Dr. Immanuel Abraham is an award-winning violin soloist, author, and visiting Orchestra Director for the Bismarck Public Schools.

He is known as @TheViolinDoctor on all major social media platforms and as founder of The Violin Guild, serving over 70,000 string players of all levels and backgrounds worldwide.

Among other works, he has written and performed his own "24 Caprices for Solo Violin". These are studied worldwide and have sold over 2,000 copies since their publication in 2020. The University of Arizona has described them as “...a masterpiece of globalism and diversity”.

He has been the Professor of Strings for South Dakota State University (2023-2025) and MusicProfessor.com (2018-2019). He has also been the Concertmaster for: Woodbine Productions, Prairie Repertory Theatre, Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Contemporary Ensemble, NEWorks Philharmonic Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Music Director for the Scoundrel & Scamp Theater, and many other positions.

Organizations recently featuring Dr. Abraham include PBS, ASTA, ESTA, The Entertainer, The Menuhin-Dowling Violin Program, Southwest Strings, Tucson Film Festival, South Dakota State University, String Masters, The Key To Change, SHAR Music, Fiddlershop, The Community School of Music & Arts, Arizona Jewish Post, the Arizona Daily Star, and more.

Dr. Abraham has recorded on two Hindustani albums with the Infinite Compassion Orchestra directed by Kasey Gopal, both available on all streaming services.

Beyond music he is a proactive environmentalist, yogi, and passionate advocate for world kinship via collaborative arts.

He is a proud ambassador for:
Southwest Strings, Pirastro,
D'Addario Orchestral, Leatherwood

Rosins, Lonesome Pine Rosins,

and Ovation Press.

Facebook, Instagram

"Dr. Abraham's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are a masterpiece of advanced violin repertoire reflecting the musical globalism and diversity of the 21st century."
—The University of Arizona,
College of Fine Arts

Screen Shot 2020-08-17 at 10.01.16 AM.pn

The 24 Caprices, 3rd Ed
Own Yours Here!

"They're such a fascinating set of works!"
—Violinist, Jennifer Koh

"There is a sense of utter commitment in his playing, and quality in his approach to performance that is unique and captivating."
—St. Louis Symphony Concertmaster,
David Halen

"A great leader in our world of music."
— Emmy Award Winner, Mark Wood

"Phenomenal!"—
— Grammy Award Winners, Black Violin

"As authentic a fiddle player
as I've ever heard!"
— Grammy Award Winner, Alex DePue

Follow
@TheViolinDoctor
on Instagram

Thomas Reynolds’s stellar recital last night.

This day in 2024 💙💛🙂👍

#clarinet #cello #piano #violín #frenchhorn
#chambermusic #chambermusicians

Snow ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️
❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

The extent to which I was sure it was gone for the Spring is amusing. 😮😧😦😐😑

#winter #snow #seasons #seasons #coldday❄️ #cold #abrahamcaprices #violin #violinists #violins #violinmusic #violinplayer

Arts at the Oscar: A Night of Stars
GET TICKETS! 🎫 🎟️ 🎫 🎟️ 🎫 🎟️
www.sdstate.evenue.net
Thursday, May 15th
Oscar Larson Memorial Concert Hall
• “Kings of Soul & Swing” on at 5:00pm
• “ @theviolindoctor ” on at 7:00pm

🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵
#violín #sdsu #southdakotastateuniversity #sdstate #sdstatefair #brookingssd

GET TICKETS! 🎫 🎟️ 🎫 🎟️ 🎫 🎟️
www.sdstate.evenue.net
Arts at at Oscar: “A Night of Stars”
Thursday, May 15th
Oscar Larson Memorial Concert Hall
• “Kings of Soul” on at 5:00pm
• “Dr. Immanuel Abraham” on at 7:00pm @theviolindoctor

🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵🎻🎻🎻🫵
#violín #sdsu #southdakotastateuniversity #sdstate #sdstatefair #brookingssd

Post concert photo - had the privilege of performing “La Création du Monde” - an ingenious jazz-influenced Impressionist era ballet by Darius Milhaud (1922) with violinist, Corby Shelsta and amazing SDSU music faculty and students under the superb direction of @jwconductor !

Thank you for the opportunity!

#gratitude #ballet #balletto ##balletpost #impressionism #impressionist

Let’s share some practice experience.

Practice before work, on break, after, and more. This makes our art as “easy” as the number of times it’s done.

Practice out of tune, a crooked bow, or practice not practicing, and those become the “easy” things that make all the music we love hard.

Practice makes permanent.
We master whatever we practice enough, good or not-good.

Un-mastering a lame technique takes twice the effort because our minds must replace it with the right technique.

“Quality over quantity”, always.

Lastly, there must always be a quantity of practice for said quality to rule over in the first place.

Right?

Anyway, back to it.
Goodnight! 😉🎻🌙

#practice #practicepracticepractice #100daypractice #violin #abrahamcaprices #theviolindoctor #sdsu #sdsugrad

Caprice No. 21 in C Minor: “The Blues Caprice” by @theviolindoctor

👉Order Yours! www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24
👉READ ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GENRES IN MY 76-PAGE “24 CAPRICES FOR SOLO VIOLIN”
👉OVER 2,200 SOLD!

#violin #abrahamcaprices #violinist #music #violinplayer #musician #violino #violinista #violín #violinists

@kasey.gopal
@mattmoonmusic
@8thhouseashley
@contraturtle
@theviolindoctor

Under rehearsal and performance direction of.
• Dr. Laura Diddle
• Dr. Andrew Robinette
• Dr. Will McLean
these are some of the talents of tonight’s choirs I had the honor of violining with!
#gratitude #voice #vocalist #choir #choirs #choirs

Nearly 300 years of violin discipline,
in order!
• Pierre Gaviniès
• Pierre Rode
• Niccolo Paganini
• Jakob Dont
• Immanuel Abraham ( @theviolindoctor )

When mine were finally published, I’d been writing, performing, rewriting, editing, etc. for over 1/3 of my life.

The collection is 76pgs, in its 3rd edition, and has been ordered by over 2,200 artists all over the world. They are not études and are written purely for music.
Learn more and order here!
www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24 👈

Hundreds of supporters who regularly shared, liked, posted, tried, and complimented them online received free signed copies in the mail.

Actually ordering no less supports my work. The effort is consistent and unbroken. Priorities have moved onto the solo album!

I thank everyone engaged in this looong, challenging, and life-gratifying work.

Thank you! ☺️🙏🎻

#abrahamcaprices #violin #fiddle #paganini #niccolopaganini #24Caprices #violincover #violinplayer #violinteacher #violinst

@sdsymphony Young Musicians Concerto Competition Winner, 15yo Violinist Eva Fernandez and her teacher, Magda Modzelewska 🎻

• Directors: @jeffslarsen
Nicholas Kedar
Adjudicators:
• Keyboard: @eunheepianist
• Winds: William Torres
• Strings: @theviolindoctor

#violin #sdsu #augustanauniversity #sdso

Ahh, now that makes sense.
@theviolindoctor

The summary of everything I’ve learned about life is simply that it goes on until it doesn’t.
In between it’s best learning how to look past lot, enjoy tons from a little, and know that improving the world makes everyone’s world better.

🙂🙏🎻

#thoughts #life #lifelessons #thought #thinking #instagram

Many ask me why classical violinists rarely change to 5-string violins?

As a soloist, educator, and composer of over 100 published works for strings, I will answer this for everyone right here on Instagram!

5-string violins are wonderful for many things. Contrary to common belief however, they cannot do all that 4-string violins are made to do.

For many techniques and pieces the extra string and space made for it are very obstruent. On average we lose 0.5mm between strings, center-to-center at the nut, to make space for a 5th string.

This robs the finger space needed for clean: left hand pizzicato, thumb fingerings, and double trills in 3rds and 6ths.

A 5th string also obstructs our 4-string aim in multiple bariolage types.
• Ernst’s “Last Rose of Summer” Var. 4
• Paganini’s Caprice No. 1
• Mendelssohn’s E Minor Cto. cadenza
• Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” solos
and many others one suddenly doesn’t play as cleanly if at all.

In advanced fiddling, where many of these techniques are common, I’ve seen examples in my own D minor “Fiddle Caprices” Nos.13 & 14. ASTA 2023, played by another on his 5-string, neither were done well. He then gathered an applauding crowd repeating them on his 4-string.

The leaner 4-string instrument’s fingerboard also enables all fingers to reach farther. For simultaneous pitch control, no frets facilitating barre chords, our 4 playing fingers work particularly well on 4 strings!

Good composers write with the instrument’s sound in mind. The most common tonics for violin are G, D, A, and E respectively. These are not just the violin’s open strings, but the order of their overtone output. Tonics are clearly decided accordingly.

For the soloist, C3 overtones are not only often dissonant but also overwhelmingly strong. D Major’s leading tone strains against more than tonic, and A Major’s mediant fights to even sound major against the instrument!

In summary, many techniques are hindered by the 5th string and extra space both added (fingerboard) and subtracted (between strings) to accommodate it. An experience one can juxtapose for the curious non-string player is Chopin on a quarter-tone piano.

11PM Charlie Parker: Donna Lee
Makin’ sure it felt good for tomorrow’s gig
@triojazzclub
with @j0nb4kk3n , @christian_dej , Dan Bielfeldt

#jazz #jazzmusic #jazzstandard #jazzstandards #jazzviolin #theviolindoctor #brookings #sdsu #southdakotastateuniversity

These incredible Pedagogy students are learning strings for the very first time!

Some instruments in the video were just started this week!

Due to campus events, only 6 could attend class today. They made a sextet and recorded this!

They’ve all also learned:
• TWO other bowed instruments each
• Learning to read and apply unfamiliar clefs
• Posture & Form
• String engravings (bow markings)
• Instrument care
• Intro to Bowing
• Restringing
• Tuning
• Finger taping
• Note / Finger numbering
• more

I couldn’t be more proud of them!

⭐️ Violin: @ethan_strawn
⭐️ Viola: @jaydenhoffart
⭐️ Viola: @soph_poppen
⭐️ Viola: @saylorlippert
⭐️ Cello: @ezekielduncan54
⭐️ Cello: @jenna_soine9716

😊❤️🎻🎻🎻👍

#musiceducation #musiced #stringquartet #stringsextet #sdsu #violin #viola #cello

From last night! Dr. Xuan Kuang and @theviolindoctor
SDSU Civic Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Dr. David Reynolds
Photo credit: Rina Reynolds

A true gift to make music with all of these extraordinary friends. 🙂🙏🎻 #gratitude

#southdakota #symphony #southdakotasymphonyorchestra #sdsu #sdsujacks #sdsugrad #brookings #brookingssd #siouxfalls

Man, those were the days weren’t they?
COVID-19

#covidart #covidtest #covidvacccine #covid #covıd

Sunday, 4:00PM, Larsen Memorial Concert Hall
FREE & OPEN to the PUBLIC !

SDSU Civic Symphony Orchestra
“NEW WORLDS”
• Conductor & Director: Dr. David Reynolds
• Piano: Dr. Xuan Kuang
• Violin: Dr. Immanuel Abraham

#dvorak #dvořák #stamitz #rossini #symphony

A privilege and pleasure to meet and play for the SDSU Black Student Alliance @sdsu_bsa this evening at the Union.

It is full of musicians among other talents!

Lots of new friends and a birthday well spent!
😊🙏🎻 GO BLUE!! 💙💛💙💛💙💛💙

#diversify #diversity #diversità #diversityandinclusion #diversitymatters #latino #sdsu #southdakota #southdakotagram #islander #jamacian #mexican #interracial #inclusion #love

😊🙏🎉 Thanks Everyone!
Much gratitude.
All love. 💙

#gratitude #grateful #friends #family #birthday #birthdaycake #birthdayparty #birthdayman #student #students #party

Saturday, December 7th at 6:30pm
524 4th st. Brookings, SD 57006

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
Sonate Nr. 1 für Solo Violine
in G Moll BWV 1001:
• Adagio
• Fugue
• Siciliene
• Presto

Partita Nr. 2 für Solo Violine
in D Moll “Chaconne” BWV 1004:
Thema und 64 Variationen

#violin #violín #violinplayer #violinist #sdstate #gojacks #abrahamcaprices #music #bach #jsbach

Brahms Violin Concerto
Arizona Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by András Derecskei

@pirastroofficial

#violin #violín #violinplayer #violinist #violinista #violinists #violinistsofinstagram #abrahamcaprices

Rough draft is FINALLY in one place.
Been 7 to 9 separate documents for years.

Due to: broken computer, unskilled movers, moving too often, or prioritizing the “24 Caprices” in editing and publication — it’s been tough getting this one on its feet.

3rd book. Not music. Not academics. Straight up prose for the how and why.

All on my FIDs — Finger Independence Drills!

Third trills, sixth trills, left hand pizz, 5th finger use — these became “easy” for me between 2015 and 2017.

“Fidget Maestro” covers How and Why they work!

#violin #violinist #violinbreakfast🎻🍳 #violinplayer #fiddle #music #musician #violon #violines #violine #violincover #violinpractice #violinteacher #violinlessons #violinprofessor #abrahamcaprices

“Not ‘some’ or ‘most’ but ‘every’ with rare excuse.“
@theviolindoctor

Check Out These 10 STAR Artists!🎵🎙️
⭐️@kasey.gopal
⭐️@mattmoonmusic
⭐️@dilaineeee
⭐️@rogueviolin
⭐️@lyubart.phila
⭐️@shaz.violin
⭐️@sarahhh_mindel
⭐️@violinna
⭐️@mindoverfinger
⭐️@percain2040

#abrahamcaprices #violin #music #violinist #piano #cello #viola #musician #classicalmusic #violino #guitar #orchestra #violinista #violinplayer #musica #art #strings #concert #daysofpractice #violinmusic #violincover #bass #n #love #musicians #practice #violinlove #electricviolin #pianist #violine

Dr. Emily Toronto was a phenomenal talent to perform with this evening. 🙂 🎤 🎵 🎻

At Dr. Toronto’s request, this week I wrote and performed four violin accompaniments to songs by fellow BIPOC Chicago-bred composer, Florence Price (1887-1953).

#violin #florenceprice #abrahamcaprices #southdakotastateuniversity #violinist #classical #classicalmusic #brookingssd

10AM in office for Sunday’s 7 private lessons.
90 min of learning Dorico.
60 min making Caprice 18 match Finale format.
(Long way to go!)
Snack on ridiculous amount of cashews.
1hr grading Musicology.
Scales
Run thru today’s performance with Emily Toronto!
Another hour grading Musicology.
Run thru tomorrow’s Double Concerto Xuan Kuang!
60min Planning tomorrow’s class structures.
etc. etc. etc. . .
Clean up office / Leave 10pm

A simple weekend I’d call productive.👍🎼🎻

#abrahamcaprices #productivity #productive #productiveday #grading #educator #gradingpapers #musician #musicians #musicianlife #musiciansofinstagram #musicianofinstagram #violin #violinist #violinplayer

on when to practice. 🎻🙂👍
@theviolindoctor

#abrahamcaprices #violin #music #violinist #cello #viola #musician #classicalmusic #violino #orchestra #violinista #violinplayer #musica #art #strings #concert #daysofpractice #violinmusic #violincover #bass #love #musicians #practice #violinlove #electricviolin #violine

• My 1st published composition: “The Gilgamesh Quartet”
• Premiered at U of Michigan
• Now teaching for SDSU too, I say “Go Blue” every day! 🫵💙💛🐰🎻🏆🎼👍
@theviolindoctor

#abrahamcaprices #m #violins #violinistsofinstagram #fiddle #violinpractice #livemusic #classical #violinmaker #violinlessons #violinstagram #cellist #viol #instamusic #violinists #violinteacher #classicalmusician #violon #luthier #violinlife #violingirl #stringquartet #chambermusic

Jackrabbit artists at @eatatperkins 🐰💛💙

#jackrabbits #sdsu #gojacks #southdakotastateuniversity #jackrabbit #jacks #sdsujacks #college #sdsucru #mysdsu #sdstate

The Carl Stamitz Piano Concerto in F has a simple and beautiful solo violin accompaniment for the entire 2nd movement.

I was privileged being asked to play it with fellow SDSU faculty, Dr. Kuang Xuan, in a couple of weeks.
This video is the mvt. 2 double-cadenza’s solo violin part.

I was also asked by Dr. Emily Toronto to write AND perform violin parts for 4 songs Voice written by Florence Price.

That’s also coming up. I’ll update this with dates and times in a few hours! 🙂🎻👍🌹

#violin #violinist #violín #violinplayer #abrahamcaprices #music #trill

Coffee or Tea? 🫖 ☕️ 🍵
Which does this image’s mood express more?

(Music compositional reason behind question.)

Feel free to share why, haha! 🙂🙏🎻

Thank you!

www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24

#violin #violinist #abrahamcaprices #music #coffee #tea #starbucks #starbucks☕️ #starbuckscoffee #cottonwoodcoffee #cafe #café #jazzcafe

The 2014 Gershwin Initiative
University of Michigan
@umichsmtd

Hard to believe that was 10 years, 2 degrees, 2 certifications, 4 states, 7 homes, and several hundred performances ago.

Besides a few operas and camps, last summer genuinely felt like an exhale by comparison.

#music #umich #abrahamcaprices #violin #violinist

It’s a therapeutic experience to hear it in your mind, write it all down like a memorized prayer, and play it through that evening! 🙂❤️🎻
———————————————

As you may know, Caprice No. 18 in D Major will be replaced in 2025.

Observing feedback from hundreds of performers, it simply never reached comparable acclaim with other twenty-three I’m extremely happy with.

A New Caprice No. 18, in E Phrygian (A Minor) will take its place in all future editions in the April, 2025. It will also replace the 18th caprice on my slowly-upcoming solo album, “The New 24 Caprices”.

The new Caprice No. 18 will soon be a FREE download upon request to any previous purchasers of previous editions with proof of purchase. All requests must be made after April 1st via the website below:

www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24

Thank you for your beautiful performances, inspiring feedback, and support of my work!

Always Gratefully,
@theviolindoctor 🫵🙂🎻🎻🎻

#violin #music #violinist #piano #cello #viola #musician #classicalmusic #violino #guitar #orchestra #violinista #violinplayer #musica #art #strings #concert #daysofpractice #violinmusic #violincover #bass #n #love #musicians #practice #violinlove #electricviolin #pianist #violine #abrahamcaprices

Caprice No. 23 in D Minor: “Fugue”
by Ðr Immanuel T. Abraham
Read about the 24 Caprices & Order yours!👉 www.theviolindoctor.com/24

Meta gave this in The Violin Guild (TVG) today.
TVG is an international string music support group I started in 2014 with 67,000 verified members.

Cool beans. 🫘 😊 🎻 👍

#violin #violinist #24caprices #abrahamcaprices #violino #violinplayer #violincover #violingroups

😃 Want it FREE!?

www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24
1. Visit website 👆👆👆
2. There, DM in chat what you like about ones you’ve heard.
3. Get download code & link.
4. Download FULL 75pg collection FREE!

LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!
No scam no spam. I’d never do that. 😅

#violin #violín #violinist #violin #music #musician #violinista #classicalmusic #violino #violinplayer #violinmusic #orchestra #violinlove #daysofpractice #violincover #electricviolin #violins #violine #violinistsofinstagram #violinstagram #violinpractice #violinists #strings #violinlife #violingirl #musica

Infinite Compassion Orchestra
by @kasey.gopal guitar/harmonium
@mattmoonmusic percussion
@geesashley voice
@_r.adha voice
@contraturtle bass
@theviolindoctor violin
🪬🇮🇳

#kirtan #yoga #bhakti #bhaktivedanta #bhaktiyoga #yogainspiration #yogachallenge #kirtanyoga #hindustanibhau #hindustani #indianmusic #indianculture #krishna #krishnalove

Arizona Symphony Orchestra 🎼
Violins of 2017 💙❤️
#flashback 🎻
@uazmusic

www.TheViolinDoctor.com/24 👈

#memories #music #bands #nostalgia #nostalgiamusic #symphony #orchestra #university #love #loveforever #ensemble

Bach, Gavotte en Rondeau (practice / section run)

Play it 10,000 times and procure 10,000 different results, like anything else we say.

We read it.
We write it.
We speak it with voices or other instruments.
We use it to communicate the human experience.
These 4 pillars support nearly every human language.

————————————

💫10 STAR Artists to Follow!
⭐️ @shaz.violin
⭐️ @musicpars2021
⭐️ @alexandra.conunova
⭐️ @nastazhang
⭐️ @silkandstrings.aerialviolin
⭐️ @rana_violin
⭐️ @armita.asadi123
⭐️ @eileenfiddle
⭐️ @fiddlingviolin
⭐️ @smart_strings

————————————

#violin #violinist #violino #violín #violinplayer #violincover #violinmusic #violinist #bach #jsbach #baroquemusic #abrahamcaprices

Learned a lot last year.
Had a chill night in Sioux Falls.
I’m ready for a GREAT year!
One of AMAZING students,
PHENOMENAL colleagues,
and BREATHTAKING music! 😉

#violin #violinist #violinplayer #violino #theviolindoctor #peace #man #blackmen #hats #hat #lake #siouxfalls #brookingssd #southdakota

• Your professor, 10 years ago today! 😅
9 music geeks in Michigan’s forests all summer.
• 15 years ago, farthest to the right, Marco and I toured Europe together playing Tchaikovsky’s 4th, Romeo & Juliet, and Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” at @bluelakeofficial
• 6 years ago, 2nd from the left, Spencer and I completed our doctorates together at @uazmusic in Arizona

🌍 🌎 🌏
The world is small. The music world is even smaller!

#violin #southdakotastateuniversity #music #geeks #orchdork #nerds #blfac #bluelake #bluelakefineartscamp #abrahamcaprices

Video by @opusreality
I felt it worth sharing. 🌍🫂🧬

#life #lifequotes #lifelessons #love #loveislove #lovequotes #loveyourself #lifecoaching #yoga #yogaoasis #abrahamcaprices #lifeadvice

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"Dr. Abraham's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are a masterpiece of advanced violin repertoire reflecting the musical globalism and diversity of the 21st century." —The University of Arizona, College of Fine Arts

The 24 Caprices, 3rd Ed Own Yours Here!

"They're such a fascinating set of works!" —Violinist, Jennifer Koh

"There is a sense of utter commitment in his playing, and quality in his approach to performance that is unique and captivating." —St. Louis Symphony Concertmaster, David Halen

"A great leader in our world of music." — Emmy Award Winner, Mark Wood

"Phenomenal!"— — Grammy Award Winners, Black Violin

"As authentic a fiddle player as I've ever heard!" — Grammy Award Winner, Alex DePue

​