Rozanna's Blog

When I was in school I always admired dancers who seemed to be the antithesis of the motley crew which were us instrumentalists. While most string players rarely considered posture as a significant part of the equation for optimal technique, posture and dance technique are inseparable. But times have changed and it seems learning to […]

by Rozanna Weinberger Some of the most common beliefs string technique beliefs is  that somehow the back should be involved when playing, particularly when it comes to bowing. This can seem illusive at best since for many it seems like the shoulder wants to be the fulcrum for controlling arm movements bow technique rather than […]

by Rozanna Weinberger It amazes me when speaking to students that say they have excess tension in their playing that causes pain but feel at the mercy of the tension because they don’t even know when it begins. Its true once we’re in the state of compromised physical patterns, the challenge is to relieve the pain and […]

by Rozanna Weinberger These days it seems contemporary audiences are much more influenced by shows like The Voice than the concert hall. This may also be in part because children have less exposure to fine art and so we seek it less and less. While I would never suggest that just because someone auditions for a talent competition […]

by Rozanna Weinberger For many string players, there is very little about playing a violin, viola or cello that feels natural without plenty of practicing. While no one can avoid plenty of practice to master a piece of music to the point where it is ready for performance, no doubt, discovering the easiest way to […]

Circular motion and warming up back muscles The following movements incorporate circular movements in back and arm. Circling the arm enables one to bring the weight of the arm around and up, then down onto the string, producing a rich beautiful sound. While the movements we are doing exaggerate the actual movement required to play […]