Cello Lessons in Agoura, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Harp Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Lute Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Shakuhachi Oboe Bassoon English Horn Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Derek is a Grammy-nominated trombonist based in Los Angeles, California. Derek completed a BM in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in 2016 and an MM in Studio Music and Jazz Trombone at the University of Miamis Frost School of Music in 2018. As a freelance musician in Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas, he has been regarded as a first-call musician in many styles of music for the past 5 years. Read More

Instruments: Cello

For beginning students, I like to start with the beginnig Suzuki books, and I incorporate many Suzuki methods into my teaching style. As an accompaniment to Suzuki, I also use Klengal's Technical Studies for the Violoncello, Vol. 1 in order to solidify a solid understanding of scales and hand positions. Once a student demonstrates appropriate dexterity, I begin to introduce solo repetoire that they would like to prepare for studio performances and any other pieces that they have an interest in playing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Cello

I have been teaching for over 25 years. I have 5 children of my own who are all musicians. I have studied pedagogy at the University of Illinois and have also studied the Suzuki method. I feel lucky that I can take all of these experiences and methods and combine them to what works best for my students. What I have found is that there is not one clear cut method- every student learns in a different way. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Flute Drums Bass Guitar Organ Electric Violin Double Bass

I am very flexible with my teaching methods and put together the best style matching the student's learning strengths. Furthermore, I update and change my methods if I feel the current method is becoming ineffective. I keep my lessons interactive with the student because the time is for the student to retrieve as much information as he/she can regarding their instrument and they can build a stronger week of preparation heading into the next lesson.  Currently my most used methods are teaching via classical, pop & jazz, and Suzuki methods. Read More

Instruments: Cello

It's important to move at the student's pace - whatever speed that may be. It's important to build a solid foundation but that doesn't necessarily mean mastery or perfection. It's easy to lose interest if stuck on one piece to long so we'll move through the material as quickly or as slowly as the student desires as long as the foundation is there. Supplementary material is worked in as well to keep things interesting and each lesson unique and fun. Read More

Instruments: Piano Cello

If teaching the 'cello, I like to use the instruction book that I learned from which is Samuel Applebaum's Beginning Strings book and around this I will introduce more international music, often in duet form to help with intonation. After the student develops good basic technique, then sonatas and concerti are gradually introduced. If teaching the piano, then I make sure that Dozen a Day for the beginners is incorporated with any of the beginning/intermediate books such as John Thompson's, Edna Mae Burnam's or Frances Clark's methods and for more advanced piano students the Hanon exercises are included along with the standard Classical repertoire. Read More

Instruments: Cello

For novice students, I initiate their cello education with "All for Strings Book 1" by Gerald E. Anderson and "I Can Read Music" by Joanne Martin. Once students grasp the fundamentals of reading music and producing sound on the cello, I guide them towards exploring Suzuki Books and build their repertoire from there. As they progress, I introduce supplementary materials such as Rick Mooney's "Position Pieces for Cello" and "Double Stops for Cello" to enhance their technical proficiency. Read More