Daily Virtuoso
Practicing shouldn’t feel like a constant battle with your own limitations.
Experience the revolutionary membership experience that helps you take control of your progress – while learning the greatest pieces in the repertoire (no more waiting!)
I’m Nathan Cole,
and I want to make you a Daily Virtuoso…
Nathan helped me focus on the skills I needed to improve the most
Before, I’d spend hours practicing but it wasn’t targeted enough to see the kind of improvements that I needed. Nathan helped me focus on the skills I needed to improve the most. He has a special ability to pinpoint and distill the most essential information incredibly clearly.”
COLE
VIOLIN
Nothing will keep you from the music you want to play anymore, not…
Misinformed judgments about your own unworthiness
Even the most successful performers question themselves. We fixate on flaws, second-guess our instincts, and assume others have it all figured out. But those thoughts rarely reflect the truth – and they certainly don’t help us grow.
Orchestra/gig-related repertoire overwhelm
From orchestra stand to solo stage, I know what it’s like to juggle it all. As Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, I’ve had to find a rhythm that supports both excellence and efficiency. In Daily Virtuoso, I share exactly how I keep my playing sharp – and how you can, too, no matter what’s on your stand.
Thinking you still need to spend another 3 years solidifying your fundamentals
The fundamentals aren’t something you graduate from. They’re something you build into your practice – every day, in every piece. Daily Virtuoso gives you the structure to do exactly that, with assignments that strengthen your technique while expanding your repertoire.
Does any of this sound familiar?
The hardest part of the day
The hamster wheel
An impossible task
An internal practice bully
Feeling alone
The imitation game
And here’s some good news:
If these thoughts have haunted you in the past, you’re not alone. In Daily Virtuoso, you’ll be writing a new narrative about yourself as an artist…in addition to solidifying the technical foundation that has always eluded you.
Here’s what you can look forward to:
A community
of support
No more spinning
your wheels
Mindset and
attitude
The great
repertoire, now
All in all, the Daily Virtuoso will teach you how to make daily progress in the practice room the norm – so that improvement is undeniable!
Ready to start?
Daily Virtuoso is the most valuable of all of Nathan’s classes!
My confidence has built up over several classes, starting with Nathan’s Violympics in 2020. I am finding the Daily Virtuoso to be the most valuable of all. I’m willing to stay an amateur, although I try to join the most professional groups I can. But I have long wanted to know: what made me sound unlike a pro? In Nathan’s Daily Virtuoso format, with just a few key technical or musical concepts to think about in each piece, each week, the ideas really stick. I find myself with a sudden awareness of them in the middle of a totally unrelated session, trying them out and hearing my playing sound more and more professional.”
In Daily Virtuoso,
we do things differently…
We use the music you actually want to play – the real repertoire – to build the technique you need. It’s functional fitness, on the violin.
- Take the double-stops and chords in Bach: instead of drilling them in isolation, we identify the culprit behind intonation inconsistencies and help you reorganize your left-hand frame from the ground up.
- And in Mozart or Beethoven, where purity and elegance are just as essential as control and clarity? We’ll work on spinning a long line and shaping each note within phrases that look simple – but demand real refinement.
- When it comes to showpieces – the fast, flashy, high-wire kind – we break things down into manageable steps and show you how to put them together with confidence, one week at a time.
- Even your etudes will feel different – because you’ll see exactly how they support the repertoire. That connection changes everything.
I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say he changed my life.
He changed the way that I look at my own practice and the way I look at my own playing. He gave me some new tools for changing my technique. Nathan is always coming up with fresh ideas, and that inspires me to work hard and try to look at my own playing through fresh eyes. I would encourage anyone to take part in Daily Virtuoso because you’ll learn new repertoire that you maybe thought was out of reach, and you get to meet a whole bunch of awesome people.”
Here’s what you get in Daily Virtuoso:
Core Curriculum
Weekly Video Assignments
Follow Nathan through each piece over twelve weeks — from the very first notes to bringing it to the stage. It’s like sitting in on a private lesson every week, except you can rewind, rewatch, and pick up new insights every time.
“The repertoire videos have helped answer every single question I’ve ever had, and couldn’t get answered anywhere else.” – Dianne
Practice Plans
Detailed plans linking important concepts and tools to the content in my weekly videos. No spinning your wheels for how to approach your practice time. You’ll have the distilled insights and strategies in front of you so that you can easily create your daily practice plan. Downloadable and electronic versions available.
Virtuoso Vault
An ever-growing library of technique, practice strategies, and mindset breakthroughs. From vibrato and thirds to memorization and performance nerves, you’ll find the tools you need to get unstuck and keep progressing.
“DV has been like rehab for my solo playing. I had lost so much confidence — this has given it back.” – Becky
Nathan’s Marked Parts
Save yourself hours of trial and error with Nathan’s bowings and fingerings. You’ll also see the thinking behind them — how a concertmaster weighs the options and makes decisions. Offered as PDF files that you can print out or upload to your tablet, and yours to keep forever.
Live Sessions
Workouts
Over the course of the year, you’ll get to experience 12 technique-focused sessions with Nathan where he leads you through a one-hour technique-focused class. Like all DV material, you can revisit these whenever you need a reminder about how to structure your time, bounce your bow, practice fast passagework, or any number of other topics.
Hot Seat Studio Classes
Monthly 60–minute sessions where you can bring your toughest questions: Why doesn’t this fingering work for me? How do I fix my spiccato? What makes my vibrato sound “off”? Since Nathan doesn’t teach privately anymore, this is a rare opportunity to get direct answers and see him troubleshoot in real time.
Practice Squads
Small-group sessions led by Nathan’s longtime students — with real-time support, accountability, and peer connection. Come for the questions and stay for the community. Nathan often drops in unannounced, adding his own insights and coaching.
“Realizing I’m not stuck at a plateau — I can get better as a musician. That has been life-changing.” – Holly
Guest Artist Sessions
Every quarter, join a conversation between Nathan and one of the living legends of the violin. These sessions are focused on the repertoire of the quarter, so you’ll get to see your violin idols demonstrate the music you’re working on, and gain insights into their approach, in real-time. Previous guests include James Ehnes, Simon Fischer, Augustin Hadelich, Hilary Hahn, Kim Kashkashian, Ida Kavafian, and Kerson Leong.
Community
Discord Community
Connect with your violin and viola colleagues throughout the week to share progress updates, questions, and wins. It’s a friendly community of supportive musicians who are all on the path of growth.
“You can actually play music you love with people you enjoy being with and have fun AND learn in the process.” – Holly
The DV Podcast
DV Podcast (Private Feed)
All the core lessons from Daily Virtuoso – now in podcast form. As a member, you’ll receive audio-only versions of each week’s video tutorials delivered directly to your private podcast feed. That means you can review the material while commuting, walking, cooking, or anytime you’re away from your instrument. No need to log in or stay connected to Wi-Fi – just press play and stay engaged with the material.
Annual Member Bonuses
These perks are reserved for our annual members:
With Guest Teachers
Each quarter, Daily Virtuoso annual members get access to a set of bonus classes that zoom out beyond the weekly curriculum — covering musical insight, physical coordination, and real-world orchestral perspective. You also get access to the full archive of past bonus sessions.
Learn from specialists who bring unique expertise to the violinist’s toolkit:
- Harmonic analysis with Joseph Sowa: Uncover the structural logic of masterworks so your phrasing and choices feel inevitable rather than guessed.
- Historical Performance with Laura Corolla: Explore style, bowing, articulation, and ornaments you can bring straight into your Bach (and beyond).
- Body Mapping with Jennifer Johnson: Discover strategies to release tension and prevent injury, based on the connection between anatomy and music-making.
With Nathan
Nathan also shares exclusive bonus classes designed just for annual members:
- Sight-Reading Masterclass: Nathan’s system for quickly absorbing and making music from new pieces.
- Concertmaster Class: Insights from the first chair of the Boston Symphony on preparing and leading orchestral masterworks.
- Nathan’s Practice Room LIVE: A behind-the-scenes look at Nathan’s own practice, streamed in real time, followed by Q&A and discussion.
- Open Repertoire Masterclass: A chance for annual members to bring any piece of their choice (not just the current DV repertoire) and receive Nathan’s direct coaching.
Inside the Daily Virtuoso vault
Are you ready to become a Daily Virtuoso?
So why wait another year to change your violin life?
What would you pay for a new foundation?
That’s the question, because you can have that – you can build a new foundation for your playing. You can learn to play Don Juan beautifully, or you can have a whole new foundation and play Don Juan and everything else beautifully too.”
Pricing Options
MONTHLY
- New Masterworks Each Quarter
- Virtuoso Vault Fundamentals
- Weekly Practice Plans & Videos
- Nathan’s Marked Parts
- Monthly Live Workouts
- Monthly Live Hot Seat Sessions
- Quarterly Special Guest
- Practice Squads
- Discord Community
ANNUAL
- Everything in Monthly, PLUS:
- 14-day Free Trial
- Priority for Hot-seat Spots
- Open Repertoire Masterclass
- Practice Room LIVE
- Special Topic Classes (examples include Harmonic Analysis, Historic Performance, Body Mapping)
I’m Nathan Cole, Your Violin Guide
I’m Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony. After a degree from the Curtis Institute, I joined the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Now in my third decade with major orchestras, I’ve also been helping violinists online for over 20 years, leading thousands of players through such events as the Violympics, Bach on the Road, the Spring Audition Intensive, and the Summer Bach Retreat.
It’s always bothered me to see players struggling to get through a door that could easily be unlocked with the right key. And as I’ve been blessed with knowledgeable, patient teachers who have given me the right keys over the years, I’ve always wanted to pass them on to others. Since 2001 – when natesviolin.com went live – I’ve been able to do just that, working with violinists I’ve never met in person!
For years, my high-level Virtuoso Master Course was the laboratory in which I tested strategies and solutions with my most dedicated students. Summer programs, like the Violympics, demonstrated the power of community paired with repertoire-based challenges. That’s why Daily Virtuoso is the natural evolution of my teaching, bringing together the best of the VMC and the summer: year-round mentorship as part of a worldwide studio of dedicated violinists.
And as much fulfillment as I get from helping you, I’m taking the Daily Virtuoso journey for myself! By making a multi-year commitment to my growth as an artist, I’ll be in the best position to share only the best and most proven wisdom with you.
Working with Nathan has helped me rise to each performance with a greater level of achievement and less stress.
Whether I am practicing the pieces of the moment for the Daily Virtuoso program or not, I am able to use the tools from Nathan’s courses to practice better and have a more positive performance experience. I also enjoy the camaraderie of the community – these connections make me feel part of a group even when I am practicing by myself. I can honestly say that working with Nathan and his courses gave me the mindset to learn music quickly and perform in a way I could be proud of. Thanks to Nathan, I am continuing to perform better and with more confidence.”
Your complete toolkit
As I promised, by studying some epic violin pieces, we will leave no stone unturned when it comes to every dimension of violin technique. You can bet that I’ll be teaching:
- Scales
- Double-Stops
- Bow Variables (sounding point, speed, pressure)
- Detaché
- Colle
- Martelé
- Spiccato
- Vibrato
- Shifting
…and so much more.
The moment you sign in, you’ll immediately get access to my “Virtuoso Vault” of videos covering these core technical elements.
Plus, I’ll introduce you to my “Daily 5” that will level up your practice session in a matter of minutes.
Through my weekly practice plans, you’ll become fluent with the ingredients of a bulletproof practice session, and you’ll learn how to build your own daily routine in no time.
Plus, did I mention…
A year of masterworks
You’re probably wondering, “What pieces will we work on this year?” I’m glad you asked: the 2025-26 repertoire will include:
- Bach, Sonata No. 1 in g minor
- Vieuxtemps, Concerto No. 5
- Beach, Romance and Three Pieces
- Sibelius, Violin Concerto
- Ravel, Sonata No. 2 in G Major
- Brahms/Shcumann, FAE Sonata
- Bruch, Scottish Fantasy
- Ysaÿe, Sonata No. 4
- Kreisler, Recitative and Scherzo
- Mozart, Symphonie Concertante
- Grieg, Sonata in c minor
- Montgomery, Rhapsodie 1
Of course, you’re not under any obligation to learn all of these in your first year.
You’re free to pick and choose… Remember, the lessons and practice plans are yours as long as you’re a Daily Virtuoso!
The thing I enjoy most about Daily Virtuoso is the fact that I’m learning something new EVERY DAY.
I love the variety of repertoire and all of the different ways Nathan guides us in the learning process. I am able to play things now that I thought weren’t possible for me in the past. Having the right knowledge and tools has opened up a whole new world of growth in my playing. And I am able to pass this knowledge on to my students! Would I recommend Daily Virtuoso to a friend? Actually, I did, and they are in the program right now!”
New to learning violin online?
There’s a reason I started making video tutorials in the early days of YouTube. It’s because I wanted violinists everywhere to have access to the best information to solve their problems. Every time I’ve found a solution to my own technical challenges, I’ve been eager to share it. Why should you have to struggle when there’s an easier way?
My students are spread around the world, are all ages, and come from all backgrounds and walks of life. Even seasoned pros have solved their stickiest technical challenges through my video tutorials:
More Testimonials
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National Ballet of Canada
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Former Member Snarky Puppy
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FAQs
Nathan does not teach privately. The only way to work with Nathan currently is through the Daily Virtuoso.
For many years, Nathan has had a passion for helping as many people as possible around the world to solve their violin challenges and reach new levels of coordination, facility, and ease on the instrument. Nathan has taught for decades in a variety of formats – both virtual and in person – and has been longing to spend more time focused on the repertoire he loves most, while using that great music to help students open all kinds of new possibilities in their playing.
As Nathan’s children have gotten older, he’s been looking for ways to share his teaching in the most impactful way while still having the time to devote to his family. Hence, Daily Virtuoso! It’s designed to let you focus on what matters most in your violin life.
While learners of all levels are welcome, Daily Virtuoso is designed for intermediate, advanced and professional-level players who already have a commitment to daily practice. Daily Virtuoso focuses on great works from the violin repertoire that require a familiarity with all standard (and some more specialized) techniques on the violin, and is most useful to players who are comfortable with all core elements of violin or viola technique.
Throughout the assignments, Nathan will offer suggestions on how to scale down the workflow so that you can meet the program where you are. You can choose to focus only on certain elements of each quarter’s curriculum, or you can opt to do the most you can with all of the ideas presented. You get to keep the lessons and videos for as long as you maintain your Daily Virtuoso membership, so you can come back to the pieces again and again – you might surprise yourself with how quickly you’re able to improve!
While learning online is not for everyone, many students have relied on online learning as their primary source of instruction. The majority of Nathan’s teaching over the last 10+ years has been online.
If you are uncomfortable with Zoom, navigating the internet, or researching and implementing solutions to your tech challenges, or if you know that the best way for you to learn is by having a teacher standing in the same room with you, then Daily Virtuoso is probably not for you.
Daily Virtuoso is an entirely virtual experience that runs on an ongoing basis, with quarterly repertoire arcs. We kick off a new quarter each January, April, July, and October.
Each quarter’s meeting schedule is decided in advance and published on the Daily Virtuoso course page, as well as in the participant handbook. Live calls are scheduled according to Nathan’s availability, but we do try to vary the days and times to accommodate a variety of time zones.
The course material includes pre-recorded videos and PDF downloads that are accessible through the natesviolin.com website. There are also live sessions that take place on Zoom and a community forum on Discord. All live sessions are recorded for your convenience.
As long as you are a member of Daily Virtuoso, you have access to new and archived course materials, replay recordings of Practice Squads and live sessions, and everything in our growing Virtuoso Vault.
We encourage you to approach the repertoire with an open mind, or “growth mindset.” The tools and techniques presented each week can translate to any music you might want to learn. You might even find yourself enjoying the work after giving it a try for a few months.
Will you be going over audition strategies? The Daily Virtuoso is not focused on audition repertoire. Nathan may bring in some concepts from his experience on both sides of the audition screen, but the musical selections will come from the masterworks of the solo violin literature. That said, you can apply Nathan’s approach to any music you’d like to learn, be it chamber music, audition repertoire, or that folder of orchestral music you need to have ready for rehearsal next week!
The primary purpose of Practice Squads is to build community. This is a designated time to come together and connect about your Daily Virtuoso experience in a facilitated small group setting. The Practice Squad coaches are all alumni of the VMC program who have worked closely with Nathan for many years and are very familiar with his teaching style.
We currently have four practice squad coaches, and each coach’s squad meets once a month.
You are welcome to attend as many of the different coaching squads as you would like to!
The Practice Squad coaches are all professional musicians who have studied extensively with Nathan and have a deep understanding of his approach, as well as their own decades of experience.
As an added bonus, Nathan drops in on at least one practice squad a month! These surprise visits are opportunities for you to connect and work with Nathan in a more intimate setting.
Practice Squads, like all Daily Virtuoso content, are recorded.
Each week, Nathan releases approximately one hour of video content on the current quarter’s repertoire. There are two live calls with Nathan each month: a workout session digging into various techniques and topics relevant to the curriculum, and a Hot Seat Studio Class, in which participants get to ask for feedback from Nathan. While we love seeing participants join the live sessions, everything is recorded and organized to fit around any schedule.
We all get behind from time to time, so you’ll be in good company. We recommend that when you fall behind, you simply pick up wherever you are and keep going.
You have access to the lessons and videos for as long as you maintain your Daily Virtuoso membership, so anything you missed this time around, you can pick up the next time!
Nathan’s rule of thumb here: if the workload is too intense, reduce it. You can choose to work on less repertoire now and come back to this quarter’s materials when you have more time. Even if you’re right in step with the pace of Nathan’s curriculum, you’ll likely gain more and more insights the more you return to the repertoire.
Considering that a year of weekly private lessons with an experienced teacher in the US would cost at least $5,000, Daily Virtuoso offers an enormous amount of value for the cost. Not only do you get many more hours of instruction (via pre-recorded videos) than you would get in private lessons, ranging from in-depth repertoire lessons to a wide range of technical and mindset fundamentals, Daily Virtuoso offers robust community features that will keep you motivated and inspired.
If what you need in order to get better career performances is greater stability, reliability, and confidence in your playing, then this program will deliver on that – as long as you put in the consistent effort.
Daily Virtuoso will provide you with exposure to all the tools and techniques you need to succeed as a violinist, as well as the mindset to incorporate them in a lasting way. However, the Daily Virtuoso can not practice for you! You’ll need to engage with the content in a meaningful way to reap its rewards.
Annual Memberships: You’ll start with a 14-day free trial. If you don’t cancel during that trial, your card will be charged $3,000 two weeks from today, and your membership will continue for one full year. You may request a refund within 14 days of that billing date. After that period, annual memberships are non-refundable.
Monthly Memberships: You’ll enjoy full access immediately, but your first payment won’t be charged until the last day of the month. That means you’ll get between 1–14 days of access before your first billing. Monthly subscriptions are non-refundable. If you cancel before your first billing date, you won’t be charged.
Access Duration: When you cancel, your membership remains active through the end of your current paid subscription term. For example, if your billing date is the 29th and you cancel on the 3rd, you’ll still have access until the 29th.
To cancel any time, go to My Account → Subscriptions on the site.
Daily Virtuoso is open for enrollment every quarter. If you can’t join us this time, we hope to see you in the future!
We are not currently offering scholarships for Daily Virtuoso, but the program is open for enrollment every quarter. Should your budget change, we hope you’ll join us then!
So many forces – especially in the professional music world, let me tell you – can drag us down, tempt us to phone it in, and make us question our life choices. But together, we can create a different experience, centered on our shared love for and commitment to playing the violin!
You’ve already done the hardest part: Getting Started. And you’ve stuck with it and made it this far!
What if this chapter of your violin life is still just the beginning?
What would happen if you believed that some of your greatest violin moments lie ahead of you, and all you had to do was start relating to your daily practice rhythm a little differently?
If you’re ready to find out, I hope you’ll join me in The Daily Virtuoso.
