Beginner Violin Course (10 Weeks)

Beginner Violin Course (10 Weeks)

Consolidate your skills, and build up your repertoire and technique!

If your preferred course date/time option is fully booked, please email support@stringschool.uk to join the waiting list!

• Duration: 90 minutes
• Day (London): Wednesdays 6pm or Saturdays 11.45am
• Tutor: Javier Montañana (Weds) and Marisol Hillier (Sat)
  assisted by Simon Hewitt Jones
• Venue: Whitcomb Street Studio, London WC2H 7DT

Term Dates - New Year 2026

Week 1: week commencing 12th January
Week 2: w/c 19th January
Week 3: w/c 26th January
Week 4: w/c 2nd February
Week 5: w/c 9th February
Half Term: week commencing 16th February (no regular classes)
Week 6: w/c 23rd February
Week 7: w/c 2nd March
Week 8: w/c 9th March
Week 9: w/c 16th March
Week 10: w/c 23rd March

End of Term Concert: Saturday 28th March
(venue and times to be confirmed)

Introduction 

Welcome to the Beginner Violin Course, a 10-week in-person program (90 minutes per week), designed to help you consolidate the basics of good violin playing.

Whether you've just completed the Starter Violin Course, had a few individual lessons, or are returning to the violin with some prior experience, this course will help you refine and build on your fundamental skills.

The course provides a structured pathway covering material from early Grade 1 through to just beyond Grade 2 (early Grade 3), preparing learners for confident playing in first position and beyond.

You'll also learn:

• Violin Technique: Explore all the fundamental skills needed to play beautifully on the violin.
• Reading Music: Strengthen your fluency in basic music notation, including rhythms, key signatures and note patterns.
• How to Practise: Learn how to practise effectively in order to develop a secure technique and make speedy progress.
• How to Perform: Develop the skills and confidence to perform in front of a live audience!

Course Curriculum

In this 10-week course, you will explore a wide range of topics, including:

• G, D and A Major Scales (Revision)
• Bowing and Coordination
• Bow Strokes
• Rhythm and Pulse
• Intonation
• Sight-reading
• Dotted Rhythms
• Half Steps (Semitones)
• C major scale
• Improvisation
• Minor Scales
• Chords and harmony
• Playing in a Group
• Practising
• Extended finger patterns
• Chromatic scales
• Two-octave G major scale
• Early shifting
• Introductory vibrato
• Simple double-stops
• Natural harmonics
• Developing confidence in longer repertoire
• Ensemble skills and part-playing

Who is this course for?

This course is ideal for early-stage learners who have completed the Starter Violin Course, had some individual lessons, or are returning to the violin with previous experience up to an early-intermediate level.

To get the most out of the Beginner Violin Course, we recommend that you can play G, D and A major scales in first position with good intonation and tone. You should also feel comfortable reading basic notation, including simple rhythms, time signatures and key signatures. Some familiarity with minor scales, dotted rhythms and basic ensemble playing is helpful but not essential.

Learners working comfortably at or above Grade 3 level will be better suited to the Intermediate Violin Course.

If you are unsure, please contact us. We will be very happy to guide you to the right starting point in the curriculum!

Why take this course?

• Technical and Musical Development - consolidate and build up the skills that you
• have already learnt at the Starter level. Improve the accuracy and co-ordination of what you can already do, and enhance your practice and performance skills!
• Expand Your Repertoire - Have fun learning lots of new music, including famous songs, traditional melodies and classic violin repertoire!
• Progressive Technique Development: Build towards more advanced skills such as extended finger patterns, early shifting and introductory vibrato at your own pace.
• Personal Development - Connect with your creative side, and develop practice methods and performance techniques that can be transferred to many other areas of your life!
• Meet Likeminded Learners - London String School learners come from all sorts of backgrounds and walks of life.
• Take Time for Yourself! In our busy, connected, city lives, there's rarely a time to stop and disconnect. Switch off to focus entirely on the violin, and 90 minutes later you'll emerge refreshed and energised by the power of music!

Course Requirements

To enroll in this course, you'll need your own violin and bow. We also recommend buying a music stand.

To get the most out of this course, you should be comfortable playing basic major scales (G, D and A) in first position, and able to read simple sheet music. Confidence with rhythms, key signatures and intonation will help you progress through the full scope of the Beginner curriculum, including some early steps towards shifting and vibrato.

If you know that you can play G, D and A major accurately in first position (and are comfortable reading simple music notation), then you are most welcome to go ahead and register directly online! 

Full course registration also includes full access to our Fundamentals Violin Class at no extra cost. This is a brilliant opportunity to revise the 'first principles' of good violin technique, and make sure that there are no gaps at the foundational level of your technique.

If you’d like to try a ‘taster session’ first, then we recommend taking part in an Introductory Fundamentals class before joining the Beginner Violin Course. This also gives you an opportunity to get to know our teaching style, and is helpful for us to be sure that you are starting at the point of our curriculum that's best for you.

Course Certification

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a record of achievement certifying that you have completed the Beginner Violin Course!

Course Instructors

Marisol, Javier, Simon and David will guide you through this learning journey with support from our outstanding team of learning advisors.

Click here to meet the StringSchool teaching team!

Course Reviews

Here's what some of our past students have said about our courses:

”[You have] enabled me to relearn the violin! Over the last few years I’ve gone from playing open strings to grade 5, enjoying performing solos and a wide variety of group numbers along the way. With no auditions or minimum standard it really is open to all and a great supportive environment!” - Georgina