Jascha Heifetz – Scales as Pedagogy Heifetz held, among many others, scales as essential and foundational to all of violin playing writ large. The Heifetz scale system – arranged and transcribed for publications – offers insight into the variety, depth, and comprehension with which Heifetz viewed violin essentials. Included are some unusual exercises involving chromatic…

Jascha Heifetz – Brief Biography and Pedagogical Legacy Born on the 2nd of February in Vilna, Lithuania, the legendary American violinist Jascha Heifetz was perhaps best known for a brilliant and outstanding virtuosity that combined brilliance with precision, an intellectual coolness, emotional fire, a sense of uprightness or nobility, and an infallible musicality. Trained first…

Carl Flesch, Hungarian violinist, teacher, writer, and educator (1873-1944) Born October 9th in 1873, the great Hungarian-German violinist and teacher Carl Flesch made innumerable contributions to violin pedagogy and development. Authoring highly innovative violin writings, technical exercises, articles, scale systems, as well teaching, and at some of the world’s greatest music institutions, Flesch’s was a…

Leopold Auer, one of the greatest of all violinists, educators, writers, and violin pedagogues combined (1845-1930) Leopold Auer – Writer, Author, Teacher, and Pedagogue Leopold Auer – also author of the greatly insightful Violin Playing As I Teach It (1921) – one of the greatest violinists and violin pedagogues of the twentieth-century – and teacher…

Yehudi Menuhin, American-born, British violinist, educator, and cultural ambassador Sir Yehudi Menuhin (center), pictured during a break from a violin lesson and masterclass A tireless advocate for music education, the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin’s mark on educating young musicians in the form of material and cultural institutions, places, and opportunities, in addition to direct contributions…

Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999), American-born, British violinist, cultural ambassador, and educator Yehudi Menuhin (far left), here pictured with Stephan Grappelli (far right) The great American-born British violinist Yehudi Menuhin is widely known as one of the most outstandingly brilliant violinists of the 20th century. A pathbreaking musician, Menuhin is often as widely known for his musical…