When you play, never mind who listens to you.

Robert Schumann

Since a young age, I have been really lucky with my violin teachers. They all have been not only good advisers in technical things but also great supporters. I am 100% sure that this support is the most important thing in teaching the violin. So I also try to be supportive and patient as a teacher as I can be. With yelling, you can’t achieve anything. But with deep respect, you can reach a lot of progress with your students.

In high school, my violin teachers also worked in the orchestra. They both are wonderful people and I truly learned from them so much. They both practiced and played very much, so I didn’t let myself go to the lesson unprepared. I just felt shame if I didn’t practice those pieces. They taught me self-respect and respect for music. To love the violin and music.

In the music academy, I choose to study with the old-time professor, and he is like a grandfather to me. The most patient teacher I know who taught me many good technical things which improved my playing.

To play a wrong note is insignificant. To play without passion is inexcusable.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Inner peace and nature

When I play the violin despite all the technical things for me the most important is sound. So I always in my head imagine places that inspire me. Everything that happens at that moment inside you, in your heart and mind – that comes out through the sound. Going into nature, into the wild, reading, traveling, having adventures always helps me also in playing.

Music and violin have given me my closest friends and many great adventures. I love that to play violin means always work to get better, you can’t reach perfection. You just learn and learn, and try new things. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but that is also normal. Because after a period where you feel that you’re going nowhere with the progress, suddenly you just look back and see how much you have grown.