He has taught strings at every institutional level. This ranges from elementary string-orchestra directing for the Detroit Public Schools through years of applied lessons in Violin and Viola Performance performance at South Dakota State University and every individual level in between.

He is @TheViolinDoctor on all major social media platforms and administrator of The Violin Guild, serving over 79,000 string players of all ages, levels, and backgrounds worldwide.

In 2010 Dr. Abraham began performing his own music for solo violin. These were very well received on and beyond the campus of his alma-mater, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

By 2020, they were published as his 78-page "24 Caprices for Solo Violin". They have since sold thousands of copies and become repertoire for auditions, study, and performance worldwide. The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music describes 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), Orchestra Director for Carpenter Elementary School, Durant Turri-Mott Elementary, Neithercut Elementary, and Freeman Elementary in the Detroit Public Schools and Simle Middle School's 6th, 7th, and 8th grade orchestras. and Legacy High School's Concert Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra in Bismarck, North Dakota, and violin technique instructor for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp's Masterworks Orchestra.

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 ensembles.

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's upcoming project is the album recording of his "24 Caprices for Solo Violin". It will be recorded with all 3rd (printed) edition edits including bowing and fingering. Dr. Abraham will make this album precise for all current and future violinists studying these works.

Dr. Abraham is a proud ambassador for:
Southwest Strings

Pirastro
D'Addario Orchestral

Leatherwood Rosins

Lonesome Pine Rosins.

Follow at:

Facebook, Instagram

"His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are a masterpiece of globalism and diversity."
—The University of Arizona,
College of Fine Arts

Dr. Immanuel Abraham: America's black, male, violin professor

Cadenza by Dr. Abraham

Brahms Violin COncerto

"Histoire du Tango"

by Astor Piazzolla

PBS Interview

with Dr. Immanuel Abraham

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

@jordantheviolinist 👈👈👈👈👈

Always grateful to hear back from any and all!
Even more to SEE back from them!
Thanks a lot, Jordan!
I appreciate you!

🫵😊👍🎻🎻🎻

Audio: Cadenza for J.S. Brahms Violin Concerto in D, mvt. I, by @theviolindoctor

#gratitude #violinists #abrahamcaprices #violin ##violín

• Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto
• Cadenza by @theviolindoctor ©2018
@uazmusic Symphony Orchestra
@uarizona @uarizonaarts @uazstrings

Premiere of my first String Quartet:
“The Gilgamesh Quartet” in D Minor, Mvt. 1
@umichsmtd

#violín #abrahamcaprices #viola #cello #stringquartet #newclassical #umich #umichsmtd

Performing her first concerto from memory. 🙂🎻🙏

#violín #violin #theviolindoctor #music #musicteacher #musicstudent #musician

Horn Trio in E-flat, Op. 40
for Horn, Piano, and Violin
by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

#violín #sdsu #howardlake #violin #violins #trio

The pride when every youth orchestra you conduct has teen artists practicing their parts upon arrival. That was a beautiful end to the week.

Man I’m tired...
Time to practice! 🎻

#theviolindoctor #college #highschool #middleschool #highschoolmusic #elementryschool

I believe our largest plague today is rooted in the inability to listen to one another.

When the ability is present, that cruel inability is still fueled with unwillingness, stubborn in ignorance.

Most of us barely recognize the worlds of differences between hearing and listening.

So I wanted to share this poem by James Pearson (1983 -) with my friends here. 🙂🙏🎻🫂

#poem #poetry #words #theviolindoctor #music #poet

Between directing two youth symphonies in Brandenburgs 3 & 4, ya gotta play some Bach yourself!

Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita No. 3 in E 🙂🎻

#professor #violinteacher #violinpractice #violin #bach #theviolindoctor #violinstagram

1st mvt. this time, “Devil’s Trill Sonata” practice.
If there’s time, I’ll pick up the cadenza this weekend too. 🫵🙂👍🎻

#violin #violinist #violinplayer #music #theviolindoctor #violín #violinista #violino #tartini

“Devil’s Trill” Sonata in G Minor by Giuseppe Tartini 1692-1770

A minute to practice!

Seize every opportunity to improve anything that touches your heart! It will serve everything that matters to you, without exception. ❤️🙂👍🎻

#tartini #devilstrill #violin #violín #music #violinplayer #bismarck #bismarcknd #legacyhighschool #simlemiddleschool

String Educators 🎻🙂🫶

#violín #viola #cello #bass #educators #teachers #professors #friends

7 years ago today ❤️🙂🙏
“This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” @scoundrelandscamp
Directed by @dundergrifflin
Beatrix played by @gabriellainarcadia
Albienne played by @feliztorralba
Carmen played by @nicoledelprete
Music Written & Directed by @theviolindoctor

#theater #theaterkid #theaterkids #arts #artsy #tucson #tucsonaz🌵 #uaz

Keynote Speaker: Whitney Tapia
(Original audio: played/written by @theviolindoctor )

#violin #violinist #music #keynotespeaker #bps #bismarck #legacyhighschool #simlemiddleschool #downtownbismarck #bismarcknd

BPS 2025: Lion’s Study Group

(Original Audio: Caprice No. 14, written & played by @theviolindoctor)

#violin #educator #teacherfollowteachers #teacher #teacherspayteachers #lionsofinstagram #bismarck #bismarckphotographer #bismarcknd #downtownbismarck #bps

Are you really their person?
Is it really your person?
Are they truly meant for me?
It is just so hard to see.
With this clarifying lens though
we can see their hearts, and show
Not only if they are for us,
But also if they’ll be our plus.

@theviolindoctor

#love #lovers #romance #intherain #heart #feelings #friends #friendsforlife❤️ #besties #poem #poetry #poemoftheday

🌍Music Educators of Bismarck (ND capital)

🌍Music Educators of Bismarck (ND capital)
beverlyeverett314
Dana Van Heukalom
Maureen Murchie
Abigail Karr
Neil Tafelmeyer
@theviolindoctor

Music (@theviolindoctor - write/record Caprice No. 23 in D Minor)

#bismarck #bismarcknd #bps #bismarckpublicschools #bismarckmusic #violín #brookings #howardlake #theviolindoctor

🌍Music Educators of Bismarck (ND capital)
Dana Van Heukalom
Maureen Murchie
Abigail Karr
Neil Tafelmeyer
@theviolindoctor

Music (@theviolindoctor - Paganini 14 in E-flat)

#bismarck #bismarcknd #bps #bismarckpublicschools #bismarckmusic #violín #brookings #howardlake #theviolindoctor

This is Anna-maria Hefele @annamariahefele , — one of the best overtone singers of the hundreds I have heard and worked with.

When a pitch is sounded in, or even approaching, perfect resonance with its environment, it causes multiple harmonic frequencies to resonate simultaneously.

The “environment” includes, before the room, hall, or other space, the instrument and / or other vocal body originating the tone. Said tones are called “overtones”. There are exercises very similar to this for violin as well.

(For string students, I’ll note that while our Pythagorean mathematical ratios are the same, these are not “harmonics”. It is the overtone series deciding which are the “easy” harmonics versus the more challenging ones approaching the nut or bridge.)

Each producing entity has some unique ratios of volumes between the overtone frequencies. By shaping her throat and mouth cavity in some small way invisible from the exterior, it is manipulated to resonate differently.

This is used to enhances the volume of some of the harmonic frequencies (which we all already produce, mostly inaudibly, with our voices) causing us to hear them more clearly in her case.

#music #overtone #overtonesinging #violin #violinist #theviolindoctor #bismarck #musician #singer #singing #singers #sing

@theviolindoctor
www.TheViolinDoctor.com

#truthistruth #truth #time #learning #adulting #life #theviolindoctor #love #lovers #meditation #alone #silence #hugs

🌍Music Educators of Bismarck (ND capital)
@terra__ann Widdifield
@courtneyrose8178
Neil Tafelmeyer
@theviolindoctor

#music #musiceducation #musiceducator #musiceducationmatters #violín #bismarck #bismarckpublicschools

Hello, Bismarck 🫵🙂🎻!

@theviolindoctor
www.TheViolinDoctor.com

Warm up with thirds and tenths, and any chords to follow don’t feel so tough anymore. 🙂👍🎻
#violin #violinist #violín #violinplayer #abrahamcaprices #paganini

Violinist: Casey Bozell 🎻🙂🙏
24 Caprices for Solo Violin:
Caprice No. 9 in G; “This Girl Laughs”
Follow: @caseybozell
TikTok: @caseyvthatsme

#violin #abrahamcaprices #violinist #violinplayer #violín #music #violinlove #violinpractice

Conversation with an old CYSO (Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra) colleague today reminded me just how many pursued music, have seen. and played with each other all over the world. Truly a phenomenal and life-directing experience!

@chiyso
@theviolindoctor

#chicago #chicagoart #millenniumpark #thebean #cta #abrahamcaprices

PBS Arizona Illustrated: Episode 532

#violin #beginnings #music #bio #biography #violinist

Caprice No. 13 from the “24 Caprices” by @theviolindoctor

Read about the “24 Caprices” at
TheViolinDoctor.com/24

The “24 Caprices for Solo Violin” is a 76 page collection of original works by @theviolindoctor published in ©2020.

It features multiple styles, genres, and extended techniques. They “…are a masterpiece of globalization and diversity.” -University of Arizona @uarizonaarts

Featuring: Tango, Jazz, Fiddle, Hindustani,
Theme & Variation, Fugue, Waltz,
Étude, Showpieces, and more!

Follow to see more @theviolindoctor 🫵😃🎻

#violin #abrahamcaprices #violinist #music #violinplayer #violín #violinista #violino #musician #violinists #24capricesforsoloviolin #24caprices #theviolindoctor #immanuelabrahamcaprices

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

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

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"His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin are a masterpiece of globalism and diversity." —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

​