WELCOME

Teaching violin through structured thinking techniques that improve intonation, coordination, and technical progress.

Do you play out of tune?

Do you practice without progress?

The historical problem is that students are taught to think with their fingers.

EXPLORE:

VIOLIN LESSONS

MASTERCLASSES

WHAT IS DIFFERENT

Most students never realise that thinking habits separate high-achieving candidates from those who struggle for years. Evan Elsley defines these thinking habits as teachable techniques.

THE BOOK

-Violin Diploma Technique: Principles of Talent- Evan Elsley

• NATIONAL LIBRARY of AUSTRALIA
• STATE LIBRARY of NSW
• Violin specialist shops

Written by a diploma examiner, performer, university lecturer, diploma mentor, adjudicator.

• After examining thousands of candidates, this book draws on real-world experience. It identifies intuitive technical abilities that only the mind can produce. In contrast, students who practice without progress generally think with their fingers.
• For centuries, violin pedagogy has emphasised physical exercises, yet the mental abilities that produce technique—the skills of the mind, not just the fingers—have been almost entirely untapped.

Defining and training these abilities addresses the two biggest technical problems for students in the examination room:

• Intonation security.
• Understanding the moment of co-ordination.

EVAN ELSLEY (bio link)

THE CENTRAL QUESTION

Do you tune the note before you play it, or after? Most candidates unknowingly choose the second option.

THE MENTAL FOUNDATION OF TECHNIQUE

• Skilled action depends on temporally ordered cognitive events.
• Errors arise from mis-sequenced cognitive-motor timing.
• Expertise is the internalisation of optimal temporal structure.

INNOVATION

• Using this organised thinking technique provides consistent and repeatable results.
• Technical abilities that were previously classified as intuitive talent are now identifiable and teachable. 
• When integrated with traditional pedagogy, they raise the overall technical standard of candidates.

FOR PARENTS

Does your child play in tune? Learning the violin is expensive and time consuming. This includes:

• Trial and error practice.
• Changing teachers. 
• Expensive diploma attempts.

The book teaches the thinking techniques:

• Lessons apply them.
• Masterclasses demonstrate them.

FOR MUSIC DEPARTMENTS

Does your administration want linear technical progress through practice? Quite often this does not occur. 

• A masterclass package is available for your students. Why not try a sample group?

Defining and addressing the underlying causes of your students' variability of outcomes turns practice into consistent results. 

TURN PRACTICE INTO RESULTS (link)

• At the 2025 AMEB session, an eight year old obtained a 6th Grade Credit after learning for 18 months with one lesson a week. 
• Book a consultation, masterclasses and tuition. (limited availability.) 

BUY THE BOOK