILOSOPHY

We are constantly searching for excellence in all aspects of a musician’s development. Throughout our combined fifty plus years of teaching, performing, running programs, and training teachers, we have had many conversations over how to help our students practice more efficiently and effectively. This site allows us to share, in an organized and sequential fashion, insights and practical “How To” practice suggestions that have contributed to the success of our students and programs.

The integration of music and motion, or expression and technique, is central to the pursuit of artistry.  We hope that through the videos and other materials in ViolinPractice.com, violinists will develop a better understanding of the principles of playing with fluidity and ease that will allow them express themselves artistically.

Our work together is the result our professional collaboration that began as students at the Indiana University School of Music (now the Jacobs School of Music), and continued as colleagues at the Peabody Preparatory.  Our former students include many who have attended major Conservatories and are music professionals, performing and teaching around the world as well as those in other professions who continue to play and enjoy music.

We each continue to synthesize, experiment and evolve in our own teaching.  Our major influences over the years include the work of Ivan Galamian, Paul Rolland, Shinichi Suzuki and Mimi Zweig, and we continue to learn from our colleagues from around the world in music and related fields.

We have created ViolinPractice.com in support of private lessons, group classes and string orchestras, and our materials can be used by students and teachers using any method or approach.   We encourage you to adapt the content to fit your needs.  We hope this site will help students develop effective, mindful and creative practice habits that will lead to independence and a lifelong love of music. 

ViolinPractice.com is not a replacement for or substitute for your violin teacher.  Take private lessons!

We are constantly adding new videos and materials and hope you find ViolinPractice.com a useful resource.

                              Rebecca Henry and Phyllis Freeman

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