Notes to a Violinist: A Developmental Guide for Violinists & Teachers

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.

Author: Jan Mark Sloman
Publisher: Bally Mote Books
Published: 04/10/2026
Pages: 90
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.51lbs
Size: 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.19d
ISBN: 9798994785003

About the Author
Sloman, Jan Mark: - Jan Mark Sloman (1949-2022) was a highly regarded violinist and dedicated teacher whose multifaceted career reflected his passion for the violin, its ability to communicate powerfully, and his desire to develop true artistry in the students he guided. Based in Dallas, Texas, he held the position of Principal Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for thirty-eight years. He also performed as guest concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Symphony and with major orchestras in Italy, Switzerland, and Australia. Over the course of his career he worked with world-renowned conductors, including Carlos Kleiber, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, and Riccardo Chailly. Sloman mastered a wide range of repertoire as an orchestral soloist, from Bach and Beethoven to Tippett and Shostakovich, and his recital and chamber music performances were highlighted by collaboration with artists such as Leonard Rose, Nobuko Imai, and Yo-Yo Ma. He was a University Scholar at Princeton University and attended the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with the legendary twentieth-century pedagogue Ivan Galamian. His other teachers included Paul Makanowitzky, Sally Thomas, Jaime Laredo, and Joseph Silverstein.Sloman's attention increasingly turned to teaching. He was appointed to the faculties of Southern Methodist University, Cleveland Institute of Music, Heifetz International Music Institute, and Meadowmount School of Music, among others. He had a large private studio in Dallas and embraced the digital world early on, teaching online and mentoring students throughout the US. Strongly committed to educational opportunities for young musicians, Sloman founded and directed a nonprofit organization, The Institute for Strings, to provide students in the Dallas area the opportunity to immerse themselves in an intensive music program that included solo and chamber music performance opportunities, as well as concerts as part of a self-conducted string orchestra.The success of Sloman's students at major conservatories and competitions brought him increasing national recognition as a teacher and mentor of the next generation of string players. In 2004, he received the Pre-Collegiate Teaching Achievement award given by the Texas Music Teachers Association and in 2010 was named YoungArts Performing Arts Educator of the Year by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.Laredo, Jaime: - Performing for over six decades before audiences across the globe, Jaime Laredo has excelled in the multiple roles of soloist, conductor, recitalist, pedagogue, and chamber musician. Since his stunning orchestral debut at the age of 11 with the San Francisco Symphony, he has won the admiration and respect of audiences, critics, and fellow musicians with his passionate and polished performances. His education and development were greatly influenced by his teachers Josef Gingold and Ivan Galamian, as well as by private coaching with eminent masters Pablo Casals and George Szell. At the age of 17, Laredo won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth of Belgium Competition, launching his rise to international prominence.In past seasons Laredo has conducted and performed with the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Philadelphia Orchestra, among many others. Abroad, Laredo has performed with the London Symphony, BBC Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Royal Philharmonic, and Scottish Chamber Orchestra, which he led on two American tours and in their Hong Kong Festival debut. His numerous recordings with the SCO include Vivaldi's Four Seasons (which stayed on the British best-seller charts for over a year); Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Italian" and "Scottish" symphonies; Beethoven's Violin Concerto; Rossini overtures; and Wagner's Siegfried Idyll.Dedicated to the fine art of chamber music, for 45 years Mr. Laredo toured the world with the beloved Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, and also performed and recorded the piano quartet repertoire for 15 years alongside colleagues Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax. His latest chamber group, the piano quartet ESPRESSIVO!, premieres Nokuthula Ngwenyama's JOY STEPPIN' in twenty cities from coast to coast starting in 2024. Mr. Laredo and his wife, cellist Sharon Robinson, have been named Distinguished Artists in Residence at Oberlin Conservatory beginning in 2025.