The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the string family. There are more violins in the orchestra than any other instrument.
The violin is held under the chin and rests on the player’s left shoulder. The player’s left hand presses down on the strings to alter the pitch, while the right hand moves the bow across the strings, or plucks the strings.
The violin can be played either standing up or sitting down. Usually a soloist will stand while other violinists in the orchestra will sit.
The swirled wooden head of the violin is called a ‘scroll’ because it’s carved to resemble a rolled-up sheet of paper. The wooden pieces which stick out either side of the violin are called ‘pegs’ – the ends of the strings are curled around these to keep them nice and tight.