Basel, Switzerland · Teaching worldwide
Violinist · Leader · Researcher · Educator
Historically Informed
Violin Teacher.
I am Léna Ruisz, a baroque violinist and violin teacher based in Basel, Switzerland. I offer online violin lessons for adults worldwide, specialising in historically informed performance and mindful, awareness-based teaching in English and German.
Trained in Vienna and Basel, I hold a master's in performance from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. As a recipient of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, my work was featured in a portrait video by the Swiss Confederation. Alongside an active concert career, I am currently completing a second master's — in music pedagogy — at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, with a supervised teaching practicum at the Musik-Akademie Basel. With my chamber ensemble Zuléia we won the International Telemann Competition 2025.
Swiss Confederation Portrait Video
A short film by the Swiss Confederation · in German with subtitles
Performance & Collaboration
I am invited to perform as a concertmaster, soloist, and ensemble member with groups including the Freiburger Barockorchester, il pomo d'oro, Accademia Bizantina, and the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble. This performing life shapes my teaching directly — ensemble communication, stylistic nuance, and historical fluency are not things I read about; they are part of my daily work.
I also collaborate with Theresia Orchestra as an ambassador, leading international workshops and publishing research on their educational platform. Through this work, I meet musicians from across Europe and abroad who are curious about how historical awareness can deepen both technical freedom and artistic expression.
A starting point for what I mean by historically informed performance:
In the Studio Library
What Is Historically Informed Performance – and Why It Still Matters
"The score stays the same. The questions change."
HIP is the practice of reading music in light of where it came from – how it was notated, what instruments shaped its demands, how the players of its own era understood phrasing and silence. Not as reconstruction, but because understanding that context changes what you do with your bow arm. Immediately, practically, and in ways that carry into everything else you play.
Read the article →Begin with one lesson.
A full 50-minute working lesson. No commitment beyond that is required.
Teaching Philosophy
My approach to teaching is simple: learning the violin is not about control, but about awareness.
When we understand the natural relationship between sound, gesture, and intention, technique becomes more effortless and music begins to speak.
I combine the clarity of modern pedagogy with the depth of historical insight, guiding my students to develop both precision and freedom – whatever their instrument setup.
Each lesson is a conversation: between bow and string, mind and body, student and teacher.
Together we explore:
- how phrasing mirrors speech
- how resonance arises from alignment and balance
- how historical context makes technique feel more logical and natural
The goal is not only to play the notes, but to understand their meaning – historically, musically, and personally.
What distinguishes my teaching is not the historical knowledge itself — that belongs to any well-trained musician — but the precision with which I help students hear themselves. The student who leaves a lesson with one clear thing to listen for is already changed. Not because I told them what to do, but because they understood what was already there.
In the Studio Library
Inside the Studio – How I Teach, Think, and Listen
"Underneath every first message I receive is the same question – this is where I answer it."
This Studio is where it all comes together – my work as a performer, my research at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, and many years of teaching adults who are curious, thoughtful, and very much not beginners at life. My ideal student is not defined by age or level, but by curiosity. If you like to think, to ask questions, to connect ideas, then we already share a language.
Read the article →Who I work with
"I've always wanted to learn – is it too late?"
It is never too late. Adult beginners are welcome here. The approach is well-suited to learning as an adult — with context, patience, and no pressure to rush. No baroque setup or prior knowledge required.
What to expect from your first lesson →"I played for years, then life happened. I really miss it."
Coming back as an adult is different — the pressure has changed, and what you need is not old exercises but a new way of listening. Many students find that returning with adult ears actually accelerates things.
Rediscovering the violin in adulthood →"I'm classically trained but I want more context – more depth."
You have a solid background and suspect there's more to phrasing, articulation, and sound. Historical insight is exactly what unlocks it — and you don't need a Baroque setup to start.
Bringing HIP awareness to modern playing →"I don't need basics – I need depth, a sparring partner, a different ear."
Lessons for professional violinists and conservatoire students focus on historically informed work, audition preparation, gut strings, and the rhetoric that changes how you sound.
Holding the violin with or without a chin rest →My aim is to help you play with ease, depth, and authenticity. We begin where you are now – with your sound, your questions, and your curiosity – and let the rest grow from there.
Book Your First Online Violin Lesson
€120 · 50-minute online lesson · English and German · Questions? Read the FAQ