Okay… I’ve been quietly building something. First, thank you for all the honest posts lately about what you’re working on and where you feel stuck. The path from intermediate to advanced has some very real challenges, and I’m super into taking that on with you. So this spring, we’re trying something new. It’s called Violin Dojo. Instead of everyone floating in different directions - and instead of you having to constantly decide how to fit everything into your practice - we’ll move through a shared seasonal focus together. Not to compete. Not to be intense. Just to have our heads in the same game, while leaving space for whatever songs and things are most calling to you on your individual hot violinist journey at the same time. Spoiler alert - our first focus will be Vibrato. The real goal? To feel less alone in your practice. To build some friendships here. And yes… to gain some serious skill along the way. More next week. 🎻 Meanwhile tell me in the comments. What fun projects or things are calling your name this spring? Violin or otherwise. For me: Violin: New Dojo videos and visual guides for advancing students Not violin: Repotting my poor neglected plants that I may have saved from the freeze, but definitely cut it a little too close. 😬

Still working on The Star Spangled Banner for our high school graduation. As John Calvin would say "Wish me luck!" Gandalf

I’ve never videoed my play but I just learned a lot from it! I would love tips on how to bow like a fiddler, please. Not sure if this is where I’m supposed to add a video? Thank you!

OK, Once I got past the "eye candy factor" (which,believe me, took awhile🫤) I noticed the oldest daughter's bow hold . Not sure if all French Canadian Quebecois fiddlers hold their bows like this or not. She's definately got her own thing going on here.ttps://youtu.be/AF3TgdBIGMk?si=sPnsvlBBNHdHNoIq

Goodbye conventional bow hold. It's been 6 months and I just can't get acclimated to your standards. Im fed up with not being able to mange bow bounce, straight longbowing and overall bow control so i think i shant persist in struggling with you any longer. You leave me no alternative but to switch over to the Charlotte Le Blanc/Quebecouis fiddler bow hold. The conventional bow hold might work for some violinists but not for this "non-conformist/wierd artist grouchy old Hollander". I'm going to have to "breakaway" (because ,as the late,great Gary Richrath put it: "What's right for them may be wrong for you"). Ill keep working on all the rest of the WAD foundation stuff though. Pardon the torn up kitchen folks. I'm knee deep in a "DIY kitchen cabinet, house renovation".