Nathan Cole - violin
There is method to the mastery
This Challenge ran during the summer of 2015, but you can follow it right now at your own pace, for any audition! To get the most out of the challenge, you'll want the original "source material", …
Continue Reading about The New York Phil violin audition Challenge →
There's a problem that strikes fear into the heart of every violinist, no matter how accomplished, and that's "the shakes", or bow tremors. They happen when we're nervous; caffeinated; playing an …
Continue Reading about The safety move to eliminate bow shakes →
I just posted a video on YouTube that shows my "safety move" for soft starts at the frog. This move can also help with bow changes at the frog, particularly at quiet dynamics. Once you learn this …
One of my readers asked an excellent question about auditions in the forums, and I wanted to give my thoughts here as well. Once you learn an entire list (no easy task!) how do you maintain it? How do …
Continue Reading about How do you keep all your excerpts alive? →
In the summer of 1998, I was twenty and had just finished my second year at Curtis. I had never felt an all-consuming passion for the violin, but that summer I was particularly ambivalent. I knew that …
Continue Reading about My violin met the Inner Game on the golf course →
Be sure to download the spreadsheets at the end of the post! Have you ever watched all three Godfather movies in a row? Sure you have. Well, maybe I and II anyway. Do you know all the lines, not just …
Continue Reading about The Godfather eating and drinking game →
