Violin & Viola PedagogueDoctor of Musical ArtsValencia, Spain
Dr. Vera Rubin
A lifetime of performance and teaching across Russia, Israel, New Zealand, the United States, and Spain. Violin, viola, and chamber music lessons in Valencia and online.
Dr. Vera Rubin — Doctor of Musical Arts
About Dr. Rubin
Four decades of teaching at the highest level
Dr. Rubin’s career joins sustained orchestral and chamber performance with teaching in Moscow, Wellington, Boston, and Valencia.
- DMADoctor of Musical Arts — contemporary violin and viola performance, with historical performance study.
- 2012Named Teacher of the Year by the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association.
Chamber music & awards
Dr. Rubin organized and led the Mendelssohn String Quartet, which won first prize at an Israeli national competition.
Private Instruction
Lessons shaped around the individual student
Violin, viola, and chamber music instruction, with focused work on posture, practising methods, left-hand and bow technique, virtuoso strokes, and Baroque style.
In-Person — Valencia
Face-to-face instruction at Dr. Rubin's Valencia studio. Translation can be arranged when teacher and student do not share a language.
Online — Worldwide
Private video lessons for violin and viola students who cannot study at the Valencia studio.
Violin & Viola Pedagogy
Teaching expertise & lecture topics
Dr. Rubin teaches these subjects in private lessons, master classes, lectures, and teacher-training workshops.
- 01
Deep, expressive sound production
Tone quality, projection, resonance, and a broader range of musical colour.
- 02
Virtuoso bow-arm technique
Sautillé, spiccato, bouncing staccato, and three- and four-string chord technique.
- 03
Bow planning and bow construction
Planning bow use with a practical understanding of the bow's balance and construction.
- 04
Complete left-hand technique
Relaxation, intonation, shifting, double stops, dexterity, and virtuosity.
- 05
Posture, relaxation, and ergonomics
A sustainable relationship between the player's body, instrument, and bow.
- 06
Methods for violin and viola teachers
Pedagogical skills and methods for the earliest stages of learning a string instrument.
- 07
Baroque violin, bow technique, and style
Historically informed articulation, phrasing, and practical bow skills.
- 08
Baroque and modern bows compared
The principal similarities and differences in bow planning and stroke application.
Video Q&A
Ask Dr. Rubin
Not ready for full lessons? Send a short video with your question — a passage, a technique, a struggle — and receive a personal video answer from Dr. Rubin. A focused, affordable alternative to ongoing instruction.
Film a short video — show the passage or describe what you're working through.
Share it by WhatsApp or email, with any notes or sheet music.
Dr. Rubin replies with a personal video — demonstration, correction, and a path forward.
From the studio
Students & references
Student achievements
- Gregory Agursky
Appointed to the first-violin section of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.
- Daniel Balkansky
First place in the Kazan Violin Competition.
- Elena Nibelskaya
Second place in the Russian Federation String Competition.
- Vladimir Gurevich
Appointed to the Yad Harif Chamber Orchestra.
- Olga Konusheva
Appointed to the Yad Harif Chamber Orchestra.
- Mark Gorelik
First prize in the Jerusalem Music Academy Competition.
- Daria Dubrovina
Appointed to the first-violin section of the Valencia Symphony Orchestra.
- Metok Levin
Winner of the MMTA Competition and National Concerto Competition; admitted to Harvard University's dual-degree program.
- Olga Schtern
Appointed to the first-violin section of the Worms Symphony Orchestra.
- Andrey Kirillov
Appointed to the first-violin section of the Bath Chamber Orchestra.
- Megan Allison
First-violin appointments with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
- Malavika Gopal
Appointed assistant concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
- Zoey Long, viola
Winner of MMTA and national viola competitions; a Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra member from age 12; admitted to The Juilliard School and the Royal Academy of Music, London.
- Chloe Wang
Winner of the MMTA String Competition.
- Rachel Lei, viola
Winner of the MMTA String Competition.
- Andrew Fang
Winner of the MMTA String Competition.
- Ada Bartoly, age 10
First place in a young musicians competition in Paris, France.
Student recordings
References & testimonials
“I studied with Dr. Rubin for six years. She prepared me for professional auditions and competitions. Though she was then a very young teacher, she already had her own methods, phenomenal musical and technical instincts, and a rare gift for independent thinking. She completely rebuilt my posture and technique and equipped me with the technical and stylistic knowledge I use in my work today. Beyond her pedagogical talent, Dr. Rubin is a wonderful human being. I could not recommend her highly enough.”
Olga Glysman Worms Symphony
“I studied with Vera Rubin for four years. She prepared me for professional auditions. I never had a better teacher, before or after. She completely changed the way I performed and thought. She has not only considerable pedagogical talent but also a kind and generous personality. She speaks differently to every student, meeting each one as an individual. She is the best teacher any violin student could wish for.”
Ari Gvirtsman New Stage Chamber Orchestra, Israel
Testimonials translated into English and lightly edited for clarity.
Earlier references
Summaries of references published on Dr. Rubin’s earlier website.
- Dorothy Hope, violin and viola performer
- Values Rubin’s supportive teaching, constructive feedback, and command of technique and musical style. As a professional player, she continued returning for lessons.
- Dorothy Kao Ma, Wayland, Massachusetts · September 2012
- After a New England Conservatory summer course, continued studying for four years, crediting Rubin with improvements in technique, interpretation, tone, and physical comfort.
- Shanti Serdi, MD, parent
- Highlights patient teaching, respect for children, and careful explanations of bow technique and practice methods during her daughter’s lessons.
- Dasha Dubrovin, violinist
- Describes sustained work on posture and technique, beginning in 2002, that helped her pursue an orchestral career in Valencia.
- Tina Zou, parent
- Credits Rubin’s detailed attention to technique and musicianship, and her ability to identify and address problems, with her daughter’s progress.
Begin where you are.
Tell Dr. Rubin a little about yourself and what you'd like to work on.