What if "doing the music thing" didn't conjure subsisting on ramen and scrounging together rent money from a few random gigs and students, but finding a "path to remarkable success," ​positioning yourself in unique spaces and with interesting pursuits, making a healthy income while staying inspired and having a deep impact?

If you've wondered if you could avoid the rat-race, create demand for your services, and love what you're doing each day, if you're a teacher or parent wondering how to best help your students realize their musical dreams, or even if you're not a musician, but want to live a rich, creative life, this episode is for you! We're speaking with the wonderful David Cutler, and his new book, "The Savvy Musician 2.0," presents a comprehensive manual that will fill you with passion for how to approach all elements of the music business, from positioning yourself in the marketplace and creating relevance, to promoting your shows and services, time management, and leaving a legacy.

Show Notes:

More about David and "The Savvy Musician 2.0" https://www.savvymusician.com

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Host Laurel Thomsen's info and links:

For more information and info about my performances, recordings, and teaching, please visit my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To check out my Violin Geek Blog, the companion to the podcast, sharing tips, insight and inspiration since 2007, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com/violin-geek-blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question or topic you’d like to have covered on the Violin Geek podcast or in the blog, have someone you'd like me to interview, or have a story or insight to share, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠laurel@laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Also, please reach out if you’d like to inquire about online violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with me via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom. You're also welcome to post your success story, comments, or suggestions to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/laurelthomsenmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Happy Practicing!

What scale or excerpt should you choose to audition with? What should you do if all the excerpts are either too difficult and others too easy? When you have limited time to prepare the material, where should you put your focus for the most pay off? What do they mean by "contrasting" pieces?

If you've wondered about these questions, or if you're a teacher wondering how to best help your students, or even if you're an adult student, dreaming of playing in a group someday, but not sure how to prepare for that or to know when you're ready, this episode is for you! Host Laurel Thomsen answers these questions and more, with ideas for how to approach all elements of an audition, from scales and excerpts, to sight reading and solo pieces, giving you a launch point to get to work and hopefully win the placement of your dreams!

Show Notes:

International Music Score Library Project https://imslp.org/

~~

Host Laurel Thomsen's info and links:

For more information and info about my performances, recordings, and teaching, please visit my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To check out my Violin Geek Blog, the companion to the podcast, sharing tips, insight and inspiration since 2007, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com/violin-geek-blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question or topic you’d like to have covered on the Violin Geek podcast or in the blog, have someone you'd like me to interview, or have a story or insight to share, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠laurel@laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Also, please reach out if you’d like to inquire about online violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with me via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom. You're also welcome to post your success story, comments, or suggestions to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/laurelthomsenmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Happy Practicing!

What are études? Should you be playing them? Where do they fit into your practice routine, especially also considering a scale and arpeggio practice? Which ones should you start with, and should you always go in book order?

If you've ever considered some of these questions, or you're a student, a teacher, or someone hoping to keep your playing chops in top condition, this episode is for you! Host Laurel Thomsen answers common questions and gives her recommendations for études to check out for beginners, intermediates, and more advanced players.

Show Notes:

Études for beginners:

Sevcik op 1 (first 10)

Fiddle Magic by Sally O'Reilly

Cassia Harvey Open String Bow Workouts (among others), see https://charveypublications.com/

Dancla op 84

Laoureux - a practical method for violin part 1

Études for advancing beginners/intermediates:

Wohlfahrt op 45

Sitt op 32 books 1 & 2

Kayser op 20

Études for intermediates:

Mazas op 36 - 3 progressive volumes

Dont op 37 - preparatory to Kreutzer and Rode

Laoureux - a practical method for violin part 2 supplement

Cohen - Technique Takes Off (and other volumes)

Amy Barlow - 12 Etude Caprices in the Styles of the Great Composers

Études for advancing players:

Kreutzer op 42

Fiorillo 36 Études

Rode 24 Caprices

Études for advanced players:

Gavinies 24 Caprices

Dont op 35

Weiniaski l’ecole moderne

Paganini 24 caprices

Double Stop Études:

Trott Melodious Double Stops books 1 & 2 (intermediate)

Polo 30 double stop etudes (intermediate)

Schradieck School of Violin Technics book 2 (intermediate to advanced)

Études written just for Viola:

Palaschko op 55 - 12 studies for viola (intermediate level)

Lillian Fuchs - 15 Characteristic Studies and 16 Fantasy Etudes (intermediate to advanced)

Compilations:

Harvey Whistler - shifting (2 volumes) and double stop compilations (intermediate)

Shifting:

Harvey Whistler - shifting (2 volumes) and double stop compilations (intermediate)

Schradieck School of Violin Technics book 1 (beginning to advanced)

Modern Technique:

Dawson - 24 Etudes for the Modern Violinist (or violist), see https://www.sleepypuppypress.com

Bowing:

Sevcik op 2 (beginning to intermediate)

Schradieck School of Violin Technics book 3 (intermediate to advanced)

~~

Host Laurel Thomsen's info and links:

For more information and info about my performances, recordings, and teaching, please visit my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To check out my Violin Geek Blog, the companion to the podcast, sharing tips, insight and inspiration since 2007, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com/violin-geek-blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question or topic you’d like to have covered on the Violin Geek podcast or in the blog, have someone you'd like me to interview, or have a story or insight to share, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠laurel@laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Also, please reach out if you’d like to inquire about online violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with me via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom. You're also welcome to post your success story, comments, or suggestions to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/laurelthomsenmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Happy Practicing!