About OnViolin
Meet your teacher
Michael O’Gieblyn
Michael O’Gieblyn brings his joy for music to everything he does. A violinist and violist in South Florida, he has been a member of the Miami City Ballet Orchestra since 2017 as a violinist, and currently serves as principal violist.
He also performs with the finest orchestras and ensembles throughout South Florida including The Naples Philharmonic, The Atlantic Classical Orchestra, The Boca Symphonia, Palm Beach Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Palm Beach Symphony. Michael also performs regularly for the Fever Original Candlelight Quartet concerts.
Over the course of 20 years as a professional, Michael won many orchestral auditions and was member of the orchestras in Memphis TN, Huntsville AL, and Owensboro KY, and performed regularly with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra (TN), Louisville Orchestra (OH), Ft. Wayne Philharmonic, (IN) and many other regional orchestras.
Michael is the creator of OrchestraExcerpts.com, a resource for helping musicians prepare and study excerpts for the audition process. He also is the host of the Per Service podcast which explores life as a creative in the arts world.
Michael is most prominently recognized for his work at Fiddlershop.com, where as a product specialist, he shares his knowledge of violin playing and products on YouTube and social media. His combination of entertaining and educational videos have been seen by millions of people.
In the studio, Michael has recorded for many award winning albums, video games, and movie soundtracks including Sony Playstation’s Uncharted 4, The Unfinished Swan, Aliens: Colonial Marines, movie soundtracks to Rebel in the Rye, and Home of the Brave, as well as on recordings for OneRepublic, Norah Jones, Travis Tritt, Keb Mo, Darryl Worley, David Phelps, Caitlin Rose, Larnelle Harris, and Sandi Patti.
One of the highlights of Michael’s career was performing live on WSM at the Grand Ole Opry with country music legend Ray Price and the Cherokee Cowboys. Michael also has performed live with multiple Grammy Award winning artists including Josh Groban, Roger Waters, Casting Crowns, Gungor, Paper Route, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Selah, Steven Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant, and Matthew West.
Michael graduated with honors from Carnegie Mellon University where he studied with Cyrus Forough, and also holds a Masters of Music degree in violin performance from Belmont University as a student of Elisabeth Small.
In the summers, Michael has been on the faculty of Belmont’s String Crossings Camp, as well as a violin faculty member of the Masterworks Festival.
Not your average violin lesson!
What sets OnViolin apart from the sea of other online violin lesson options, is that you’ll actually be working with me as I guide you step by step towards making beautiful music on the violin…or OnViolin…dot com!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the course is designed for all skill levels, from complete beginners to advanced players. I also offer tailored lessons to meet your specific needs and help you progress at your own pace.
OnViolin includes video lessons, interactive practice exercises, sheet music, and access to a private student forum (our private FB group). You’ll also receive personalized feedback on your progress from me.
Lessons are structured in a progressive format, starting with the basics and advancing to more complex techniques. Each lesson includes video demonstrations, practice exercises, and assignments. You can progress through the lessons at your own pace, although each lesson is intended to take roughly 30min to complete.
Lessons are structured in a progressive format, starting with the basics and advancing to more complex techniques. Each lesson includes video demonstrations, practice exercises, and assignments. You can progress through the lessons at your own pace, although each lesson is intended to take roughly 30min to complete.
Lessons are all pre-recorded videos that you can access and re-watch as many times as you’d like, whenever you want.
Periodically there will be group classes, masterclasses, and office hours that are live, or synchronous events.
For subscribers who opt-in to be a part of the Masterclass Exchange, you can upload a video of your progress and I will reply with custom made video with advice and instruction based on your needs.
OnViolin was created for anyone who want to learn how to play the violin, but doesn’t live near a teacher. It’s also an affordable way to get started compared to in-person lessons.
Children are welcome to enroll in this program, however I strongly encourage parental supervision to monitor progress and assist with any technical issues.
No Masterclass Exchange content from children under the age of 18 will be posted to the site.
Instrument:
You’ll need a violin and a bow in good working condition. I also recommend a shoulder rest, rosin, and a tuner (apps are fine)
Technology
A phone, computer or tablet with an internet connection to watch the lessons.
A webcam, and microphone are required if you wish to upload video of your playing, or attend synchronous sessions. Most modern smartphones or laptops or tablets are all you need.
Yes, you can interact with me through video feedback via the Masterclass Exchange, live Q&A sessions, and the student forum (private FB group). I’m here to answer questions, provide guidance, and offer constructive feedback on your progress.
You will have access to the video library of lessons and other course materials as long as you are an active subscriber. Once you discontinue your membership, you will lose access to the course materials.
All video lessons are streamed from our hosting platform of choice, and are not downloadable or viewable without an internet connection. However, I cannot stop you from screen recording or ripping content off the site, so please do so for personal use only.
All video lessons and course materials are in English. Since music is a universal language, you do not have to speak english to participate in the Masterclass Exchange, and using translation services like Google Translate is also acceptable to participate in the community forums.
Many musical terms are in Italian, French and German, so it will be quite common to hear a variety of languages.
All my demonstrations are from the traditional setup with the violin in the left-hand, and the bow in the right hand. I recommend this setup regardless of which hand is dominant. However, if for any reason you choose to play the violin in opposite hands, you are welcome to study here, and I am happy to accommodate as best as possible.
I don’t recommend buying the cheapest violin you can find on Amazon, as they are usually not set up well, and make playing more difficult than it needs to be. Likewise, old violins that you find at garage sales, flea markets, or thrift stores often need more work in repairs than they are worth. If you can find a local store to purchase an instrument, that is typically the best route. I recommend Fiddlershop.com as they specialize in setting up each instrument for playability and they have affordable instruments too. They also ship worldwide. Be prepared to spend $300-500 for a decent Beginner violin outfit.
You can enroll in the course by visiting the top of this webpage and selecting the “Enroll Now” option. Follow the instructions on that page to select your membership level and complete your registration, After that you’ll receive immediate access to the course materials, as well as an email confirmation.
It’s normal to be nervous about sharing videos of your progress, but I assure you this is a supportive community dedicated to improving and growing. The best way for me to see what you need help with is through video. However, you won’t ever be asked to share identifying information about yourself, and you don’t need to include your face in the video either if you’d prefer.
You’re welcome to participate in the Masterclass Exchange portion of the lessons just as an observer without submitting videos of yourself.
Unfortunately, only audio recordings of playing will not be accepted. Video recordings convey much more important information to help me see what’s going on, and how we can improve.