Many great treatises exist on how to play the violin—almost as many as there have been great teachers and performers. For over 300 years, the science and art of violin playing has changed constantly, as teachers and players add their insights, and there is no end in sight.

This book is a practical history of my evolution, the knowledge I have gained, the passion I have shared, and the discoveries I have made along the way. It is my hope that you, the teacher, will take what is valuable to you from this manual, and “pay it forward” to your students.

Perhaps fifty years from now one of them will write another more evolved book on how to embody the violin in the violinist.

The Embodied Violinist is a tool for teaching in a style that promotes equal growth of both passion and practicality.

“This book is a fantastic achievement and will be a wonderful resource for generations of teachers.”

— James Ehnes, Concert Violinist

“The Embodied Violinist is a very welcome resource: it is informative, intelligent, and thoughtful. The information is detailed and clear, delineating the physical aspects of
violin playing, but never losing sight of the fact that this mechanical information exists only in the service of music. It is full of sound advice, peppered with anecdotal
amusing stories. The captions at the beginning of each chapter are thought provoking, and the sound advice inserts as well as the info tidbits are illuminating.

Should be on the bookshelves of both teachers and students."

— Miriam Fried Biss, Concert violinist, Professor of Violin, New England Conservatory, Programme Director, Ravinia Steans Music Institute

“The Embodied Violinist, the product of Professor Thompson’s vast performance and pedagogical experience is, in my opinion, one of the most meticulously detailed books written on the art of teaching and playing the violin.

Professor Thompson masterfully dissects the functions of the body, the mind, and the spirit before finally assembling them into an organic and fully formed whole. In fact, she approaches teaching the violin in a holistic manner, aware at all times that the student playing is first and foremost, a human being.

I strongly recommend The Embodied Violinist to all those who practise the art of pedagogy as a never-ending learning curve.”

— Mauricio Fuks, Rudy Professor of Music (Violin), Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington, USA

“All I can say is WOW and thank you to Gwen Thompson for giving us an invaluable resource to further our understanding of how to teach and play the violin. It is an amazing outpouring of her knowledge, bringing different 20th-century schools of violin playing together in a clear and comprehensive manner.”

— Mimi Zweig, Professor, Jacobs School of Music

“This book is amazing—I learned so much from reading The Embodied Violinist! I love all the quotes and tidbits of info from Gwen’s former teachers—I can’t wait to get home and try out some of the novel exercises and ideas that she presents.”

— Jonathan Crow, Concertmaster Toronto Symphony Orchestra Orford String Quartet Associate Professor, Orchestral Instruments, Violin, University of Toronto