The Swiss International Music School provides violin students of all ages and backgrounds with a personalised educational experience that nurtures their passion and understanding for music, alongside developing their technical skills to play with freedom and joy on the violin. Whether the aim is to bring violin playing towards a professional level of ability, to nurture a valuable skill that opens up exciting opportunities for group music making and exhilarating solo performances, or simply to explore a highly rewarding hobby, we offer an individually tailored study program to help the student discover their artistic potential on the violin and achieve their musical ambitions.

Students are taught not only to be capable violinists, but more importantly to be complete musicians, capable of understanding the fundamentals of music making and expressing themselves with emotion and skill via the language of music. From the very first steps on the violin, the physical technique of playing is taught in conjunction with the full set of skills needed for this broader musical understanding and expression. In lessons we draw on all the best aspects from the various systems of violin teaching to cater to the students individual needs and capabilities, whilst focusing always on enjoyment, positive learning and creative possibility. The student will be trained in all core areas to supplement their musical and violinistic ability, including:

• Complete technical understanding of how to play the violin – beginning immediately with a stable posture and principles of natural arm-weight, flexibility and circular fluidity of movement to produce a good sound, students will continuously build up the technical knowledge and facility to play with freedom and confidence on the violin. The complexities of violin technique are addressed in a manageable and rewarding sequence according to the individual needs of the students, and always are linked to musical expression and understanding of how to produce the best sound possible. Technical games and study pieces help keep this accumulation of abilities engaging and inspiring throughout development and practice.
• Auditory training and singing of melody – one of the aspects of violin playing that makes it so exciting, challenging and compelling is its emulation of the human voice. Students are trained always to link the technical output of their hands and arms to their internal, musical voice through exercises in singing and listening. Not only does this create a strong stability of intonation and pitch but also unlocks expressive freedom on the instrument.
• Rhythmic understanding – from the first lesson on the instrument, students will learn through rhythmic games and word associations to possess the strong internal sense of pulse and rhythmic patterns that is essential for meaningful music-making.
• Music theory and literacy – again from the very outset of learning, students are taught to read music fluently and understand all aspects of information given in a musical score, from fundamentals such as key, time signatures and note lengths, to understanding the full meaning behind instructions from the composer.
• Music history – students are taught with repertoire spanning the full expanse of music. From folk songs and dances, to easy arrangements of classical composers from all major eras, this essential learning of musical styles begins even at beginner level. A careful selection of repertoire throughout the study program exposes the student to all forms and styles of music with the aims of encouraging informed musicianship, the ability to perform music from every era in a stylistically correct manner and, most importantly, nurturing a lifelong passion for music in all its forms.
• Sight-reading – this is a skill that is too often overlooked in musical education but of considerable value, especially as the student reaches higher levels of playing. Students will be encouraged to not only learn repertoire in detail, but to develop the intellectual skillset to be able to play easy pieces at first sight. Such a skill is essential to being a confident musician and will allow students to be able to take full advantage of rewarding opportunities to play as part of a chamber music group or orchestra.
• Improvisation – to allow creative and expressive freedom, students will be encouraged to move beyond written repertoire to use their technical skills on the instrument to create their own sounds and give voice to their own imagination. Creative games together in the lesson experimenting with possibilities of sound, imitation and imagination start from the very first lesson and foster a crucial confidence for unlimited and enthusiastic expression on the violin.
• Self-analysis and critical listening – lessons encourage the student to reflect on their own playing and develop their own understanding of what and how to improve. The long-term ambition through teaching is really to give students all the tools and knowledge to be able to teach themselves as they become independent musical personalities! By training in lessons a positive critical reflection on their own playing, students learn to understand music and violin technique for themselves and are encouraged to think independently. This allows for more efficient practice and long-term fulfilment and success.
• Skills of chamber music playing – as violinists we are privileged to play an instrument that is in such high demand for performance and provides so many wonderful opportunities to play with others. Indeed these interactive, shared musical experiences are some of the most rewarding in our musical lives. Students are encouraged to develop their listening and reacting skills to be able to fully immerse themselves in collective music-making by playing in duets with the teacher in lessons, both with a second violin as in a string quartet and with piano accompaniment.

Students have the possibility if desired of structuring their progress towards ABRSM examinations. These are optional and are not essential to development by any means, but can provide an excellent focus for progression towards clear achievable goals. Our violin teachers are well versed in this examination system and can incorporate these exams into the teaching program as the student wishes.