CONTACT & BOOKING
Online Violin Lessons
Layla
"Abigail is a amazing teacher! Even though we were learning through online she made it fun and educational. She explained and gave examples that helped me understand and look at things in a different ways. She is very easy to talk to, kind, and funny person. Like I said I was learning with her online and l would absolutely want to work with in person."
Navya
"Abigail is a very helpful and patient teacher! She explains new concepts in a way that I can understand and she gives many helpful tips for practicing the pieces. She makes me want to practice and does a great job at helping me sound the best I can."
Keesha
"Abigail is a great teacher! Her feedback is constructive and motivating; I felt very at ease stepping out of my comfort zone and learning new techniques with her. She is also very flexible and actively listens to what I need help with or what I want to focus on during each session."
My Teaching Philosophy
Hi prospective students! I am excited to guide you through the difficult yet immensely rewarding art of playing the violin. There are few things in the world as satisfying as making music, so my goal is to give you the tools to express yourself through the violin.
There is a potential in every person to be truly great at any one thing. All it takes is hard work and honest determination, with determination being the most important. Because where determination comes, hard work follows naturally. I hope to inspire my students to really love making music and being creative with their instruments. I can give my students all the information in the world and tips on how to improve at violin playing, but in the end it will not matter if the student has no desire to improve. And that is why I love to teach- inspiring students to love what they do!
Not only do I teach the fundamentals of violin playing, such as scales, vibrato, posture, and bow control, but I also delve into music theory and music history when suitable. I offer advice on practice motivation, conquering stage fright, practicing efficiently and making the most of every minute, memorization, etc.
This squeaky slab of wood and animal guts may seem intimidating at first (in fact, I continue to be intimidated by it everyday), but together we can learn to conquer it, to make it an extension of your body and musical soul. All the problems and difficulties that arise from the violin can be broken down into very simple solutions- my job is to help you solve these problems and improve in a fun and efficient way!
About Me
Abigail Tsai enjoys a multifaceted career as a violinist, educator, arranger/composer, and chamber/orchestral musician based in Los Angeles. She loves to create immersive music experiences and unique arrangements of popular tunes on her YouTube channel, which has amassed over 5 million views. She holds a B.M. from the Eastman School of Music (where she was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate), and a M.M. from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Tsai performs with orchestras including the San Diego Symphony, Pacific Symphony, New West Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Neue Philharmonic Berlin, and Canton Symphony Orchestra. She has also soloed with the San Fernando Valley Symphony, the Pazardzhik Symphony, the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic, and the Ventura College Symphony. In 2019-2020, she studied violin abroad in Austria at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Tsai is passionate about reaching new audiences through innovative approaches and mediums; she is a firm believer that classical music is for anyone and everyone. She speaks to these audiences through her creations, whether through her fervid immersive explorations in music + technology, with her writing on her Medium blog about music and motivation, or directly to students in her private violin teaching. Music, like other forms of artistic expression, brings forth a profound emotional change that transcends words inside the individual listener, and her goal is to inspire deep contemplation and reconnection with one’s own unique humanity through these captivating musical experiences.