News & features

worst things about playing the violin

The 10 worst things about playing the violin

violin string snap teamwork

This video proves the incredible, instinctive teamwork between musicians

Natalie Wheen's Great Performers, Classic FM

This recording of one of the world's greatest early violinists is utterly stunning

Musical instrument instruction diagrams

Musical instrument instruction diagrams: get to know your instrument

kid's amazing violin progress

Watch the incredible progress of a tiny kid violinist over her first two years of learning

philip glass violin concerto no. 1

Here’s why Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1 is the best concerto of the last 50 years

musician every day tips

10 extremely simple things musicians can do every day to make life a little easier

broken e-string violin

This clip captures the sheer horror of an E-string snapping halfway through a live radio broadcast

Ava Pakiam

Your inspiration for the day: watch this 6 year old play Kreisler

Videos

paganini caprice on flute

Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 performed on FLUTE sounds utterly righteous

Paganini

Sarasate violin Hildegarde Fesneau

Virtuosic Sarasate violin music, played with a TINY bow

Winston Churchill cigar box violin rectangle

Violin made from Winston Churchill’s cigar box to be auctioned

Videos

worst things to happen to a classical musician

The 13 worst things to happen to a classical musician

Habanera ping pong

This violinist can play Habanera one-handed while bouncing a ping pong ball in time to the music

ysaye violin sonata 3

This frankly terrifying solo violin piece is surely one of the hardest ever written

Charles Barren violin at Dartington

Need some inspiration to keep playing? Here’s a 96-year-old violinist playing Massenet’s Méditation from Thaïs

Ivry Gitlis concert at 93

This 93-year-old violinist is proof that music never ages and never leaves you