Annelise

I'm especially interested in tunes of Stephane Grapelli--he does a great version of Misty.

I'm doing price comparisons for a model 1310--removable pickup with preamp and having very little luck finding it (SW Strings did have it for $170, but I think I can do better).

I'm trying to decide where to go, and this is really what I want to study if there is any place that has something like that.

The oddest thing happens to me occasionally. I get pain in my shoulders (it switches between which one is worse)on the front side of my body where my shoulder meets my arm. What the heck is this? I do progressive muscle relaxation before I ever pick up my violin in the course of the day, and while I've noticed it helps my hands, arms, and my general feeling of relaxation, it doesn't seem to do anything for my shoulders or my neck. I don't really get any neck pain, just more of a kind of stiffness. How do I relax my shoulders and neck. I've really tried to analyze posture in the mirror, and there's really nothing unnatural about it. And nothing feels unnatural when I play. I DO know that I have a tendency to squeeze a little with my shoulder and tense my neck whenever I'm learning a new piece--I guess I'm just a perfectionist, and not being able to do things 100% at first tenses me up--and yet, this phenomenon only happens when I play romantic music (or if I get too gung-ho about Bach)--classical and 20th century never bothers me. I don't really get it. Is there any way to solve this problem? It would be so nice to go and play without feeling like I'm broken all the time.

(nt)

As much as I would love to be able to do this, it's very hard to do this without hurting my back or my hands. How do you build up to it?

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In measure 20 and the similar following measures in Violin Sonata #10 (op. 96 in G), how should the G's be played---light brush stroke, on the string, spiccato? I imagine it's something off the string, but I'm not exactly sure what.

Has anyone had any trouble taking their violin on as a carry-on for a United flight?

It really makes little difference where you put your thumb. Experiment with it in different places. I have very small hands and one of my former teachers did as well, and she always told me to rest it on the fingerboard. Now, I have a teacher who really encourages stretching, and I've actually found that resting my thumb on the neck is more comfortable despite my tiny hands. The bottom line is that whatever you decide on, it must be natural and comfortable for you personally.