A violinist is an instrumentalist who plays the violin. The terms fiddler or fiddle player are also used. In classical music, the "fiddle" terms are usually used somewhat informally or in a joking manner, but they are more standard expressions in folk music. In between there are nuances of meaning and usage which are difficult to formalize. Composer-violinists were common in the Baroque era. Sometimes violinists can be identified by a red fleck under the jaw on the left side of their neck, commonly known as the violin (or fiddle) hickey. This is due to long contact of the corpus of the violin with the neck, which the players normally hold on their left side. Although usually caused by constant pressure, (and somewhat dependent on how dry or oily the violinist's skin is), the symptom can also be caused by bacteria living on the wood or by an allergic reaction to the metals used in the chinrest. In order to keep the weight off the left hand (necessary for vibrato, shifting, and more accurate intonation), the violinist supports the instrument using the head, neck and shoulder, with varying levels of left hand support depending on the player and the technical demands of the music being played. Because western styles of music use the violin heavily, violinists have a wide range of music styles to choose from - Bluegrass, Country, Classical, New Age, Jazz, Pop, Rock, and many other genres of music.
See also
External links
- Violinists - List and bios of internationally renowned violinists
- Violinist.com - An online community of violinists, including discussion, blogs and FAQ.
- The American String Teachers Association - The largest (nonprofit) community of violinists and other string instrumentalists in the United States. Home of the national Certificate Program for Strings for violin, viola and cello.
- Violinists/Violists on the Web - Alphabetical listings by last name of past and contemporary world violinists, violists, teachers, and string players/composers/conductors who are currently represented on the internet by webpages.
