My Approach
Understanding the Physical Problem Rather Than Imposing a Technique
There is rarely one explanation for why a violinist develops tension, discomfort or restricted movement.
My approach is therefore individual.
The objective is to understand what happens when you play and to explore practical possibilities relevant to your particular situation.
1. Understanding the Problem
We begin with the problem itself.
We discuss:
- What you experience
- Where you experience it
- When it occurs
- Which movements are affected
- Whether it occurs during practice or performance
- How long it has been happening
- What you have already tried
You do not need to know what is causing the problem.
That is part of what we examine.
2. Observing You Play
Where appropriate, I will observe you playing.
This is important because the physical problem may not be apparent from conversation alone.
Observation allows us to look at what actually happens when you play, rather than relying only on how the problem feels.
We can examine the violin hold, posture, movement, muscular tension and the physical relationship between you and the instrument.
3. Looking at the Player and Instrument Together
The physical relationship between the violin and the player is central to my approach.
A problem experienced in one area may be influenced by what is happening elsewhere.
We therefore consider how different elements of playing interact, rather than automatically isolating one part of the body or one aspect of technique.
The way the violin is supported, the organisation of movement, muscular tension and the player’s overall physical position may all be relevant.
4. An Individual Approach
I do not believe that every violinist should be placed into the same system.
My experience includes both Russian and Belgian-French traditions of violin playing, as well as playing and teaching both with and without a shoulder rest.
This has given me experience with different approaches to the physical relationship between player and instrument.
The objective is not to make every violinist play in the same way.
It is to understand the individual situation and determine what may be appropriate for that player.
5. Exploring Practical Changes
The purpose is not to give you a long list of theoretical instructions.
Instead, we examine practical possibilities relevant to your particular problem.
These may involve the way the violin is supported, how a movement is organised, how different parts of the body interact, or how a particular playing situation affects you physically.
The emphasis is on changes that can be observed and tested in actual playing.
6. Testing What Changes
A possible change has to be considered in actual playing.
We therefore look at what happens when a change is introduced.
If something improves, we examine what may have contributed to that improvement.
If it does not, we reassess the situation and look again.
The process is based on observation, experimentation and individual response rather than assuming that one solution must work for everyone.
No Fixed Method
I do not approach physical problems by applying one predetermined system to every player.
My background across different violin traditions, together with experience playing and teaching both with and without a shoulder rest, allows the individual situation to remain the starting point.
The aim is not to impose a particular technique.
The aim is to understand the physical problem and work towards practical possibilities for resolving it.
No Instant Promises
Physical problems have different histories and may have different contributing factors.
I therefore do not promise that a problem will disappear after one consultation.
The purpose is to understand the problem more clearly, identify possible contributing factors and work towards practical ways of resolving it.
Private and 100% Confidential
All consultations are private and 100% confidential.
This is particularly important for professional violinists and soloists who may need to discuss physical problems without concern about their professional reputation or opportunities.
In Person or Online
Consultations are available in person or online internationally.
Online consultation is a full specialist consultation and is not treated as a lesser version of the service.