Learning to play
without shoulder
rest and/or chin rest
Esther Visser
This is the website by violinist Esther Visser (The Netherlands), who is specialized in historically informed performance practice and Alexander Technique. Currently I am in the final stages of my PhD research about the way how violinists supported their violin between 1790-1830 and the implications of that on performance practice and health, receiving a fulltime scholarship from Canterbury Christ Church University (UK).
Part of the research is an experiment in which I teach balancing the violin without using a shoulder rest or chin rest to professional violinists and music students, in order to improve muscle tone / sound quality / historically informed articulation. Would you be interested to participate? Please read more about it here on the website and message me if you have any questions.
