Get in Violin Shape Fast

A Structured Weekly Practice Checklist for Returning Violinists

Returning to the violin after time away can be challenging, particularly when you’re accustomed to playing at an advanced level.

You remember what your technique once felt like. The question is how to rebuild it through focused, consistent practice.

Get in Violin Shape Fast is a printable weekly checklist based on the technical studies I use in my own practice.

Designed for intermediate, advanced, and returning violinists, it provides a structured framework for working on the essential elements of violin technique.

What’s Included

The checklist covers:

  • Schradieck and Ševčík technical studies
  • Three-octave scales and arpeggios
  • Varied bowing patterns
  • Vibrato practice
  • Shifting and position studies
  • Double-stop scales
  • Bach Sonatas and Partitas
  • Repertoire practice

A seven-day tracking format allows you to follow your progress and establish greater consistency in your practice.

Use the checklist as a framework, selecting and adapting the studies to your current technical level and available practice time.

Download Your Free Weekly Practice Checklist

Rebuild your technique through purposeful, consistent study.

Enter your name and email below to receive your printable checklist.

About Heather Kaye Broadbent

Heather Kaye Broadbent is a classical violinist, pedagogue, and founder of the Broadbent School of Violin Artistry.

Drawing on decades of international performing and teaching experience, Heather helps violinists develop reliable technique through balanced posture, thoughtful practice, and a clear understanding of the instrument.

Her teaching is especially valuable to adult and returning violinists seeking to regain technical confidence and independence.

Continue Your Technical Study

Returning to the Violin: A Guided Pathway Back to Classical Violin Playing

A structured approach for experienced violinists returning after time away. Evaluate your current technique, revisit essential technical foundations, and develop a purposeful approach to rebuilding your playing.

Explore Returning to the Violin →

The Balanced Left Hand

An in-depth study of left-hand setup, hand frame, balance, and the technical foundations of finger independence, intonation, shifting, and vibrato.

Explore The Balanced Left Hand →

Heather Kaye is an answer to a great wish of mine: a passion to play violin effectively. Since a teacher was not available, I developed a practice routine for myself, yet moved forward slowly.  After a cry for help on LinkedIn, Heather was recommended to me by one of her Skype students; he said that he highly recommended her and that she had it all figured out. Indeed, he was correct.

Right from the start she took charge in a supportive, friendly but businesslike, no-nonsense approach to giving me feedback on the violin. She is an insightful teacher that works on multiple levels; for example, for the nut and bolds of violin technique, she assigns very effective exercises; for the reflective level she suggests ways of recording, writing and videoing yourself  in order to be present; and, for the philological level, she gives of exercises to over come stage fright.

For me, Heather is like the Jillian Michaels (work-out guru) for violin, in that, you follow her program and it is a short cut to being an effective player. I have been studying with Heather now since January and my improvement is noticeable not only to myself but to the outside also. During the last gig I played, a lady commented, saying my violin filled the room soulful beauty. I received the compliment with a smile remembering all the feedback from Heather and practicing she inspired me to do.

If you are serious about improving, I highly recommend Heather.

Before I started studying with Heather, I had some position hesitations, intonation issues, and really being able to draw the sound from my instrument. Since working with her, I’ve noticed more confidence in my playing and shifting. More accuracy and ease with my playing. My intonation and all around playing has really been enhanced into something I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own.

I’ve learned so much already in just four lessons! I knew she was the perfect teacher for me through her amazing YouTube videos and what I was able to gain from them! She really knows how to get one to enhance their skills and make them a better player! I couldn’t be happier!! I’m so inspired and driven to be a better player now!

Heather Kaye taught me how to play violin for ten wonderful years. She shaped me into a great violinist technically, guided me to appreciate music in general, and most importantly, taught me disciplinary skills that made me into the young adult that I am today. I am indeed forever grateful.

I started coaching sessions with Heather in January 2014, having been finding my own way along without a teacher for around 3 years. I knew that I had major issues with intonation, tone, timing and vibrato to name but a few, and I had no structure to my practice although I played for an hour and a half every day. I had never tried or even considered violin coaching online but having studied Heather’s website and watched a few videos it looked like she ticked all the boxes. Having a free half hour Skype session with Heather then absolutely convinced me.

I found her approach light and inspirational, whilst she was able to shine a laser beam on the weaknesses in my technique in an instant and give me clear instructions on how to correct it, accompanied by exercises to wire it into my nervous system.

In the following months since then I have loved every session and have seen week on week improvements in my playing beyond what I dreamed possible. Heather’s way of bringing awareness to every pitch is inspirational and has revolutionized my intonation. Having worked with Heather online for these few months I don’t know if I would want to go back to conventional face to face teaching. It has so many advantages.

Heather can just pull up some relevant teaching materials or sheet music and I have it instantly. I get links to videos so that I can continue learning between the sessions and can prep new things that we are going to work on. Plus I get a recording of our session so I can go back and check on anything I wasn’t clear about – and go back to earlier recording to see just how far I have progressed over the weeks.

Then one of my favourite things – I get written notes after the session, with what to work on for the next session which has been great for giving me clear guidelines on what to practice each day, providing me with the structure that I had been lacking.

In short, I can’t praise Heather’s coaching sessions highly enough.

What Heather is doing is brilliant and smart and passionate! What a wonderful age we live in that this is even possible. And that people with talent and passion have a commitment to pass that knowledge on, so that others who may not otherwise get this kind of chance can benefit.

Heather Kaye’s enthusiasm and belief that we can all learn violin at our own pace is infectious. Her ability to dissect violin playing into learnable chunks gets and keeps you in the game. You will be happy with your musicianship if you follow Heather’s programs.

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