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Click on the image above to watch the new introductory video!
The Grossman Method© Newsletter

Happy 2016!  The Grossman Method has had a fantastic 2015 and I wanted to share some fall and late summer highlights with you.
 
Concerto Soloist
This fall included four concerto engagements for me in works of Vivaldi, Haydn, Bach, and Hubay plus a recital tour.  Thank goodness for healthy stretching and body awareness to get me through all those notes! 
 
Workshops
I presented the No Pain, ALL GAIN workshop to 160 string students in Midland, Michigan (I do have a loud voice when needed!).  The workshop was also hosted at Butler University, Arkansas State University, Marrowstone Music Festival, Aria International Summer Academy and Texas Strings Camp. 
 
A highlight of last summer was the inaugural  Full Day String Teacher Workshop held in Austin, TX.  In it, we learned about the somatics of string playing, had a teaching practicum, and investigated repertoire and etude curriculum for teaching your students.   I am eager to present that workshop in the near future and plans are underway so I’ll keep you posted. 
 
Looking Forward
In addition to the new promo video for The Grossman Method above, I have also uploaded a new video on Violin Brain Breaks in the Featured Stretch located on the sidebar.  Please take a look and let me know what you think!
 
The Grossman Method will be traveling to Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Nevada, Massachusetts and Washington in the next few months.  Please keep an eye out for those dates and come and join me if you are close-by.
 
Thank You
The Grossman Method looks forward to even more amazing opportunities and activities in 2016. I hope our paths cross again this year.  Till then,  I wish you all a healthy and happy 2016.
 
Sincerely, 
Hal Grossman
Ask the Teacher


 A violin student in Indiana asks:
"How can I get more colors in my violin playing?"

Answer from:
Bayla Keyes
Associate Professor of Violin at Boston University 

One of the most wondrous aspects of being a violinist is the range of color, sound and emotion that we can convey with our beautiful instrumental voice. For concertos, we need power, clarity, and projection; for chamber music works, we need a sound which will blend and flex with a tremendous supple range of color, while still being heard; for orchestral works, we need the greatest finesse in lower dynamics. In fact even differences in repertoire within each area will demand an assortment of colors and techniques. Yet too often, we expect to perform these nuances with an instrumental technique and a bow arm which are fixed and unyielding.
 
Instead, let’s explore the variety of ways in which we can produce sounds. The bow hand can form a large, open shape which easily transmits the full weight of the arm into the string, resulting in the fullest and clearest sound – or the knuckles of the right hand can spring and absorb, allowing the inside of the hand to melt and soften, producing a more diffuse tone. The bow itself can be employed to make a vast array of sounds, depending on the angle of wood to hair (somewhat slanted or directly above) as well as the bow’s distance from the bridge, its speed, and the fraction of the bow in which the stroke is executed. Even the part of the bow arm used can affect the type and amount of sound generated, with heavier dynamics and slower strokes emanating from the upper arm and back, while faster, more delicate passages are best originating in the smaller muscles of the forearm and hand.
 
Using a single bow hold, bow angle, part of bow, or amount of bow will result in the overuse of certain muscle groups and a sameness of musical affect. Using the wrong body part can result in tension and even injury. By learning to relax and develop the different sources of physical impulses, while challenging ourselves to utilize the bow in as many creative ways as possible, we can deepen our artistry and give our audiences a vision of natural, effortless virtuosity.
 
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Upcoming Workshops & Events

Click on the links below for details!

January 23
Seminar Panelist: String Teaching Techniques and The Grossman Method 11th Annual Michigan Music Conference
Grand Rapids, MI

February 12
Workshop and Masterclass
University of Nevada
Las Vegas, NV

February 13
Workshop and Masterclass
Nevada School for the Arts
Las Vegas, NV

February 23
Workshop
University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Greensboro, NC

February 25-27
Guest Concertmaster
Greensboro Symphony Orchestra
Greensboro, NC

March 15
Brightmusic Chamber Series
Oklahoma City, OK

March 22-23
Workshop
Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory
Berea, OH

April 9
Workshop
Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas
Dallas, TX

April 10
Concerto Soloist with Academia Filarmonica
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK

May 12 - 14
Guest Concertmaster
Greensboro Symphony Orchestra
Greensboro, NC

June 25-July10
Faculty
Indiana University Summer String Academy
Bloomington, IN

July 14-15
Faculty
Aria International Summer Academy
South Hadley, MA

July 24-Aug 7
Faculty
Marrowstone Music Festival
Bellingham, WA

Dates are subject to change. Message me HERE to confirm!
 
Featured Stretch

Violin Brain Breaks

By clicking on the image above to play this video, you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to the disclaimer below.
Click here to chat live with Hal Grossman about all your somatic questions and concerns!
Video Disclaimer
Please consult with your physician before beginning this or any exercise program. Exercise at your own risk. If you feel any discomfort, please stop immediately and consult with your physician. The GrossmanMethod, LLC, accepts no liability for injuries from this or any of The Grossman Method© videos. TheGrossman Method, LLC, makes no representations or warranties concerning any usage of the information offered here and will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other losses or damages that may result. Reliance on any information appearing on this site or from me is strictly at your own risk