Basel, Switzerland · Teaching worldwide
Violinist · Educator · Historical Performance Specialist
One Violinist,
Many Kinds of Player
I am Léna Ruisz, a Basel-based violinist and educator specialising in historically informed performance. I perform across Europe and teach adult violinists online in English and German, from complete beginners and returning players to advanced musicians and professionals.
I trained in Vienna and Basel and hold two master's degrees: one in violin performance from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, and one in music pedagogy from the Basel Academy of Music FHNW, completed with a supervised teaching practicum at the Musik-Akademie Basel. I was also awarded a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, and in 2025 my chamber ensemble Zuléia won 1st Prize at the International Telemann Competition.
€120 (about $139 · CHF 113) · 50 minutes · No further commitment required
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Official Portrait · Swiss Confederation
A portrait produced in connection with the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship · in English
Performance & Teaching Background
My performing work includes projects as a soloist, concertmaster, chamber musician and orchestral player. I have been invited to perform with ensembles including the Freiburger Barockorchester, il pomo d'oro, Accademia Bizantina, the Balthasar Neumann Orchestra and the Capricornus Consort, among others.
That performing life feeds directly into my teaching: ensemble communication, stylistic nuance and historical fluency are part of my daily musical work, not ideas I encounter only in books.
I served as the inaugural ambassador of the Theresia Orchestra in 2022–23, leading international workshops and publishing research on their educational platform. That work continues to connect me with musicians across Europe who are curious about how historical awareness can deepen both technical freedom and expression.
I am a festival artist of the Trigonale festival of early music, where I am also responsible for the festival's visuals. Alongside the violin, I work as a visual artist and watercolourist; that work lives at wildcabinet.com.
Who I work with
"I've always wanted to learn – is it too late to start?"
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. You don't need a baroque setup or any prior knowledge to begin.
Read: 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, and often better than starting fresh. The pressure has changed. What you need is not old exercises, but a new way of listening. Many returning students find that adult ears actually accelerate progress.
Read: Rediscovering the Violin in Adulthood →"I'm classically trained but I want more context – more depth."
You don't need to switch instruments or abandon your repertoire. Historically informed awareness is a lens, not a conversion. Most students find it changes how their current playing feels almost immediately – more grounded, more intentional.
Read: Bringing HIP Awareness to Modern Playing →"I live in the early-music world – I want a sparring partner."
This is collaborative, peer-level work. If you play on gut, chin-off, or are navigating period setup and rhetoric, there is space here for real depth – not introductions, but genuine shared inquiry.
Read: Holding the Violin With or Without a Chin Rest →Begin with one lesson.
A full 50-minute working lesson, not a consultation. No package or further commitment required.
Teaching Philosophy
My approach begins with awareness: of sound, movement, intention and the relationship between them.
When we understand what is actually happening at the instrument, technique becomes less about forcing a result and more about creating the conditions in which that result can happen reliably.
My teaching is informed both by my work as a performer and by formal training in music pedagogy at the Basel Academy of Music FHNW, including supervised teaching practice at the Musik-Akademie Basel.
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
My work is with adult players, and my role is to make what you notice precise: to help you hear what is happening in your sound, understand why, and find a musical and technical response you can recognise for yourself. Historical understanding is one of the tools I bring to that, alongside modern pedagogy and a life spent performing. The aim is not dependence on a teacher, but a more discriminating ear of your own.
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 →My aim is to help you play with greater ease, depth and independence. We begin where you are now, with your sound, your questions and your curiosity, and let the work grow from there.
Book Your First Online Violin Lesson€120 (about $139 · CHF 113) · 50 minutes · Online · English or German · No further commitment · Questions? Read the FAQ
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