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Today we chat with Grammy-nominated violinist Gabe Terracciano, who's expanding the range of the violin as a member of the Turtle Island String Quartet and the Hot Toddies Jazz Band, among other exciting projects. We hear about Gabe's transition from ...
My partner Dan Frechette and I had wanted to create a supporting music video for this song ever since we released it on our penultimate album, "Driving By Candlelight," back in 2018. The pieces didn't fall into place until two weeks ago. ...
I've been using Pirastro brand strings exclusively for over 25 years (Thomastik strings and a few other brands before that), however, no matter the brand, I've always shied away from wound E strings. The one I tried early on sounded quite dull on my ...
The bow is a string player's primary "tool for tone," but like any tool, sometimes we need more than one to get the job done. In this episode we speak with historical bow maker Ralph Ashmead, learning all about the differences between Baroque, ...
No, this isn't an article about crawling around the fingerboard of our instrument, yet I hope readers will find value in my recent ruminations about perspective and subtlety, and ways to apply these ideas to their life and in the practice room.
Listen ...
A lot of us often wonder, where am I supposed to place my thumb on the violin (or viola) neck? What finger should it be closest to? Should it be stationary? Should it move? Is there a spot that will magically help it stop gripping and finally relax? ...
In this second installment of my Music Careers series, we explore music careers and activities that require knowledge and skill in music, but not necessarily on one particular instrument. It’s rare for even very talented musicians to be able to make ...
Please email Laurel at laurel@laurelthomsen.com if you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question you’d like answered in the blog or on a podcast, have a story or insight to share, or if you’d like to inquire about violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with Laurel, in-person or via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.
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Laurel Thomsen Violin, Viola, Vocals Performance, Instruction, Recording Based in Santa Cruz, California
"After the Fire" - released January 21, 2022!
