Taught by renowned violinist
Nancy Zhou
Nancy Zhou is a proponent of Dounis, one of the violin's most prolific pedagogues, and her formidable course on the left hand gives the student and professional alike enough material to last them years. Zhou lays a foundation for posture and positioning before working on independent shifts of every combination of fingers, in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. Her descriptions are complete with practice strategies, detailed visual demonstrations, and suggestions to avoid injury. Take your time with these exercises, and enjoy the process!
Introduction
Violin pedagogue Demetrius Constantine Dounis (c. 1894-1954) is renowned for his prolific output of technical literature for the violin. Dounis's student David Nadien taught Nancy Zhou, who provides this expansive look at a variety of left-hand exercises taught by both Dounis and Nadien. Her key takeaway? The violin should feel like a natural extension of the body!
Frame A
Frame A from Dounis's Daily Dozen, also called the "easy setting," teaches a balanced hand frame, finger independence, and contact points between the fingers and the violin. Nancy Zhou goes finger-by-finger and examines her positioning in detail.
Frame B
The "difficult setting," or Frame B, requires the pinky to extend further than might typically be comfortable. In this lesson, Zhou explores how to find an efficient form for these more extreme positions.
Vertical Movement
This lesson targets left-hand finger flexibility and pliability – specifically, the ability of the fingers to lift independently. Zhou studies the intricacies of body rotation, how to move the violin along with the bow, giving attention to the right hand, and more to play these exercises efficiently.
Horizontal Movement
These horizontal exercises train the gliding, or shifting motion, of a finger across a string. Zhou teaches rhythmic evenness, systematically with each finger, and shares tips on how to structure these into your practice routine.
Shifting
In this exhaustive lesson on shifting, Zhou uses exercises built in thirds to develop finger independence, correct finger pressure, and command over rhythmic variants. In addition to detailed physiological demonstrations, she shares how to implement these exercises into a balanced daily routine.
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Unlock Course →Winner of the 2018 Shanghai Isaac Stern Violin Competition, Nancy Zhou is building a unique career of international renown.
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