EVAN ELSLEY

Violinist, diploma examiner, university violin lecturer, diploma mentor, eisteddfod adjudicator and author specialising in violin pedagogy. 

I have examined thousands of violin candidates for over 46 years. Technical talent exists and master teachers need it. 

VIOLIN LESSONS

Learn the five technical differences between talented candidates who rapidly progress and students who practice without progress. They are thinking techniques. 

VIOLIN LESSONS PAGE

ABOUT EVAN ELSLEY PAGE

READ THE BOOK

Violin Diploma Technique: Principles of Talent- Evan Elsley

AVAILABLE AT:

• NATIONAL LIBRARY of AUSTRALIA
• STATE LIBRARY of NSW
• VIOLIN SPECIALIST SHOPS

LEARN HOW TO THINK  WITH THE MIND AND NOT THE FINGERS

Traditional violin teaching emphasises physical exercises that teach the mind. This can take years. It is faster to:

• Firstly teach the mind how to conceive technique.
• Then use the mind to master the physical exercises as sensations.

MASTERCLASSES PAGE

THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF TECHNIQUE

Do you tune the note before you play it, or after? It is like asking the question: Do you cook a meal before you eat it, or after you eat it? 

THE MIND CREATES TECHNIQUE

• Every violin technique requires time to do the action.
• Skilled performance depends on the brain organising actions in the right order and at the right time.
• Mistakes happen when this timing or sequence breaks down.
• Expertise develops when the mind turns these actions into physical sensations. 

THE LEARNING PROCESS

Using an organised thinking technique:

• Provides consistent and repeatable results. 
• Defines virtuosic intonation and co-ordination . 
• Fast tracks progress when then integrated with traditional pedagogy.

PARENTS

Learning the violin is expensive and time consuming.  At the 2025 AMEB session, an eight year old obtained a 6th Grade Credit after learning for 18 months with one lesson a week. Without these techniques of talent, there is only practice without progress.

MUSIC DEPARTMENTS

Capture linear technical progress. Explore how the mind can remove the variability and vagueness from beginner up methods. 

TURN PRACTICE INTO RESULTS (link)