National Violin Day Date in the current year: December 13, 2024

The violin, sometimes colloquially called a fiddle, is a wooden string instrument in the violin family, which also includes the viola and cello. The double bass is sometimes included in the violin family, too, although its origins are debatable. The violin family was developed in 16th-century Italy, but the history of the violin is much longer.

Early string instruments, such as the Greek lyre, were played by plucking. The first bowed string instruments are associated with the nomadic cultures of Central Asia; they made their way to the Middle East and the Byzantine Empire along trading routes from the East to the West. Encyclopaedia Britannica claims that all European bowed instruments, including the violin, are direct descendants of the Arabic rebab.

Early European bowed instruments similar to modern violins include the vielle and the lira da braccio. The violin as we know it today emerged in northern Italy in the early 16th century and quickly began to spread throughout Europe. The oldest surviving violin, the Charles IX, is dated 1560; it was made by Andrea Amati for Catherine de’ Medici, who ordered violins for her son King Charles IX of France.

During the Baroque era, the violin became one of the most important instruments in classical music because of its ability to play a melody line, as well as its extreme agility and versatility in the hands of a skilled player. Today, the violin is used in a wide range of music genres, including folk music (when played as a folk instrument, the violin is often referred to as a fiddle), jazz, popular music, and crossover genres such as symphonic metal. Although the violin is primarily associated with Western music, it also has been used in traditional Arabic and Indian music.

The origins of National Violin Day are unclear, but it doesn’t stop violinists and music lovers from across the nation from celebrating it. The best way to observe the holiday is, of course, to listen to violin music. You can attend a concert, watch videos on YouTube or browse Spotify; choose whatever option you like the best. As we have mentioned, the violin is used in many genres of music, so you don’t have to listen to classical music if you don’t want to.

National Violin Day is also meant to educate, so go ahead and educate yourself! Learn interesting facts about the history of the violin, read the biography of a famous violinist or a composer who wrote for the violin, watch a violin-themed documentary or a fiction movie that heavily features violin music… You also can sign up for a violin lesson if you’ve always wanted to play the violin. Maybe you won’t become a virtuoso musician, but learning a new skill is always good for you.

Finally, let others know about this amazing holiday! Post links to your favorite violin pieces on social media with the hashtags #NationalViolinDay and #ViolinDay to spread the word.