Our vision
Music belongs to everyone, everywhere
We help violin pedagogues teach effectively and child-friendly with the Colourstrings method
Besides violin pedagogy, we’re specialised in e-learning and have long experience in distance and online music education.
In the Minifiddlers we make this successful approach available for everyone with the help of modern technology.
Story of the Colourstrings & Minifiddlers
We’re passionate about violin pedagogy. We believe that violin teaching and learning can – and should be – both goal-directed and joyful.
In violin playing the early formative years are very important, as the basis for the future is laid then – whether the children choose to become professionals in the music field or to keep violin as a rewarding and inspiring recreation. It’s essential to make learning as joyful and motivating as possible to encourage children with their new activity.
We work with music schools, institutions, artists and individual pedagogues all over the world, and participate in projects developing e-learning and distance music education.
Meet the team
Read more about Maarit
Maarit Rajamäki did the Artist Diplomas in violin studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (1983) and at the Royal College of Music in London (1985). She has studied as a student of Josef Gingold and Nathan Milstein as well as in the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad.
Rajamäki has performed as a soloist as well as in chamber music orchestras across the world, e.g. in Europe, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States. She has also worked as a violin teacher in Finland, Switzerland and Israel. She is the founder and artistic director of Särestö Chamber Concerts Association.
Rajamäki is a pioneer of developing distance teaching in classical music in Finland. She founded Caprice with a mission to offer young, talented musicians an access to top-quality instrument teaching, despite their geographical location and possibility to travel, through the help of video conferencing. First distance teaching master class was arranged in 1997 to New York with world-renowned violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman.
Read more about GÉza
Professor Géza Szilvay is internationally renowned violinist, teacher and conductor, and since 2020 he's the President of ESTA (European String Teachers Association). Géza is also the creator of successful and child-centered Colourstrings teaching method.
Géza has gained international recognition also as a conductor of children’s and youth orchestras. Together with his brother Csaba, he has founded and conducted The Helsinki Strings, a youth strings orchestra that has won international acclaim through their international concert tours and recordings.
Géza has given more than 200 lectures and workshops on his teaching method and philosophy across the world. Since 2012, through the Minifiddlers program he has also trained pupils and teachers online.
Read more about Leena
Leena Haverinen was born in a small Finnish town, Kuhmo, which may be mostly known for its international Kuhmo Chamber Music festival. As music has been such a big part of local life, also Leena started playing piano at the age of 6 in Kuhmo Music School. Later on, she completed the repertoire by starting to play viola. She continued her studies in viola at the Oulu Conservatoire.
She studied history as well as economics and business administration at the University of Oulu. Since 2013 Leena has worked for Caprice Oy and in the International Minifiddlers project with various responsibilities. This includes project management, business development, marketing and communication and international relations. She has also helped Maarit with the production of Särestö Chamber Concerts.