Why I love the viola
A couple of months ago I borrowed a viola just for fun, and to make a long story short: I am in love – and for 2 very good reasons. First of all, I love the sound of it. There’s something about the slightly melancholic and very singing, smooth sound of the viola that speaks to me. It seems, at least to me to be closer to the human voice. I also discovered that it fits my body like a glove. I have very long arms and long fingers, and surprisingly some of the things I struggle with on the violin, becomes easy and natural on the viola. With the violin, my left elbow is very closed, and in recent months that has created some discomfort during the long opera performances I have been involved in – playing the viola opens up my elbow more, and the discomfort is gone. Of course, violists do get performance related injuries even more often than violinists, and certainly run the risk over contracting the pectoralis minor. I believe, as I do for violin playing, that the key is learning to suppurt the instrument more with the left hand, also during shifting.
Over all, I am seriously contemplating focusing on the viola, i.e. become a “real” violist. I love the violin, and will certainly continue playing it, but maybe the viola will suit my personality better? I am about to find out in the coming months.
Teaching testimonials
I enjoy teaching, and have over the created many excellent results with students of all ages, backgrounds and levels. My teaching philosophy centers around inspiring students through my own passion for the violin. I also believe in helping my students develop healthy habits from day one, so should they one decided to pursue a professional career in music, they will have a solid platform to start from. I also encourage creativity and independent thinking through every phase of the learning process – always innovate, never “just” imitate.
Below is a testimonial from the parents of two former students, that I taught in the US in 2003.
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To Whom It May Concern
It is our distinct pleasure to offer our highest recommendation on behalf of Mr. Nicolaj Nielsen. We have known Mr. Nielsen for approximately one year as has been the violin instructor for both our sons.
We first had the opportunity of working with Mr. Nielsen when our eldest son, Christian, was six years old. We immediately noticed his warm and friendly manner when dealing with our son. In addition to his natural ability to communicate with Christian, we were extremely impressed with his masterful technique and insightful pedagogy. He was able to assist Christian in developing a more relaxed left hand as well as a strong bow arm. Further, Mr. Nielsen was able to succinctly pinpoint trouble areas in Christian’s violin playing and offer immediate remedial instruction.
Little did we know, our four year-old son, Holden, who was present at Christian’s lessons, was carefully studying Mr. Nielsen. Holden is a very reserved and quiet child so we were quite surprised when at the end of one of Christian’s lessons, Holden slipped over to Mr. Nielsen, placed his hand on his shoulder and announced, “I want you to teach me. I will work hard and be a good student.” Mr. Nielsen readily agreed to teach Holden on a weekly basis and we are so thrilled with the progress they have made together. At a recent studio recital , Holden confidently made his debut playing “Musette” by J.S. Bach – a feat made possible by the teaching of Mr. Nielsen.
We feel that Mr. Nielsen provides an encouraging environment for his students. Although he has high standards for his students, his comments and suggestions are always phrased positively and aimed at instilling good habits and solid violin playing. He has an endless amount of patience and goodwill for his students. The close rapport that he so easily establishes with his students provides a foundation of trust with the students. They are able to learn and experiment in a safe and healthy environment.
In closing, we would like to share an anecdote that clearly illustrates the superb teaching ability of Mr. Nielsen. When our youngest son learned that Mr. Nielsen would be leaving the U.S. to return to his home, Holden emptied the contents of his piggybank into an envelope and wrote the following in a letter to Mr. Nielsen:
Dear Nicolaj Please don’t go back to Denmark Love, Holden
We think this speaks volumes to the impact that Mr. Nielsen has on his students.
Sincerely,
Benjamin and Megan Sweger
A new type of shoulder pad: A review
I recently saw an article in The Strad that immediately caught my attention. A guy in Japan had invented a shoulder pad (yes, a pad – not a rest) that attached to you instead of the violin. This – at least in in theory – should make it easier to move the violin around and change your playing position, which from a physical therapy point of view is a good thing. I contacted the guy and he kindly send me a test sample. It is very well made of non-slip neoprene and utilizes strong magnets inside the pad to hold it in place. As a player who usually tugs a thick wash cloth under my shirt, the concept isn’t new to me, but I’ve never seen it implemented in such a clever way. I decided that a short video would make this concept shine through more clearly, so here goes:
Double click the video to view full screen. I should stress, that if you are used to a rigid shoulder rest, moving to a pad requires learning how to hold the violin more with the left hand – if not, you will inevitably run the risk of pressing more up and forward with your shoulder (bad!), so experiment at your own risk! The MagiPad on the web is here.
Back in business
My wrist is fine again, and I’m playing full time. It took about a month, and according to medical science I should count myself lucky, as it can take up to 3 months for the overstretched ligaments to heal and fully contract. I have been busy freelancing a lot with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in Sweden and practicing for upcoming auditions. I have also been preparing a few pieces to record for this website and expect to upload material within a week.
In other news, the article about my story in “Musikeren” (”The Musician”) is coming out in a few days. Stay tuned for more….
Audio/Video
A video review of a new type of shoulder pad for violin/viola. See more here.
Performance videos in production – coming soon!
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Vieuxtemps: Capriccio for solo viola. You can download the mp3 by clicking on the arrow in the player, from, but please ask my permission if you decide to use it for anything other than your personal enjoyment.