A violin tutor provides individual instruction to improve a student’s technique, expression, and understanding of music theory. They teach basics to advanced techniques, assign pieces, broaden awareness of violin literature and performers, and handle business aspects of teaching.
A violin tutor, also known as a violin instructor or private violin tutor, provides individual instruction to violin students so that their technique, expression and understanding of music theory, violin mechanics and sound production will improve. Often an advanced violinist or virtuoso in their own right, a violin tutor always has the goal of helping students achieve better performances. Someone working in this capacity is usually paid for their services, but fees vary considerably based on the tutor’s experience and skill.
When working with a beginning violin student, a violin tutor shows the student basics, how to hold the violin correctly, how to tune the strings, and the right amount of pressure to get a good response. It can help the student to learn the note names, and put a white ribbon on the neck of the violin, to help the student to measure finger distances. It also teaches music fundamentals such as the names of lines and spaces in a music staff, assuming the student has not learned these separately in other music courses.
As the student advances, it is the violin teacher’s duty to teach higher-level string techniques such as vibrato control, different bow attacks, and harmonic series. The instructor ensures that the student is proficient in all scales and arpeggios and assigns various violin etudes and pieces for the student to learn. He listens to the student perform and offers advice on how to correct problems in technique, encouraging the student to explore and push the limits of musical interpretation. Throughout the instructional process, the tutor can use his own instrument to provide physical and auditory examples.
Another task of the violin tutor that goes along with the task of providing assignments to the student is to broaden the student’s awareness of violin literature and performers. This includes “essential” pieces such as “Meditation” by Jules Massenet, “24 Caprichos e Concertos” by Nicolo Paganini, “Concerto in E Minor” by Felix Mendelssohn, “Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major” by Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart and “Concert for Violin and Orchestra in D Major” by Ludwig van Beethoven. The tutor can use recordings of violinists such as Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell to demonstrate these works and high quality techniques and sounds. The tutor also exposes violin students to different styles of violin playing such as electric rock and bluegrass to help the student discover which genre they prefer.
As a private music instructor, a violin tutor is responsible for all business aspects of teaching, including billing and record keeping. It is also his job to schedule all classes and, if necessary, make alternate arrangements when he or the student is unable to be available at regular hours. When the student is prepared enough to perform a joint or individual recital, the tutor communicates with directors of schools, churches or other places where the recital may take place to rent space and advertise the event. He explains or demonstrates what proper etiquette is during performance, both as a performer and as an audience member.
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