It\u27s easier if you have a system : analysis and applications of the Milanov violin method

The purpose of this research was to analyze the historical context, philosophic basis, and teaching principles of Trendafil Milanov’s violin method, as well as practical applications for violin pedagogy. This qualitative case study incorporated narrative and material culture components and utilized ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews. The participants were members of the Milanov family who were raised in that tradition and an American student using the Milanov method at the time of the study. An analysis of Milanov’s last published method, First Violin Lessons (1981), was completed to complement interview and observation data. Emergent themes related to the method’s pedagogical strategies, including the encouragement of student autonomy and the use of songs as recycled material. Additional themes emerged relating to the method’s treatment of violin technique, including early exposure to fingerboard geography and the emphasis of forearm rotation as fundamental to bow technique. Comparisons were made between the Milanov method and other popular violin methods, and practical applications to modern violin teaching were suggested. These findings unveil the relatively little known Milanov method and contribute to the growing body of violin pedagogy research