Welcome! I'm glad you found me and I hope you'll enjoy my musings, tips, updates, and insights.

Please use the search bar below to sort posts by category or keyword. If you're enjoying a topic, you can also click categories listed below, or the tags listed at the top of a post to organize a new list of posts with the same categories and/or tags. Happy reading!

Tag: musicians

Posted on: | Category:

After 15 months of lockdowns and restrictions in California and many other parts of the country, upon reaching June 15th, the date when California’s year long mask mandate would be lifted, we had less than a 2% positivity rate throughout the state ...

Posted on: | Category:

We’re all wondering how life will adjust to the current global crisis surrounding the spread of the coronavirus. Seven cases were reported in my county over the last few days. Until then, people didn’t seem particularly concerned locally. The stores ...

Posted on: | Category:

Music making can be enjoyable, intellectual, and creative, but we can often underestimate the athleticism required, perhaps particularly on a bowed string instrument like the violin or cello. Like any great athlete, we soon discover the need to create ...

Posted on: | Category:

Performers and athletes often talk of being “in the zone.” Some might describe it as being in a place where they loose themselves in the activity or music and it appears as though it is happening all by itself, smoothly and automatically. Some might ...

Posted on: | Category:

It’s September again and with an influx of new violin, viola, and fiddle students as well as many longterm students getting back into the swing of lessons after vacations and time off over the summer, there’s been a lot of talk about practice lately ...

Posted on: | Category:

A student’s first lessons with a new private music teacher are usually a mixture of excitement and possibility, nerves, and often a bit of overwhelm. Over the course of a few lessons, a perceptive teacher will identify certain areas of technique, posture, ...

Posted on: | Category:

Never heard of Parkour? I hadn’t either until a few weeks ago when a friend tried it. Wikipedia describes it, based on the original French name, l'art du déplacement (the art of movement), as a “physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle ...

Please email me 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 me, in-person or online via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.

The Violin Geek Blog is a free resource and always will be. We also don't sell advertising, meaning that everything you read has been a labor of love. If you'd like to support my efforts and help ensure they continue, please consider making a donation. Thanks for your support!


Laurel Thomsen

Violin, Viola, Vocals
Performance, Instruction, Recording

Based in Santa Cruz, California

Site by Laurel Thomsen
Photography by Michelle Magdalena

laurel@laurelthomsen.com
831-224-0913
Skype: laurelthomsen

Become a VIP fan!

Join my periodic newsletter and be the first to learn about her adventures, music, tour dates, and new recordings. On occasion I'll also offer mailing list only downloads and discounts.
© 1996-2024 Laurel Thomsen, Email me