Cello Lessons in Alameda, CA

Instruments: Cello

My goal is not to make my students play like me but to play more like themselves. I aim to give useful tips, exercises, and musical options as opposed to rigid rules. The beauty of playing is in the nuances that an individual can bring to a performance, so I try to let that individuality shine. I encourage this freedom more specifically through a strong technical foundation. The more secure a player's technique becomes the easier it becomes to express their ideas. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Cello Viola Ukulele Recorder Music Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience comes from my experiences and lessons from my previous private teachers. During my 10 years of lessons I learned that importance of a regularly maintained practice schedule leads to the most effective practice sessions. I try to encourage students of all ages to seek out music that they find enjoyable and I do what i can to shape my lessons to make learning the music exciting. I try to anticipate a students need. Read More

Instruments: Cello

Besides performing, I have devoted most of my time to teaching. I have been teaching students in private as well as in music schools for more than 35 years, ages ranging from as young as five years old to working adults. Starting from 2004, I have taught at David K's Music School in San Jose, where I am still teaching currently. During my teaching career, I have assisted countless students in preparing for orchestra auditions, as well as the more advanced students for local contests and competitions. Read More

Instruments: Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Music

I've also found that a combination of classical and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the piano and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. If a student isn't having fun in their lessons, then I'm not doing my job! My students are encouraged to enter competitions and recitals, as well as work on composing their own original material, so they can feel good about their accomplishments and stay motivated to learn. Read More

Instruments: Cello

I am the cello professor at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, but enjoy a teaching studio in and around Palo Alto. I began teaching in 2015, and have taught over a hundred cellists in-person and online. As a lover of chamber music, I teach Cello Ensemble and Chamber Music at Cal Poly, and also coach ensembles locally. I enjoy teaching a wide range of ages and skill levels, but particularly enjoy adult students and high level high school that are interested in double majoring or minoring in music in college. Read More

Instruments: Cello

My teaching style is open book. What I find motivates a student is what they wish to learn and music they want to play. The basic foundation is one of the key elements to better musicality but also the study of listening and understanding music drives what we consider the originality of each musician. I believe that as much as physical practice drives the growth of a student, I want to build motivation for the student to pursue greater things with music and allow it to translate to other parts of his/her life as it has for myself. Read More

Instruments: Piano Cello Keyboard

Octavio M. is a Venezuelan-American cellist with an impressive background in performance and teaching. He recently earned his Master's Degree Diploma from The San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Octavio has won several awards, including the Latin Grammy Foundation Scholarship, The Blair Scholarship, Barron String Orchestral Scholarship, and the William E. Duckwitz Talent Scholarship. He has performed as a soloist with the SFCM Baroque Ensemble, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Tachira, and the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. Read More