ABOUT FIDDLERMAN

Welcome to fiddlerman.com

Pierre Holstein aka Fiddlerman, performed professionally for over 25 years in both America and Europe. Concert master and section leader in two full time Scandinavian orchestras.

I have had the good fortune to sit on juries and judge countless auditions. Through doing this I have seen the typical mistakes and habits of many potentially great violinists. I’ve also had the opportunity to coach and teach professional violinists as well as freelance violinist and students. Hopefully I can help provide all violinists, beginners and advanced, a friendly place to visit, learn, and improve what we all love doing.  Tips and suggestions are very welcome and I will from time to time make free videos based on availability.

Pierre Holstein was raised in South Florida. Concert master of many youth orchestras including Eastern Music Festival in NC at 17 years of age. Studied with Thomas Tzaggaris and Tom Moore. Majored in music performance at the University of Miami. Took some lessons with Dorothy DeLay at Congress of Strings and world famous soloist, Ida Haendel in Miami. Played with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Miami City Ballet before moving to Sweden in 1988. Associate concert master of the Gavleborg Symphony Orchestra for 4 years, then moved to the south of Sweden and became one of the principles in the Malmo Symphony Orchestra for 16 years. Recently moved to Fort Lauderdale with plans on staying in Florida.

Pierre Holstein (Fiddlerman) playing Piazzolla with Henrik Hansen

Fiddlerman (Pierre Holstein) playing around with the Bach Preludio Sonata VI on his Zeta electric violin through a guitar effect box. A demonstration of a distortion effect on the electric violin.

I recorded “The Flight of the BumbleBee” using the same instrument, a Mac, Digital Performer and iMovie. Recorded 3 tracks individually and played the fourth on iMovie along with the accompaniment that I created. Tried to shape the parts individually but had some trouble finding the right effects.

I was asked to play one of violin maker, Jan Larsson’s new violins for a TV documentary about violin making around year 1989.  I was set up in a church with strong spot lights on me for video. It was almost like playing in a sauna. I played straight though the Chaconne fairly satisfied when I was asked to play it again because of technical difficulties with the camera :slight_frown:

I was soaked but agreed to do it for my friend Jan Larsson. Fingers were slipping all over the fingerboard, no one to pat the sweat off my face. Somehow I managed to play somewhat OK. Here is the Chaconne without the Swedish documentary part.