Master the Bow
to overcome technical struggles and
express your feelings on the violin
“To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.” – Ludwig van Beethoven
AS SEEN ON
Lost in the violin technique and miss the feels?
There’s beautiful music inside you waiting to be expressed. I’ll help:
“My sound is twice as good within months. I feel good about my playing, improvise and learn so much new repertoire.” – student Blair
Is this you?
You’ve been playing the violin for quite a while now, but something’s missing…
Your bowing technique is behind your general playing level
Your playing can’t capture your feeling for the music
Your teacher is great, but can’t help you any further with this
Imagine your favorite violin soloist:
What would it be to play like him/her?
Probably what you desire most are the beautiful sound, fluent bowing, artistry and emotional expression.
That’s bowing technique and musicality… and I can teach you EXACTLY how!
“Violin playing is 80% bow technique.”
Ivan Galamian, teacher of Itzhak Perlman
sure, anyone can get you to play 'correctly', but what you want is to play passionately!
The most beautiful music ever created should NEVER be treated as a sport. Sadly it's often taught as a sport and students are trained to be robotic and clinical.SURE, ANYONE CAN GET YOU TO PLAY 'CORRECTLY', BUT WHAT YOU WANT IS TO PLAY PASSIONATELY!
The most beautiful music ever created should NEVER be treated as a sport. Sadly it's often taught as a sport and students are trained to be robotic and clinical.Introducing
Bow like a Pro
Learn ALL about violin bow technique
Skills YOU can learn step by step (not talent or magic)
with just 15 minutes of specific practice a day
You’ll learn exactly:
Sound
Learn the mechanics of a professional sound, how your violin produces tone and how to influence it.
Bowing
Get control over your bow and learn new techniques, so you know exactly how to play the music you love.
feeling
‘Pour your heart into it’ sounds a lot easier than it is. We’ll give you the tools of expression.
Your Teachers:
Zlata Brouwer
The Bowing Coach ©
As a girl of 7 Zlata was enchanted by the violin and thought it magic how her teachers produced such a beautiful tone. Since then it became her quest to learn exactly how that works, so she could teach others.
In her conservatory time Zlata’s interest was already in bow technique: her thesis on bow hold earned her a 9 at the Utrecht Conservatory. Also she successfully graduated as a classical violinist at the Schumann Akademie.
Running hew own violin studio and violin shop for twelve years (with which she own the award Entrepreneur of the Year from the Dutch Chamber of Commerce), she noticed that passionate violin players got lost in the technique and their teachers couldn’t help them further. Zlata’s studio became the go-to place for bowing.
Zlata discovered that teaching online, her students can access materials and request feedback 24/7 while she can focus on developing the best bowing curriculum out there. She closed her brick and mortar studio and today she works full-time as a Bowing Coach© teaching violin players worldwide to play with passion in the program you’re now looking at.
Vivien Hoffman
Concert Violinist
Master Teacher
Vivien is a rare gem: an international concert violinist with a pure and romantic interpretation style, who knows how to break everything she learned from great masters down into easy to understand lessons and step by step exercises.
In Bow like a Pro she teaches Module 6: Practice to Perfection, which puts all bow techniques in a musical context. With Vivien’s tutorials you can keep improving your bow technique for the rest of your life.
Bio:
Vivien sets herself apart and makes a distinct mark in the music world by an immense versatility. Besides a highly successful international career as a concert violinist she is also an extremely sought after teacher, gives seminars on teaching methods as well as psychological aspects of teaching and performing music, conducts research on psychology and neurology of violin playing and is Associate of the Royal College of Music in London.
Vivien Hoffman started violin lessons at the age of five and began her studies at the Universität der Künste in Berlin at the age of nine. She continued her studies with Ruggiero Ricci at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and at the Hochschule für Musik ‚Hanns Eisler’ with Professor Werner Scholz.
What’s inside
Online learning for music? No way!
We’ve been trained to think that one-on-one is the highest level of learning when it comes to music, but technology has made it so that we learn even better online.
I never was satisfied with having once a week in person lessons. One 30 minute lesson a week, and then you are on your own. Also, it seemed the teachers were used to teaching kids and not adults.
I found that on-line lessons were better because the lessons are available 24/7. And I can still get feedback from some some of the best teachers around. (Like Zlata)
My luthier said: what a great teacher I must have to play like that after only 18 months. When I told him that I get online lessons, he wouldn’t believe me. He thought that an instrument like the violin could never be taught online. Impossible! Well, I think we corrected his world today…
You can learn to play the violin with feeling at home and in your own time!
24/7 Access to your violin lessons
Mobile and tablet friendly
Learn at your own pace
400+ Video Lessons
5 Awesome Teachers
Send in videos for feedback
Practice Plans
plus
Sheet Music Library
Lifetime access
Ask Questions
Satisfaction guarantee
Get Started Now
The fee Zlata is charging, is quite reasonable keeping in mind that after full payment, you have all the study material which you can go and check out again ever so often and new material gets often added to the existing Bow Like A Pro for instance and that is just so great!!
Choose the Bow like a Pro plan that works best for you
Best Value
One Payment of
$ 1,777 USD
Most Flexible
10 Monthly Payments of
$ 199 USD
Secure checkout
with credit card or Paypal
Risk free
100% satisfaction guarantee
Curriculum
Bow like a Pro consists of 6 modules that cover EVERYTHING about violin bowing technique, tone production and expression
It starts with how to hold your bow, ends with ALL bow techniques in the big violin concertos and covers everything in between
Suitable for:
Beginners: learn a correct bow technique and beautiful sound right from the start
Intermediate/advanced: learn new skills, work on specific problems and pieces and develop your musicality
Teachers: get a structured system and great exercises to teach things that to you perhaps came naturally
Module 1:
Master the Basics of Bowing
Violin players often struggle with advanced technique, while the solution lies in the basics.
For beginners this module is great to learn correct bowing right from the start. Avoid future problems, save time and sound beautiful along the way.
I discovered that intermediate and advanced students with decades of experience learn a lot from this module as well.
You’ll learn:
- Motor skill exercises to learn the techniques without the violin and bow: my students are so enthusiastic about the direct impact this has on your playing
- Bow hold: perfecting your bow hold and making ik soft and flexible is a prerequisite for all bowing techniques
- Bow smoothly: learn to make fluent motions and smooth string changes, so your violin (and bow!) can resonate optimally and make a beautiful sound
- Bow straight: lots of violin players have problems, because they think they bow straight, but they’re actually not. Learn the finger, wrist and elbow movements to bow straight without looking and how this connects to your violin hold.
- Whole bow: learn to master the whole bow and be able to create a good tone on every part of the bow, no more frog fear!
- String crossings: learn the techniques to make fluent and controlled string crossings in any speed
- Refine your Basics: learn to continuously improve your bow control and fluency, so learning advanced techniques will be a lot easier
By the end of this module you’ll bow smoothly with great control over the whole bow. No more frog fear!
Module 2:
Create a Beautiful Tone
Learn and practice the 8 factors that produce tone on your violin,
so you know exactly how to get that sound in your head out of your violin and sound like your favorite performer!
You’ll learn:
- Beautiful sound with core: here you’ll learn the secrets to a professional sound on the violin and how I can easily distinguish an amateur from a professional in my violin studio, all with examples of etudes and pieces
- Differences per string: every string needs a specific way of bowing and I’ll teach you all about it
- Pivoting the bow: when, how, when not, what’s the difference? Learn everything about tilting the bow
- 5 Contact Points: learn all about the sounding points on the string, when to use what and how to apply switching between sounding points in your playing so you can color your tone
- Beautiful dynamics: here I’ll explain all about the 5 different ways to play loud and soft on the violin, the differences and how to apply phrasing and dynamics in general, all with examples of etudes and pieces
- Proportions in tone production: what many think is talent, producing a beautiful sound is actually a balance between 8 factors. Learn them, practice them and you have full control over how you sound.
- Solve tone problems: recognize issues in your tone and learn exactly how to correct them
- Tone and Intonation: learn how sound, overtones and intonation influence each other and how you can practice this in scales, etudes and pieces.
By the end of this module tone creation is not magic to you anymore, but a set of skills you’ve learned and are able to apply in all the music you play.
Module 3:
Unveil the Spiccato Secrets
A good spiccato is the foundation for ALL advanced bowing techniques
Most is important is that you know exactly how your bow can work FOR you and what you’re supposed to do and NOT to do, so you don’t work AGAINST your bow and struggle with an insecure spiccato
- Spiccato Skills: learn how you can work together with your bow to create a controlled spiccato in any speed and with a beautiful sound, crystal clear exercises and practice instructions
- Spiccato Schedule: an exact curriculum that makes it possible for everybody to learn a professional spiccato… yes, it requires some work! It includes the spiccato schedule, the spiccato spot metronome game, the release control game and much more.
- Learning Spiccato: learn more in depth how to get a flexible spiccato you can adjust to the piece you play
Once you finished this module you can play spiccato in any tempo, apply it in your repertoire and play with confidence and a good sound.
Module 4:
Learn ALL 24+ Bowing Techniques
Learn ALL violin bowing techniques
in a non-overwhelming expressive way of nuancing your sound into beautiful colors
Never doubt about bowing again in your orchestra and don’t trip over the bowing in new repertoire
- Instruction videos about that specific technique and how to practice it
- Etudes and exercises to master each technique
- Repertoire examples (scales, etudes, pieces on different levels)
This sounds like a lot and it IS a lot, but Zlata breaks it down into easy to follow steps.
She’ll explain exactly what you have to learn and unlearn to unleash your musical expression on the violin.
Master the bow learn new repertoire faster and more beautiful!
Module 5:
Play the Violin with Feeling
You feel so much for the music you make, but when you play it all seems to be about hitting the right notes in the right rhythm
Recognize that? This module is for you!
Your unique voice is waiting to be expressed with the violin as it’s tool and not it’s barrier
Learn to:
-
Automate your Left Hand: with a left hand on autopilot, you can focus on bowing, sound and expression. You’ll play with more freedom!
-
Apply the bow technique you learn in a musical context with our mini courses on etudes and beautiful pieces of different levels
-
Recognize musical sentences (phrases) in music with specific exercises (yes, it’s learnable!)
-
Learn ‘one buttock playing’ to go from playing note for note to telling a musical story
-
5 techniques to play phrases on the violin (bowing and more)
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22 rules of up-bow or down-bow and 6 rules of bow division to get the best sound out of your violin at any time
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Express the emotions you feel through the violin in beautiful music
-
Choose the right bowing and fingering for your new piece to make it sound even more beautiful
Concert violinists Antal, Anastasiia and Vivien and bowing coach Zlata can’t wait to teach you all about this using beautiful repertoire examples
Bronwen the Fiddle Preecher, is our breath of fresh air that takes you out of your classical comfort zone and teaches you how to get the fiddle feel and bow techniques for fiddle, rock, blues, jazz, celtic and more!
Teachers Vivien and Zlata give feedback on each other’s playing of Bach partitas and more to inspire you.
You’ll perform your solo pieces and sit in your orchestra with confidence!
Module 6:
Practice to Perfection
Wouldn’t it be create to know exactly what and HOW to practice to keep improving your bow technique?
“The more you learn, understand and know about bow technique, the more free you are to express yourself in music on the violin.”
-Vivien Hoffman, Bow like a Pro teacher
With Ševčík’s 40 variations we’re putting all the bow techniques in a musical context, so you get the flexibility to quickly learn new repertoire without worrying about your bowing.
Students with decades of experience are surprised how much new things they can learn from the 40 variations with Vivien’s instruction. At the same time beginners can benefit a lot from the theme and first variations.
The 40 variations are a goldmine for bowing technique. Lots of players study them, but with Vivien’s tutorials you’ll know exactly how to practice them to benefit most.
Includes:
- 60+ Instruction videos about almost all bow techniques that let you discover how much you can learn from the 40 variations
- 40 Practice plans to implement this in your playing
- Piano accompaniments for all variations you can play at any speed
By the end of this module… ah, sorry, this module is endless. You will always be developing your technique and artistry with the tools we give you here.
Get Started Now
You are really good at giving explanations and demonstrations and the other teachers are all wonderful, extraordinary. Your class is the best investment I have made so far in music!
Choose the Bow like a Pro plan that works best for you
Best Value
One Payment of
$ 1,777 USD
Most Flexible
10 Monthly Payments of
$ 199 USD
Secure checkout
with credit card or Paypal
Risk free
100% satisfaction guarantee
Time Sensitive Bonuses
Grab them before I change my mind!
Bonus:
Free your Vibrato
Priced $ 297, FREE for Bow like a Pro students
Bonus:
Free your Vibrato
Priced $ 297, FREE for Bow like a Pro students
Bonus #1: Free your Vibrato
I hear you thinking: tone creation and musical expression are more than bow technique, aren’t they?
Yes! To teach you the left hand side of a gorgeous sound, I include ‘Free your Vibrato’!
I wish I learned the things I know now about left hand technique a LOT earlier than in the last years of my conservatory training.
The teachers before that taught me the exact opposite and caused me to struggle unnecessarily with intonation, articulation and vibrato.
I don’t want you to struggle, so I’m including full program on left hand technique as a temporary bonus for those who enroll in Bow like a Pro today!
You’ll learn:
- A balanced and relaxed violin hold with which you can play comfortable as long as you want and create a good sound
- How to improve your intonation (play in tune) and get a clean articulation with a good left hand technique (this has transformed my own playing and made SO many things a lot easier)
- A lot of exercises to learn vibrato in a step by step and fun way. You’ll know exactly what to do to get a gorgeous vibrato.
- A practice plan to get control over your vibrato, so you can get exactly the sound you want when you want it
- To apply vibrato as a tool for expression in the music you love
Besides my step by step system to vibrato, I’m including:
- Concert violinist Anastasiia’s favorite vibrato exercises
- Concert violinist Antal Zalai’s tips to tastefully and expressively apply vibrato to your music
- Professional fiddler Bronwen Beecher’s tips on vibrato (and no vibrato) in fiddle music
By the end of this program you:
- Finally have that lush vibrato you dream off
- Play in tune with much more security
- Have less problems in high positions
- Have clean articulation and can play difficult runs faster and clearer than ever
Bonus: Bowing Basics Bootcamp
Regular price $ 77
Bonus #2: Bowing Basics Bootcamp
Solves the no 1 problem in violin bowing
After 5 years of running Bow like a Pro, Zlata created the Violin Bowing Bootcamp. This is a fun and short course to tackle the most common problems in violin bowing technique.
The Bowing Basics Bootcamp teaches you all the mechanics of bowing in your upper arm, lower arm, wrist and fingers step by step.
If you watch Zlata’s YouTube videos about finger action and bowing smoothly and feel that you understand the concepts, but are unable to apply them in your own playing… this Bootcamp is a game changer for you!
Bonus: Violin Sound Bootcamp
Regular price $ 77
Bonus #3: Violin Sound Bootcamp
Get to know the sound machine!
This is a very practical bootcamp to learn all aspects of sound: weight, contact point, speed, tilt and the right way to out them together for the best tone.
This is an ideal preparation for Bow lIke a Pro Module 2.
Bonus: Bow Techniques Bootcamp
Regular price $ 77
Bonus #4: Bow Techniques Bootcamp
Learn the most common bow techniques in FUN and EASY pieces
With some well known and fun pieces like Rossini’s William Tell overture and the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker by Tschaikovsky, you’ll learn the most common violin bowing techniques.
This is an excellent preparation to Bow like a Pro Modules 4 and 6.
Bonus: Bow Care Bootcamp
Regular price $ 77
Bonus #5: Bow Care Bootcamp
Never wonder if it’s you or your bow any longer!
In the bow care bootcamp Zlata helps you to test, select and buy a bow within your budget that fits you like a glove. Thanks to international brands, links and tips for each budget this applies for international students.
Also you’ll learn how to get to know a new bow and how to take great care of your bow.
Bonus #6: Bow like a Fiddle Pro!
Ever tried playing a fiddle tune and have it not sound very ‘fiddly’?
Bronwen Beecher, the Fiddle Preacher, is here to help!
She’ll teach you all about the bowing styles and techniques of fiddle, jazz, blues and country music, so you have the tools to sound like an authentic and exciting fiddler.
We at Bow like a Pro all envy her groove. With the elite skill of a classical violinist, Bronwen’s precision playing and improvisation chops intermingle with all the fiddle moxie of a street brawler.
This time sensitive bonus includes 10 video lessons by Bronwen.
500+ Pages of Sheet Music
Zlata’s Music Library
Bonus #7: Sheet Music Library
including 500+ pages with
4,000+ bow technique exercises
This hand picked collection of books is used by Vivien and me for ourselves and our students
It would cost you $ 200 to $ 300 to buy all this, but as a Bow like a Pro student downloads are included and you never have to buy sheet music to follow along.
They include specific exercise books for bowing, vibrato and etude books on various levels: from beginner to pro and everything in between.
Bonus #8: Lessons with Antal Zalai
Concert violinist & guest teacher
Those who’ve heard his interpretations of the Brahms and Tschaikovsky concertos know Antal Zalai is one of the greatest soloists of our time.
“An exceptional violinist, who has perfect technique, beautiful large tone, real musical finesse and maturity as well as noble personality,” said legendary Russian violinist Igor Oistrakh about him.
We’re honored to have him support Bow like a Pro and make 10 video lessons about phrasing, telling a musical story, by developing your bowing technique, vibrato and choosing the right fingering and tools of expression.
This time sensitive bonus includes 10 video lessons by Antal.
Bonus #9: Lessons with Anastasiia Mazurok
Concert violinist & guest teacher
If you have Instagram, you’ll probably know this Julliard grad under the name mmm_anastasy.
Since her orchestra debut at the age of thirteen Anastasiia tours the world as an upcoming violin virtuoso. She is a prize-winner at various international competitions. She graduated with honors from the Rimsky Korsakov musical college of Saint-Petersburg and graduated for her Master at the famous Juilliard School in New York.
Anastasiia teaches about the various aspects of bowing technique and vibrato from the view of the Russian school and her experience as a prize-winning soloist.
This bonus includes 10 exclusive video lessons by Antastasiia.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Try Bow like a Pro for 30 days!
I’m so convinced Bow like a Pro can get your violin playing to the next level and I’ve seen it work for so many violin players on different levels. I’m the ONLY violin teacher out there who offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Of course YOU have to do the work as well. If you did the full coursework in terms of watching the videos, practicing and sending in feedback videos, but you still feel I didn’t deliver on my promise, submit your proof within 30 days of purchase and I’ll promptly refund your tuition.
To be clear: I don’t reward lack of discipline. That’s not in line with my integrity as a violin teacher and won’t help you. If you do not include your complete coursework within 30 days, no refund will be issued.
Get Started Now
Bow like a Pro has been really exceptional for me, because now I’ve got a place where I can go and learn exactly what to do and how to do it. It’s like a bowing mall with literally everything about violin bow technique right at your fingertips.
Choose the Bow like a Pro plan that works best for you
Best Value
One Payment of
$ 1,777 USD
Most Flexible
10 Monthly Payments of
$ 199 USD
Secure checkout
with credit card or Paypal
Risk free
100% satisfaction guarantee
This could be you:
I saw a perfect bowing coming from me unconsciously. My teacher was amazed! – Emanuel
In the past the tension ruined my performance, but with these techniques I played in front of everyone in my church with a good tone. – Rachel
You taught me to make beautiful music with confidence. – Linda
The difference was immediate and dramatic. My bow finally does what I want. – Steve
Bow like a Pro works!
Here’s proof:
My first big accomplishment was the first day when I stopped the choking sound. Now I have a beautiful resonating sound coming from my violin!
After 10 weeks my bowing has improved so much that it does not even sound like the same person playing! The smooth bowing exercises greatly improved my bow technique. The quarter bow exercises were key to fix the slight shakes I had in parts of the bow.
Thanks so much for your wonderful program. Over the years in Corporate America I written and conducted a lot of training programs. Your program is very professional and easy to understand. You are especially talented in breaking down the bowing process in small steps that can be understood and accomplished.
I am so thankful for the courses I’m working in – Paganini’s Secret and Bow Like A Pro. They have been life-changing for me! That is really true! I began studying violin as an adult, and have worked with several teachers, but I’ve never had the kind of instruction provided in these lessons. I am now learning the movements of the arm and hand and wrist and fingers that lead to a better sound. Both Zlata and Vivien have a wonderful teaching style, and demonstrate and explain the exercises extremely well. I can see and feel and hear a difference already. Now that I’m retired, this 70-year-old-lady has more time to work on violin. The exercises are challenging, and I enjoy playing and practicing more than ever. Thank you Zlata and Vivien!
I am writing to let you know how much Bow like a Pro has helped me and strengthened me as a violinist! I am much more confident, have improved my skills in many areas and my approach to the instrument and to practicing have changed for the better. I am far from done and I continue to learn and follow the BLP program systematically. I am currently working on improving vibrato. Thank you for such detailed and well organized materials and tutorials! Also, for adding to the program on a regular basis.
I wish you and your family all the best.
Please continue to help and inspire violinists everywhere!
I would like to invite violin players who wants to play beautifully, to consider taking a course in Bow Like A Pro by Zlata Brouwer.
Not only is it a course where 24 different bowings are explained, but it done in such a way that you can practice and learn the different bowings one by one in separate lessons. The different bowings are all dealt with in a way that everyone can understand it – no matter the level of your violin playing.
Did I mention that bowing is the most important part of violin playing? You might have all your left hand fingers placed in the right position on the fingerboard but if you do not bow in the correct way, you are wasting your time – your violin playing will never sound beautiful – it will always have a squeaky and scratching sound.
Before Bow like a Pro I have wasted many years in hoping it will sound better with time, but that is not how it works. I built wrong muscle memory into my violin playing and now it is very hard to unlearn it, but this course helps me greatly.
It’s awesome that you can send in a video or ask a question as often as you like and you will get personal feedback.
Zlata is also making use of other professional violinists as guest teachers to explain a certain bowing or giving warm up movement before starting your daily playing which can be very handy.
Speed of bow, weight of bow and point of contact play a very important part in your violin playing.
The fee Zlata is charging, is quite reasonable keeping in mind that after 12 months subscription, you have all the study material which you can go and check out again ever so often and new material gets often added to the existing Bow Like A Pro for instance and that is just so great!!
Bowing plays a very important part of violin playing and there for i recommended Zlata Brouwer’s Violin Lounge to everybody who wants to make a beautiful sound on their violin.
Time is precious. Don’t waste unnecessary time hoping to make a beautiful sound with your violin. The answer is to join Bow like a Pro!
Sabine’s luthier couldn’t believe she could play so beautifully after just 18 months of online lessons:
I’m a beginner studying alone and have given up the violin several times already.
Now I get back to work and seriously and after buying my violin, your class is the best investment I have made so far in music.
I know that this time it will work out, because I already see everything that I will learn with you in Bow like a Pro.
You are really good at giving explanations and demonstrations and the other teachers are all wonderful, extraordinary.
Thank you again Zlata for your lessons and thank you to all the teachers!
Nancy is so excited to see the improvement in her bowing after just a few weeks compared to 12 years of violin playing before Bow like a Pro:
Ken can find exactly what he needs to learn and how to do it in this ‘bowing mall’:
Leslie enjoys being able to go inside the academy anytime she’s looking for inspiration, encouragement and the technique to put it into practice:
First off, thank you so much for all that you have put together to help people learn to play the violin. I first found your free lessons, then the weight vs pressure workshop, and then I took your offer for the lifetime access. Every step of the way I found that if I listened and did as you suggested my playing improved, usually dramatically.
If I knew anyone trying to learn to play the violin I would certainly tell them about your site and stress to “Do what Zlata says!” I still recall the first time I was sitting on the sofa watching TV rolling a stress ball around in my fingers, manipulating a chopstick (I can never find a pencil…), and bowing through a toilet paper roll when I decided that enough was enough and I picked up the violin to see if had made any difference at all.
So I grabbed the bow (using the method you showed me), picked up the violin (like you showed me), and played open strings (like you said to do). The difference was immediate and dramatic and I have not doubted you since. (Not that I doubted you anyway, you’re simply too happy and direct in your videos to distrust.
It is a wonderful opportunity for me to improve my violin playing and technique. The more I follow your videos the more I see great results. I am really motivated and practice every day, working on your instructions.
Your video instructions are very clear, concise and easily understood. I can replay the videos again and again which is very helpful. Being able to stop the video at any point in the instruction I can learn how to do that particular technique on my own until it is correct.
I see a huge improvement in intonation, bowing accuracy and a lovely volume as the bow passes over the strings. I look forward to each new video lesson but I make sure that I do not move on until I have mastered the previous lesson.
Thank you again, you have taught me how to make beautiful music with confidence.
Dear Zlata,
I just noticed the e-mail you sent asking for feedback about the violin academy. So, I figured it’s high time I wrote and told you about what I’ve been learning. I’ve just been so blessed by your academy. You’ve given me back my joy in playing violin. Violin is so much more enjoyable when I play in a relaxed way!
First of all, I took lessons when I was younger for about 6 years. Then I graduated from high-school and got busy and didn’t play violin very much for 1 1/2 years. Well, I stumbled across your violin academy about 1 year ago. It has been AMAZING! I am such a visual person and getting to watch the videos helped immensely. I soon realized that the things I struggled the most with were the basics! As I watched the beginning videos, I soon saw how many bad habits I’d developed. Your videos have helped me so much! Some of the bad habits I mentioned was how I held the bow, my posture, how I moved my wrist and arm….well, I started doing some of the exercises for the left and right hand and my playing has improved SO MUCH. At Christmas time I played a hymn for our church’s annual Christmas program. Normally, when I’m in front of people my hand and wrist tighten up from nervousness and the violin squeaks and sounds horrible. Well, I’d been doing some of the exercises and my arm and wrist were all relaxed~ and when I played violin in front of everyone…it went great! I was able to have good tone and there were no squeaky noises.
Thank you so much, Zlata for violin academy! I’m so thankful to God for you and for all you do to help violin players like me! You are much appreciated!
Well, that’s my testimony of how you have helped me so much!
Well, thanks again!!!
Zlata’s academy has taught me to love playing the violin. Zlata really emphasizes sounding good and enjoying what you play. She teaches the basics with the focus of producing enjoyable music. Her cheerful personality and encouragement make her videos pleasant to watch. She has been very helpful and kind when she reviewed the videos I’ve sent her. The combination of her helpful online tutorial videos and her focused comments about my playing have produced instant improvement. I estimate that I now sound twice as good after only 6 months of Zlata’s academy.
I tried many other online schools. Other teachers seem to have one solution to every problem–PRACTICE MORE! They seem to say that success is being a ‘serious,’ very disciplined musician, who obviously…practices…a LOT. Yes, Zlata acknowledges the importance of practice, but she clearly wants students to enjoy their practice by playing well and sounding lovely. I will never be a soloist, but I will be a true ‘amateur,’ i.e. one who ‘loves’ what they do.
After all, who hears most of what I play? I am really the only one who hears the hours of practice. I might as well enjoy the music I make. Zlata’s academy has polished my technique and basics and my sound improved across the board. I find it easier to focus on what I’m playing, to improvise, and build my repertoire because I feel so much better about my playing.
Thanks, Zlata!
Let’s sum it up
Don’t get overwhelmed:
Bow like a Pro comes with lifetime access and support!
- When you enroll now you get:
Instant access to the 6 Module Bow like a Pro curriculum with hundreds of streaming videos, practice plans and more. You’ll have lifetime access including all future updates and additions. You can learn at your own pace and come back whenever you want.
Valued: $ 2.000 - Exclusive video lessons about bow technique by 5 different teachers: three concert violinists, one bowing coach and one professional fiddler.
Valued: $ 1.000 - Unlimited personal guidance and feedback by Zlata Brouwer the Bowing Coach ©
Valued: $ 2.000 - Full access to the program Free your Vibrato where everybody can learn a beautiful vibrato adjusted to the piece you play and the emotions you want to express.
Valued: $ 300 - Full access to the Violin Bowing Bootcamp PLUS personal guidance: four brand new courses that are a perfect introduction to Bow like a Pro and will get you great results in short time even if you’re not so experienced on the violin.
Valued: $ 555 - Zlata’s sheet music library with hundreds of pages of sheet music and thousands of exercises
Valued: $ 300
Total $ 6.155
Actually it’s worth a lot more as you’ll save yourself a lifetime of struggling, finally learn to play the violin beautifully and use the violin as the voice of your soul. No dollar amount can represent this!
What will your teacher say?
I’m so happy that I decided to share with you my results. I started doing the right hand motor skill exercises.
After two weeks practicing them on my free time at job or anywhere else, I went to my teacher and he asked me to play lesson 11 from hans sitt book 1. Which I’m struggling for 3 weeks, and I’m not confident on this piece.
But he said me that besides left hand’s problems I had my wrist completely relaxed and in a perfect movement. I didn’t believe on that and he recorded me playing to show me how good it was. And I saw a perfect bowing coming from me unconciously!
I’m really proud of your classes.
Bow like a Pro is made to combine seamlessly with your ‘offline’ lessons
A lot of our students LOVE their current teacher, but notice that he/she finds it difficult to teach tone creation, bowing technique and/or expression step by step. Perhaps it came natural to your teacher, but not to you. Common problem!
We’ve got you covered.
By all means, stay with your teacher to learn repertoire, technique and study your orchestra scores. We would NEVER want to intervene in your learning process and we are not here to compete with local teachers.
Lots of teachers are relieved and happy when their students join BLP as lots of them struggle to convey these topics. Also they are pleasantly surprised about the improvements students get.
Feel lost in between lessons?
Bow like a Pro is there for you 24/7 lifetime when you want to learn about bowing technique, tone creation and musicality.
Do you want to surprise your teacher with some great bowing? Enroll today!
Tinkering yourself at home with some YouTube videos?
Come on, don’t fool yourself!
If watching YouTube videos got you exactly the bowing and sound you desire, you wouldn’t be reading this page this far. Apparently you’re struggling with something.
Frequently asked questions
What do you get exactly in 'Bow like a Pro'?
- 400+ instruction videos covering all about bowing technique and tone creation and even more performance videos
- Personal guidance and feedback via video exchange (you can occasionally send in a short video to check if you’re implementing the exercises correctly and grasp the concepts taught)
- Downloadable practice plans for each topic, so you know exactly what and how to practice on a daily basis
- 500+ pages of downloadable etude books to apply the techniques you learn
- Fun quizzes to test your knowledge
- Lifetime access including ALL future updates and additions to this masterclass program at no extra charge
- All this in an user friendly and safe online learning environment you can access from your computer, tablet and phone
Is Bow like a pro suitable for my level of violin playing?
Bow like a pro starts with the basics of bowing and covers EVERYTHING up to a professional level playing the big violin repertoire (and everything in between). You get lifetime access, so you can consume the more advanced stuff when you’re up to it. Because the program is so complete, ‘Bow like a Pro’ is suitable for:
- Beginner violinists who want to get rid of their ‘beginner sound’ as soon as possible and learn a good bowing technique right from the start
- Intermediate violinists who want to know what and how to practice to improve their bowing technique and know exactly how to bow in their orchestra
- Advanced violinists who want to learn all possible bowing techniques, so they have a professional level toolbox to, pour artistry and expression in their playing
- Violin teachers who find it hard to transfer their tone production and bow technique to their students. Bow like a Pro offers structure and handy exercises that will learn your students to do what you perhaps do naturally.
Do I get 1 on 1 lessons with Zlata?
I’ll be there to answer your questions, point you to the right videos and give feedback on your playing related to this program. However, no live lessons are included in your tuition.
Can you learn to play the violin online?
We’ve been trained to think that one-on-one is the highest level of learning when it comes to music, but technology has made it so that we learn even better online. You can learn to play the violin with feeling at home and in your own time! I’m the ONLY violin teacher offering a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.
Do I need special technical skills or equipment?
If you can see this website and watch videos on YouTube, you’re all set. Bow like a Pro is extremely user friendly and we have students up to 88 years old. It works on desktop, laptop, tablet and every brand of smartphone. The videos are non-downloadable streaming videos just like YouTube.
Can you help me if I can't afford the tuition?
Yes, we offer a 12 month payment plan! When you join, choose the ‘most flexible’ option (see below). If this is not the right time financially, Zlata has a great free online workshop for you about the 5 bowing secrets to a professional sound. Click here to get it!
Do you offer refunds if I don't get the promised results?
I’m so convinced Bow like a Pro can get your violin playing to the next level and I’ve seen it work for so many violin players on different levels. I’m the ONLY violin teacher out there who offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Of course YOU have to do the work as well. If you did the full coursework in terms of watching the videos, practicing and sending in feedback videos, but you still feel I didn’t deliver on my promise, submit your proof within 30 days of purchase and I’ll promptly refund your tuition.
To be clear: I don’t reward lack of discipline. That’s not in line with my integrity as a violin teacher and won’t help you. If you do not include your complete coursework within 30 days, no refund will be issued.
When do I get access? How long?
Right after payment you can INSTANT access to EVERYTHING in Bow like a pro… lifetime! You can come back whenever you want, ask questions and get feedback on your playing. Also you can enjoy future additions and updates at NO charge.
How do you guarantee lifetime access and guidance?
You get unlimited video exchange and answers to your questions as long as the program exists. If Zlata retires after one century or so and wants to take down the website for whatever reason, you’ll get the chance to download all materials.
Can I join Bow like a Pro as a family together with my children?
As a mother herself, Zlata makes Bow like a Pro family friendly: you can use one account for all of your children and yourself if you want. Yes, also the personal guidance and feedback!
However, please note that Bow like a Pro is a program about bowing technique and doesn’t teach the violin from scratch step by step. If your kids are just starting or want to learn repertoire, you should also go to a local teacher. Bow like a Pro is suitable to be complementary to that and teaches what many teachers don’t teach.
Is Bow like a pro suitable for the viola or cello?
All instructions, repertoire and examples are aimed at the violin.
Yes, you can sound beautiful!
Just imagine how it would be like if the violin technique doesn’t hold you back and you can pour your heart into your playing.
Get Started Now
Bowing is the most important part of violin playing. You might have all your left hand fingers placed in the right position on the fingerboard but if you do not bow in the correct way, you are wasting your time: your violin playing will never sound beautiful. it will always have a squeaky and scratching sound.
I have wasted many years in hoping it will sound better with time, but that is not how it works.
Time is precious. Don’t waste unnecessary time hoping to make a beauty sound with your violin. Enroll in Bow like a Pro if you want to play beautifully!
Choose the Bow like a Pro plan that works best for you
Best Value
One Payment of
$ 1,777 USD
Most Flexible
10 Monthly Payments of
$ 199 USD
Secure checkout
with credit card or Paypal
Risk free
100% satisfaction guarantee