Book overview
An esteemed violinist and instructor combines philosophical insight with practical guidance for violinists and string players at all stages. Drawing on decades of teaching and professional performance, Jan Mark Sloman addresses the artistic and psychological dimensions of violin playing, highlighting the responsibilities of both teacher and student, alongside detailed instruction on fundamental techniques, scales, arpeggios, posture, and coordination. Central to the book is Sloman's Abbreviated Condensed Etude Sequence (ACES), published here for the first time, which identifies forty-two essential etudes selected from a much larger repertoire and organizes them into a structured framework designed to build lasting technical and artistic endurance. Notes to a Violinist also includes a section on repertoire progression, outlining how students can balance concurrent study of scales, etudes, and various kinds of solo repertoire.
The success of Sloman's students at major conservatories, competitions, and institutions across the world has brought him increasing recognition as a teacher and mentor of the next generation of string players. Featuring an introduction by violinist and conductor Jaime Laredo, and endorsed by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinists Itzhak Perlman and Ida Kavafian, this posthumous publication brings to fruition a project which was decades-long in the making, and reflects a lifetime devoted to teaching, artistry, and the development of young musicians at the highest level.