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An Investigation of Mimi Zweig’s Violin Pedagogy and its Application to the American

Public School String Orchestra Classroom in the 21st Century

An Undergraduate Thesis by Julie A. Nelson

Spring 2011

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Table of Contents

Introduction: The Problems with String Classroom Instruction……………..………………..3-4

Shinichi Suzuki…...…………………………………..…………………………………….5-6

Talent Education……………………………………………..………………………6-7

The Three Elements of Good Violin Playing………………..………………….…...7-8

Paul Rolland…………………………………………………………………………..……9-10

Teaching of Action………………………………………………………………..10-11

Rolland and Suzuki………………………………………………………………......11

Gestalt Emphasis………...………………………………………………………..11-13

Mimi Zweig: Propelling Violin Instruction into the 21st Century…………………………13-14

Zweig’s Pedagogy (Suzuki, Rolland, and The Inner Game of Tennis)……………14-16

StringPedagogy.com……………………………………………………………....16-17

Application to Public School String Orchestra Classroom…………………………………..17-18

Conclusive Remarks and Personal Application………………………………………………18-19

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….20-21

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Introduction: The Problems with String Classroom Instruction

Ever since the violin’s beginnings in the 16th century, pedagogues throughout the world

have attempted to identify innovative methods for teaching this unique instrument. Today, large

numbers of American students undertake violin study through public school music education

programs.

The movement for public string education began in the 20th century, when violin teachers

such as Paul Rolland and Shinichi Suzuki became famous for creating methods applying solo

violin instruction principles to group-learning situations.1 Despite Rolland and Suzuki’s

methods, there presently remains a gap in student performance achievement in the string

orchestras of American public schools. Due to a lack of parent involvement, large class sizes,

and ultimately a lack of persistence among string educators to the basic elements of technique

and body-awareness, the public school orchestra programs require a renewed approach which

breaks-down how students learn an instrument systematically.

Lorraine Fink identifies one major problem of group instruction in her book, “A Parent’s

Guide to String Instrument Study.” Fink explains the difficulty of group and individual progress.

She states, “It is inevitable that individual differences will surface quickly regarding the skills

being developed in the class.”2 Another issue faced by teachers, which Elizabeth Green

mentions in “Teaching Stringed Instruments in Classes,” is the problem of developing the “bi-

manual functioning of the hands, each doing a specialized type of work, but each having to

correlate with the other so that while functioning individually they can also work effectively

1 Marianne M. Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques: Kato Havas, Paul Rolland, and

Shinichi Suzuki (Bloomington: Tichenor, 1995), 11. 2 Lorraine Fink, A parent's guide to string instrument study: helpful information for families with children

studying orchestral string instruments (San Diego: Kjos West, 1977), 20-21.

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together.”3 Correct development of body positioning and independent hand techniques is crucial

at an early age if a student wants to maintain adequate progress in the later years of playing.

Because each student’s physical structure is individual, certain methodologies used by string

instructors yield the most positive technical results for a large body of students.

One contemporary teacher leading the way in classroom string instruction and violin

pedagogy of the 21st century is Mimi Zweig at Indiana University. Zweig and her highly-

qualified faculty are working to provide group instructional methods which produce positive

technical results in large numbers of students. By synthesizing the teaching principles of

Rolland, Suzuki, and others such as Joseph Gingold, Tadeusz Wronski, Janos Starker, and Jerry

Horner, Zweig has developed her own pedagogy which provides an overall complete instruction

for violin playing and teaching.4

It is the aim of this project to identify, analyze, and compare elements of three major

violin pedagogues: Shinichi Suzuki, Paul Rolland, and the most-recent, Mimi Zweig.

Specifically, the study will emphasize the ways in which Zweig and her colleagues are

propelling string education into the 21st century, and how American public school string

instructors can practically implement her synthesized methods into their own teaching. In order

to better understand Zweig’s beginnings as a pedagogue, we must first look at her predecessors

who helped bring about revolutionary ideas to violin instruction. We begin our study of Mimi

Zweig with an analysis of the teaching philosophies of both Shinichi Suzuki and Paul Rolland.

3 Elizabeth Green, Teaching Stringed Instruments in Classes (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966)

1. 4 Mimi Zweig, et al. Mimi Zweig StringPedagogy, available from http://stringpedagogy.com/; Internet;

accessed January through April 2011.

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Shinichi Suzuki

Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) grew up in a wealthy family in Nagoya, Japan where his

father managed the country’s only violin-making factory.5 At age 17 Suzuki developed an

interest in playing the violin and moved to Tokyo to study violin, acoustics, and theory.6 In

1920, at the age of 22, he moved to Berlin where he studied privately with Karl Klinger, a former

student of Joseph Joachim; Suzuki continued study with Klinger for the next eight years.7

During this time Suzuki was trained according to the very strict “German violin school;” his first

four years of playing involved strictly etudes, scales, sonatas, and concertos; the following four

years focused solely on chamber music.8 Klinger influenced not only Suzuki’s technique, but

taught him the “essence of music” itself.9 Klinger and Suzuki would often discuss other topics

such as art, culture, philosophy, and religion; Suzuki’s later beliefs about music’s effect on the

personal progress of the individual stemmed greatly from his discussions with Klinger.10

In 1929 Suzuki began performing with his three brothers and teaching violin in order to

supplement his family’s income. After spending time teaching, he decided to devote his life to

the musical education of children, believing that music was the only force that could “maintain

beauty in their souls.”11 After teaching violin for nearly 14 years in Tokyo, Suzuki founded the

Talent Education Movement in Matsumoto, Japan in 1945. His goal for the movement stated,

“What I want to try is infant education. I have worked out a new method I want to teach small

children--not to turn out geniuses but through violin playing to extend the child’s ability.”

5 Ray Landers, The Talent Education School of Shinichi Suzuki- An Analysis (Smithtown: Exposition Press,

Inc., 1984) 1. 6 Landers, Talent Education School, 1. 7 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 36-37 8 Ibid., 39. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 11Landers, The Talent Education School of Shinichi Suzuki, 2.

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Within a year, the program’s performances proved this new method to be highly effective; the

movement grew exponentially.

Talent Education

In 1931, Suzuki came to a revolutionary discovery for the time period in which he lived.

Suzuki, while practicing chamber music with his three brothers, he stated:

It hit me like a flash: all Japanese children speak Japanese! […] Since they all speak

Japanese so easily and fluently, there must be a secret; and this must be training. Indeed,

all children everywhere in the world are brought up by the perfect educational method:

their mother tongue. Why not apply this method to other faculties?12

Suzuki began to apply this “mother tongue approach” to violin teaching. He believed all

children carried the capacity to learn, but their development was based on the proper

environment and training in the early years of life. Suzuki placed a large emphasis on the

relationship of the child to his mother; this relationship, if positive, fostered proper development

of language and other learning. It is for this reason that the mothers of students in the Talent

Education Program learn to play violin and read music alongside their children, providing the

student with a constant role-model for practice.

In regard to the term “talent,” Suzuki did not believe that talent was innate, but that a

superior environment produced superior abilities.13 The Suzuki Association of the Americas

notes that when Suzuki’s method originated, children in Japan usually did not begin learning an

instrument until age 10 or 11; most people thought musical talent was an inborn rarity.14 As a

result of Suzuki’s research, this view has changed throughout the majority of the world today.

12 Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love (Summy-Birchard Inc., 1983) 2. 13 Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, 13. 14 Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc. Shinichi Suzuki, available from

http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/suzuki/; accessed April 5th, 2011.

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Author John D. Kendall, an American music educator who travelled to Japan to study

with Suzuki, published several writings the Talent Education Program. In a book written for

MENC, Kendall summarizes Suzuki’s method into five main points:

1.) The human being is a product of his environment.

2.) The earlier, the better--not only music, but all learning.

3.) Repetition of experiences is important for learning.

4.) Teacher and parents (adult human environment) must be at a high level and continue

to grow to provide a better learning situation for the child.

5.) The system of method must involve illustrations for the child based on the teacher’s

understanding of when, what and how.15

This fifth point of “when, what, and how” involves following the same sequence for all

students, with the teacher determining the pace of progression. Suzuki developed ten systematic

violin method books entitled The Suzuki Violin School, which include arrangements of baroque

and classical works such as Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor, along with contemporary

arrangements by Suzuki, such as his “Twinkle Variations.” Suzuki addresses specific technical

elements with each sequential piece in his method books. Every student of the Suzuki method

begins on the “Twinkle Variations” and progresses through each book only after exemplifying

mastery of technicalities presented in every piece.

The Three Elements of Good Violin Playing

Suzuki divided his pedagogy into three parts: listening (for musical sensitivity),

tonalization (for tone production), and playing (for technique).16 As part of his listening

philosophies, keen rote skills were to be acquired by the student extremely early. Suzuki

instructed parents to play recordings daily of the music their children were studying. He

believed students listening to these pieces as background music gave them a larger overall

musical understanding. This exercise also developed students’ ears for the Western tuning

15 Paul Rolland, Basic Principles of Violin Playing (Washington: Music Educator’s National Conference,

1959) 8. 16 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 136.

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system and their pitch perception. This aided students in all future rote learning, ear-training,

and memorization.

The tonalization element of Suzuki’s beliefs involves a more spiritual, humanistic

element to playing. Suzuki states that developing proper tone is crucial for two reasons: “first,

tone is a clear projection of the ‘inner voice’ and a true manifestation of the human, ‘living soul;’

second, the struggle to improve tone directly parallels the growth of individual character.”

Suzuki’s goals as an educator are clear: “to inspire human beings to embrace world friendship

and promote understanding.”17

The remaining element of Suzuki’s method, playing technique, involves the stance, violin

hold, left arm/hand movements, bow hold, the right arm, tone production, breathing and body

movement, and development of musical sensitivity at a young age.18 With these components

there is vast territory to cover; Suzuki presents each of these elements specifically in his method

books. From these three elements, teachers should be able to achieve Suzuki’s ultimate goal:

formulating musical expression and using violin as a medium for teaching students a noble heart

and mind.19 While Shinichi Suzuki was making these new discoveries regarding early childhood

development and creating method books for his Talent Education Program, Paul Rolland’s

teaching method began taking-off in America.

17 Ibid., 132. 18 Ibid. 136-137 19 Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, 15.

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Paul Rolland

Paul Rolland (1911-1978) began studying violin formally at age 11 in Hungary with

Dezsö Rados.20 Prior to his formal training, Rolland developed a fascination in his youth with

the natural technical movements in gypsy violin playing.21 It follows that Rolland’s pedagogy is

primarily based upon “principles of physical relaxation and body mechanics,” which he

solidified as a result of studying with Imre Waldbauer at the Royal Hungarian Franz Liszt

Academy in Budapest.22 Musicologist, Michael Fanelli, writes regarding Rolland’s training, “At

once he became aware of the analytical deductive approach to all aspects of string playing and

kinesthetics that Waldbauer investigated.”23

After graduating from the Academy, Rolland became a professional chamber violinist

until 1943 when his quartet decided to disband and pursue other individual endeavors.24 It was

then that Rolland decided to devote his remaining career to teaching and developing string

programs for students and teachers. His employment at Simpson College began his quest to

improve string education through teacher-training.25 In 1945, Rolland was hired at the

University of Illinois where he taught for the next 33 years until his death in 1978.

From 1950-1970 Rolland brought several teacher-training innovations to the United

States which landmarked the beginning of the country’s identity in string pedagogy. By

chartering the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA), becoming the first editor of the

American String Teacher journal, contributing to the foundations of the Music Educator’s

National Conference (MENC), and authoring reports such as Basic Principles of Violin Playing,

20 Michael Paul Fanelli, "Rolland, Paul." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online,

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com. (accessed April 1st, 2011). 21 Michael Paul Fanelli, “Paul Rolland 1911-2011: A Centenary Celebration,” American String Teacher,

February 2011, 21. 22 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 24-25. 23 Fanello, American String Teacher, 21. 24 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 24-25. 25 Ibid.

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Rolland began to make headway toward his ultimate goal: developing technically sound methods

for educators to use in string teaching.26 The culmination of Rolland’s career came with the

Illinois String Research Project, in which Rolland, along with his associate, Marla Mutschler,

wrote a book and developed a series of fourteen films entitled “The Teaching of Action in String

Playing.”27

Teaching of Action

After receiving a grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Rolland

took on the Illinois String Research Project in 1966. The purpose of the project, stated in the

proposal, was:

“to systematically present the requirements necessary to establish tension-free and natural

playing movements, good tone production and a firm basic technique for the string

student…It aims to develop a series of films to be used for the orientation of teachers and

for demonstration to students. These materials are applicable to public school string

instruction.”28

Here, Rolland’s primary focuses included stance of the student, violin hold, the left arm

and hand, the bow hold, the right arm and hand, flexibility, tone production, and remedial

teaching.29 At the conclusion of the project, Rolland received many accolades from world-

famous musicians such as Galamian, Menuhin, George Perlman, Josef Gingold, and many other

string teachers.30 The project’s success brought Rolland to the forefront of string pedagogy and

the future of string education worldwide.

26 Rolland, Basic Principles of Violin Playing. 27 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 26. 28 Fanello, American String Teacher, 23. 29 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 95. 30 Paul Rolland, The Teaching of Action in String Playing (Bloomington: Tichenor Publishing, 2000) 2-3.

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Rolland and Suzuki

In 1964 Suzuki toured America with his students, at which time Rolland and Suzuki met

at the Music Educator’s National Conference in Philadelphia and began sharing ideas on violin

teaching.31 Suzuki admired Rolland’s ability to free the motion of the student’s elbow, while

Rolland was a proponent of Suzuki’s emphasis on rote learning and the persistent review of

materials with beginners.32 Rolland, however, adamantly noted that the underlying principles of

their methods were highly contrasting; Suzuki was concerned with a system for developing

musical skills in very young children, while Rolland devoted himself to the body and sensory

awareness.33 What should be noted about Paul Rolland’s contributions to string education and

his later influence on Mimi Zweig can be described rather simply as Gestalt.

Rolland’s Gestalt Emphasis

As the Grove Online Dictionary of Music and Musicians states, Rolland’s String Project

“elucidated holistic or gestalt relationships between the kinesthetics of movement and string

performance.”34 This term, gestalt is a concept which treats the whole individual when teaching

the violin; this includes the students’ mental and physical well-being, rather than strictly

technical prowess.35 Rolland’s main concern from the beginning of his career in teaching was

using natural body motions to develop correct technique. Many people today have heard of the

“Alexander Method of Natural Body Movements,” which Rolland took an interest to in the

1950s and began applying to his pedagogy.36 Rolland states in his text, Basic Principles of

Violin Playing:

31 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 28. 32 Ibid. 33 Ibid., 28-29. 34 Fanell, Grove Music Online. “Rolland, Paul.” 35 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 34. 36 Ibid., 33.

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The basic formula for technical success is naturalness…the easy way of playing violin is

the natural way, in which all parts of the body, changing their relative positions almost

continually, are ideally in a fluid motion, never allowing a muscular lock in any part of

the body.37

Rolland’s writings on implementing these philosophies of biomechanics into teaching are

extremely specific, systematic, and logical. Throughout his writings and videos, Rolland

demonstrates how to approach specific matters of playing. In his 14-lesson film series, Rolland

is shown playing with his students, correcting specifics of their arm movements, head position,

and stance. Many of the activities he demonstrates involve the use of the entire body in teaching

rhythm and coordination. For instance, his students play a piece involving pizzicato and

stomping. His students also are shown walking around while playing, and often swaying in

unison to the music as a means of controlling bow arm motion.38 It has been said that he would

give string teachers the following advice:

Music Educators should strive to develop players who not only play in tune with a good

sound but who also feel comfortable and happy in so doing…the importance of

movement will become obvious to us if we consider that tone on a string instrument can

be produced only through movement…good movements lead to better tone production

and technique, and, above all, to increased vitality and expressiveness in playing.39

All of Rolland’s writings explain precise activities and motions teachers should be aware of in

order to best aid the student. Specifically, Rolland was concerned with two aspects of

movement: physiological functions, and physical movement.40

Physiological functions of the body which Rolland considered important included

“balance, synergy of movements, types of movements (swinging, sustained, passive, and active

movements), tension, excessive tension, static tension, and relaxation.” Physical movements

37 Rolland, Basic Principles of Violin Playing, 8. 38 Rolland, Teaching of Action in String Playing. 39 Perkins, A Comparison of Violin Playing Techniques, 91. 40 Ibid., 92-93.

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included “speed, weight of the moving arm and bow, starting, acceleration, deceleration, change

of direction, and stopping.”41 In regard to the treatment of the whole musical experience of the

student, Rolland executed kinesthetic rhythmic activities, similar to the methods of Dalcroze and

Kodaly. Rolland was also one of the first pedagogues to codify the importance of group

learning. He believed that quality instruction of students in large groups was equally as

beneficial as private lessons.42 Rolland’s tools provided for the group string instructor are

unparalleled, though today, some consider them outdated. His kinesthetically-focused

foundations, however, have provided the basis for our look at Mimi Zweig. We will examine

how her pedagogy evolved from both the gestalt ideal, and Rolland’s use of the Alexander

Method. We will also study her adaptation and synthesis of Suzuki’s philosophical ideology into

one comprehensive method.

Mimi Zweig: Propelling Violin Pedagogy into the 21st Century

Mimi Zweig was born in 1950, a time when Rolland and Suzuki were just beginning to

propel music education forward to what we recognize today. Zweig grew up in Davis,

California, beginning violin at age eight with an amateur teacher. After studying violin for one

year in Israel, where her father was on sabbatical, she and her parents moved to Syracuse, New

York.43 At age 15, Zweig began studying with Louis Krasner. She then attended State

University of New York at Albany where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree in 1971.44

Post-graduation, Zweig had a successful career as a performer with the Piedmont Chamber

Orchestra and as a teacher with the North Carolina School of the Arts. A short time thereafter,

41 Ibid., 93. 42 Ibid., 93. 43 Rachel Patrick, Living Music: Interview Record, 01 March 2005, available from

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/livingmusic/home; Internet; accessed April 5th, 2011. 44 Indiana University. Mimi Zweig, Available from http://info.music.indiana.edu/sb/page/normal/928.html;

Internet; accessed March through April, 2011.

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Zweig became assistant principal violist of the Indianapolis Symphony.45 After a few years of

performing, Zweig moved to Bloomington, Indiana where she founded the Indiana String

Academy in 1976.46 Zweig stated in a 2005 interview, “The first year, I think I had six or seven

students and the second year, there were fifteen or sixteen. In that first class was, actually, Josh

Bell…The next year I had so many students that I had to ask that the school hire an assistant.” It

is clear that Zweig held positive rapport with her students in order to build a quality program

from its foundation in such a short time.

Today, Zweig is a Professor of Violin and Viola at Indiana University where she also

directs the Pre-college String Program and Summer String Academy.47 In 2003, Zweig began a

project entitled StringPedagogy.com.48 This interactive, multimedia website provides practical

ways any string teacher can implement Mimi Zweig’s philosophies into their own classroom or

private instruction. The site provides progressive videos, pieces, and sequencing of existing

repertoire, to aid in teaching both group and private lessons of various levels and ages. The

website is aimed at breaking down the rudiments of teaching beginner violinists to build on a

solid technical foundation from the early years of playing.

Zweig’s Pedagogy

Zweig’s pedagogy is essentially a synthesis of the best aspects of previous pedagogues.

Zweig states in a letter to her followers:

My teaching is an amalgamation of the many different influences on my life. I see

myself as a giant sponge who has been able to absorb information from the people who

have influenced and enriched my life…It is the piecing together of information that has

45 Patrick, Living Music: Interview. 46 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com. 47 Indiana University, Mimi Zweig. 48 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com.

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come from teachers, from observing master classes, and from my own teaching

experiences by trial and error.49

Helen Kirklin, an experienced violinist, violist, and string educator, attended Zweig’s Summer

Retreat for Violin and Viola Teachers. She stated, regarding Zweig’s synthesis of materials:

With Zweig, you get a big eclectic mix of influences, from traditional to Suzuki to

Rolland. Since Suzuki has been the dominant violin pedagogy for young children in this

country since the 1970's, Mimi Zweig seems to offer an intelligent complement to that, a

useful synthesis that takes the best of both traditions -- Suzuki and Rolland's ideas of

action and bio-mechanics.50

Zweig’s String Academy utilizes two principles of learning stemming from Suzuki’s

philosophy. Zweig believes that all children, provided with the right environment, can learn to

do anything, including play violin. This ‘right environment’ must include involved parents, early

music listening, and good foundational instrumental training.51 The second Suzuki principle

Zweig follows is that children learn by repetition in an encouraging environment. Good practice,

then, is based on the correct number of repetitions, rather than the number of hours spent

practicing. Zweig also uses a majority of Suzuki’s repertoire because of its technically and

musically well-thought-out sequencing.52 Zweig, like Suzuki, is also a big proponent of rote

learning in early playing.53

Alongside Suzuki’s thoughts on learning, Zweig’s uses Rolland’s body awareness

principles in teaching. In 1972 Zweig viewed Rolland’s “Teaching of Action in String Playing”

films he created as part of the Illinois String project. She watched them for four days straight,

explaining that they awakened of her understanding of pedagogy and the importance of being

49 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com. 50 Helen Kirklin, interview by author, electronic mail interview, Gainesville, FL, 21 February 2011. 51 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com. 52 Ibid. 53 Brenda Brenner, interview by author, phone interview, Bradenton, Florida to Bloomington, Indiana, 6

April 2011.

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comfortable in violin playing.54 For this reason, Zweig incorporates a majority of Rolland’s

specific physical exercises in her pedagogy; these include activities such as the “Magic X,”

tapping over the high dot, shadow-bowing, plucking in high, low, and middle positions, and

performing specific compositions by Stanley Fletcher that Rolland used in his videos.55

Another element which Zweig brings into her synthesis is the creation of a “non-

judgmental environmental of learning.”56 Zweig takes principles applied in Tim Gallwey’s

book, The Inner Game of Tennis and Jerry Horner’s, The Inner Game of Music, which explain

the importance of achieving the state of mind where mistakes are viewed solely as information,

rather than negatively or positively.57 Through this, the performer in any realm can problem-

solve by exercising the correct repetition to correct such mistakes. Approaching practice and

performance in this manner offers students more freedom and confidence, thereby easing bodily

tension and anxiety.58 Zweig offers a comprehensive explanation of her total synthesis in the

following statement:

Violin performance engages the physical, the psychological, and the musical abilities of

the player. [My] fundamental principle of violin teaching, based on natural physical

motions nurtured in a non-judgmental environment, embodies all three of these elements

of performance. The development of a facile and secure technique begins with physical

freedom. This then gives the performer the freedom to play with musical sensitivity and

confidence. The teaching/learning environment is also critical. From the first lesson a

non-judgmental atmosphere is established59

StringPedagogy.com

What separates Mimi Zweig’s Pedagogy from that of Rolland, Suzuki, and many others,

who have authored method books, is the use of 21st century technology in teaching. With the

54 Ibid. 55 StringPedagogy.com 56 Ibid. 57 Ibid. 58 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com. 59 Ibid.

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explosion of internet videos in the past five years, Zweig utilizes the resources available in order

to reach a world-wide audience. One no longer needs to visit Zweig directly to observe her

teach, but individuals can view all of the video recordings at their own convenience after

subscribing to her site. The technological development of video lessons is becoming a more and

more popular method for musical study, the future will build upon this and continue using

technology to change the way we live and communicate. Mimi Zweig is one of the first to

utilize this.

Applying Mimi Zweig to Public School String Orchestra Classroom

As an extension of Mimi Zweig’s Pedagogy in the private studio, Dr. Brenda Brenner,

the Associate Professor of Music Education at Indiana University, is working to adapt these

principles into public school string orchestra programs. Many of these classes are

heterogeneous, meaning the string teacher must be knowledgeable enough to teach violin, viola,

cello, and bass to a large number of students in a short amount of time. This task, if not done

according to a strict methodology and persistence in the beginning “set-up” stages, will prove

impossible for the teacher.

Brenner’s section of the String Pedagogy website provides video resources for string

teachers on the basic elements of a good program. These include: instrument sizing, chair

positions, maintenance of instruments and bows, chin rests, shoulder rests, stance, and

establishing correct body/instrument positioning. Once these elements are solidified, Brenner

believes the teacher should continue with very basic music theory, ear-training, and rote-

playing.60 Good tone-production and posture should be the goal of every teacher of beginners.

After speaking personally with Brenner, who has worked with Zweig for many years, she

explained the goals of Mimi Zweig’s Pedagogy. She stated that their goal is to “teach violin to

60 Zweig, StringPedagogy.com.

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the individual at the highest level possible.” The program follows the gestalt approach of

teaching the whole person. She said she tries to find out where the student is emotionally,

developmentally, and what their vision is of where they want to go with violin.61

I asked Brenner if she thought this “individual” treatment was possible in the public

school programs, where there are vast numbers of students and often little parental support.

Brenner said she believed a quality string program was definitely possible without parent

involvement, however, she explained that there is an extremely low chance of students in a

public school program becoming professional-level musicians without high-level private

instruction. When I asked her what she sees as the biggest problem with string classrooms today,

she responded, “basic setup.”62 As a clinician, Brenner says that many public-school string

teachers attempt to teach difficult pieces of music before the students are ready. She states,

“Often the teachers give students ‘grade four’ music, but their posture is terrible and their violin

position is terrible…and then teachers wonder why the students do not sound good on the

piece.”63 Brenner believes the persistence of the teacher about the basic physical setup of

playing in every class will aid in later playing of the more difficult music that teachers want

students to play.

Conclusive Remarks and Personal Application

As a result of this project, I plan to continue accessing Mimi Zweig’s

StringPedagogy.com site for specific approaches to successfully develop the beginning string

player’s technique. It is my belief that classroom string teachers must learn break down large

elements of the physical action of playing into smaller concepts which students will comprehend.

The teachers then must be persistent enough to remind students of these concepts (posture, body

61 Brenner, interview by author, 6 April 2011. 62 Ibid. 63 Ibid.

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position, stance, hand positions, bow-placement) daily so that bad habits will be prevented and

remedial teaching will not be necessary.

Ultimately, this project’s macro-analysis of three major violin pedagogies proves that

solidifying the foundations of violin playing is crucial for all later musicianship. How the

individual teacher chooses to develop these fundamentals, however, remains a matter of

individual decision. Suzuki, Rolland, and Zweig, each approach teaching in a highly-unique

manner; all three have proved themselves successful for various reasons. The decision to focus

on Zweig for this analysis came as a result of her uniquely comprehensive approach. Brenner

explains that while Zweig primarily uses the discoveries of Suzuki and Rolland, she never

excludes anything in teaching which might foster student improvement.64 It is my hope as an

educator that I may learn to accurately problem-solve as Zweig does for practical solutions

which aid students in developing good string technique from the earliest stages of instrumental

performance.

64 Brenner, interview by author, 6 April 2011.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brenner, Brenda. Interview with Julie Nelson. Phone interview. Bloomington, April 6, 2010.

Green, Elizabeth. Teaching Stringed Instruments in Classes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-

Hall, Inc., 1966.

Fanelli, Michael Paul. "Rolland, Paul." Grove Music Online. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com

(accessed April 1st, 2011)

———“Paul Rolland 1911-2011: A Centenary Celebration.” American String Teacher,

February, 2011.

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