Whether you’re playing in a studio recital, an orchestra concert, a masterclass (or even just for a friend) performance nerves are normal. Your heart races, your hands feel shaky, and suddenly that passage you had perfectly in practice? It’s gone. The good news: you’re not alone, and you can absolutely learn to manage it.

Whether you're just starting your musical journey or picking it up again after a long break, know this: You belong in the world of music and you bring something deeply valuable to it.

When we think about string playing, we often focus on the left hand (shifts, fingerings, intonation). But in reality, your right hand is where the music speaks. Your bow is your voice, your brush, your breath. It’s not just an “on/off switch” that makes the string vibrate. It’s what brings life, colour, and emotion to every note you play.

Learning to play a string instrument is exciting, rewarding and, let’s be honest, physically demanding. Whether you’re playing violin, viola, cello, or bass, your body is your instrument’s foundation. And if you’re an adult learner, you might be more vulnerable to aches, tension, and overuse injuries, especially if you’re balancing practice with work, parenting, or long hours at a desk.

Mindful practice isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a powerful tool that can help you play better, learn faster, and feel more emotionally connected to your music. Here’s how it works, and how you can start using it today.

You don’t need to practice more. You need to practice smarter. With the right strategies, even a short, focused session can move you forward in big ways. Here's how to make the most of your time, whether you have a full hour or just 15 minutes before dinner.

Adult learners often bring passion, discipline, and dedication to their musical journey, but they rarely give themselves credit. This article is here to help you track progress in meaningful, personal ways, so you can stay motivated and celebrate the victories that don’t come with a certificate or a gold star.

As an adult string player, you might have noticed something after just a few minutes of playing: tight shoulders, a stiff bow grip, or fingers that feel more like bricks than musicians. You're not imagining it, and you're definitely not alone.

Welcome to the world of string instruments, where every sound tells a story and every player finds their voice. Every instrument in the violin family has its own unique personality. Think of them like siblings in a musical family, each with a different voice, a different vibe, and a different way to shine. Let’s meet them!

As someone who grew up in rural Alabama, I’ve always felt that nature wasn’t something separate from us, it was something we were part of. My father was a horticulturalist, so much of our lives happened outdoors: planting, walking, watching seasons shift. Nature was just… there. Constant, grounding, necessary.

As string teachers, we spend hours crafting the perfect bow hold, guiding intonation, shaping phrasing, and building technical foundations. But often, the most powerful tool we have isn’t in our hands, it’s in our words.

A metronome is a device or app that clicks or beeps at a steady beat. You choose the speed (called tempo, measured in beats per minute or BPM), and the metronome keeps time so you can practice playing accurately and consistently. Why is this so important?

So your child or student just picked up the violin, viola, cello, or bass. Awesome! But now what?

When we think about helping a student succeed on their stringed instrument, whether it’s a violin, viola, cello, or double bass, we often focus on things like scheduling lessons, finding the right teacher, and encouraging daily practice.

The idea for Echoes grew from a personal question that slowly deepened over time. I always knew, in a simple geographic sense, that Australia is near Asia. But it wasn’t until I began visiting regularly in 2009 that I started to think more deeply about what that proximity really meant historically, socially, and artistically.

When most people think about playing a stringed instrument—like the violin, viola, cello, or double bass—they picture expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and beautiful performances. And while music-making is undoubtedly about artistry and emotion, there’s something just as important happening behind the scenes: technical work.

Australia’s contributions to the world of classical music are dynamic, diverse, and deeply rooted in place and community. For violists, the growing body of work by Australian composers offers not only technical and artistic depth, but also a meaningful opportunity to support homegrown artistry.

Helping a young musician develop technical skills is only part of the job for a string teacher. Just as important, if not more so, is nurturing their self-efficacy: their belief in their own ability to succeed.

Double stops are a defining feature of string playing, adding richness, complexity, and power to the sound. But they can also be one of the more challenging techniques to master.

For many adult musicians, returning to music, or discovering it for the first time, is a deeply personal and rewarding journey. But that journey becomes even more meaningful when it’s shared.