Many parents want to give their children the wonderful opportunity of taking violin lessons, with the possibility of becoming a concert violinist.  If you are searching for a violin teacher for your child (or for yourself), you know how hard it can be to find the right match.  Not only do you want a teacher who is skilled at playing the instrument, you want someone who can relate to his or her students and convey the passion, enthusiasm and love for music that you would expect from a professional concert violinist.  Often, the best way to find a music teacher is to contact the music department of your local university, or to get in touch with members of a nearby symphony.  Often, a concert violinist will offer music lessons when he or she is not on tour or rehearsing for a performance.  A concert violinist can make the best teacher for your child, because he or she has devoted his career to the love of music and to playing the violin; a professional musician will delight in passing along the basic skills and technique necessary to mastering the instrument and fostering a life-long love of the art of music.

Learning to become a concert violinist takes passion, dedication, and perseverance.  If you are committed to becoming a concert violinist, you will need to devote a great deal of time to violin lessons, practicing, and simply listening to others play.  Even the most gifted musicians must spend hours a day practicing, learning new techniques, and bringing their skill and unique voice to their music.  No  matter how talented you are, the world of concert musicians is extremely competitive.  For the few positions that are available each year, there may be thousands of applicants, all of them extraordinarily capable.

You should not be discouraged from your dream of becoming a concert violinist, however.  The essential thing to remember is that playing the violin is about the music, not about the prestige or position.   Even if you earn your living giving violin lessons rather than in a world-class symphony, the music is what it is all about.

The best concert violinist will tell you that it takes hours of dedication, frustration, and drudgery to become a world-class performer.  Even acclaimed musicians like Bogdan Djukic spent hours as a child practicing scales and learning to read sheet music.  The more you practice, the better you will become.

The life of a professional violinist is challenging, yet rewarding.  For all those who hope to make their name in music, there are thousands who do not reach the top.  Yet playing the violin, whether you are a country fiddler or a professional concert violinist, is a reward in itself.