Your Violin Companion Course
Getting to Know and Looking After Your Violin
FIVE WEEK COURSE
ONLY FIVE PLACES
£250
MONDAY COURSE 4.45 – 6.15PM
17 FEB, 24 FEB, 3 MAR, 10 MAR, 24 MAR
THURSDAY COURSE 9.30AM – 11AM
27 FEB, 6 MAR, 13 MAR, 20 MAR, 27 MAR
A taught course by professional violin maker, violinist and violin teacher, Libby Summers, with Nigel Melfi, violin maker for some sessions or parts of sessions. The course will have a mix of theory and practice. The aim of the course is to bring together the skills of the luthier and the player to create more understanding, help enrich your knowledge and experience, and give you greater confidence in maintaining and looking after your instrument. The course fee includes
· Expert tuition in a small group
· Materials for use during the sessions
· Handouts with course information for your reference later
· Stamford Strings Tote Bag with a few goodies to help you look after your violin when the course is over.
For more details, see the description below.
There are only five places on each course, so book early to avoid disappointment.
course details
An overview of the design, construction and workings of the violin. Learn about how it is made, deepen your knowledge and understanding of the way your instrument works and ask questions. See the parts of a violin under construction and learn about the wood and how it behaves when it becomes an instrument.
Week 2
A detailed explanation of how the violin is set up externally, with a practical demonstration. This lesson will take you from the top to the bottom of the instrument, and inside as well, to understand the intricacies and details that go into making your violin sound great and work well under your fingertips. Learn about how small changes to the set up can affect the sound and how the luthier can control and change the sound of your instrument to suit you.
Week 3
Your violin is not a static machine. It responds to and changes with the weather, being played, how you play it, how you store it and where you take it. This session offers a chance to bring your own instrument along and learn how to maintain and care for it on a daily basis. The dos and don’ts for good violin health, and some great tips on what you can do yourself to preserve it and minimize potential problems and issues
Week 4
My violin needs help! What to do when things go wrong, and how to spot when something does. Learn to develop an eye for the detail of your highly functioning and finely tuned machine. Spot when something is not right and learn how to know if you need professional help and what you can do yourself. Bring along your violin to this session and troubleshoot any issues or explore the lessons from week 2 on sound with some sound adjustments.
Week 5
We will recap on all the main points of the course, and you will have the chance to delve into some topics in more depth. Explore how the lessons that you have learned can impact on the way you play and how you perceive and interact with the sound your instrument makes. This session will also include playing together, with music chosen by the group in the previous lesson.