When a child or adult decides to learn the violin, many people opt for the cheapest option available with the mindset that they might not ‘stick with it’ so there is little point in investing in a good quality instrument. However, that approach doesn’t take into account the effect a poor quality instrument will have on the enjoyment of playing.

It may seem like a good idea to buy a violin online for less than £200, but you will almost certainly end up with a poorly made instrument that will be no fun to play.

This month off started with a few exciting deliveries, among them were the new workshop door sign, a new plane, a bridge stamp and the fittings for my most recently finished new violin.

Lots of people come to the violin, viola or cello operating under the misapprehension that they’ll have to play classical music when they’re learning.

We’ve put together a playlist of our favourite classical music that we recommend as an introduction to the genre for your children. Below we summarise each track and why we’ve included it.

To ensure your child is playing the right sized instrument, we first recommending discussing sizing with your teacher, as some have preferences regarding what size to start with.