Cello Lessons in Cortlandt, NY

Instruments: Cello

I believe that each person has a unique set of skills and characteristics through which he or she acquires knowledge, maintains and improves the acquired knowledge, and uses it to his or her benefit. Therefore, although I do have a system that I follow, I attend to the specific strong and weak points of each student. My goal is to be present in each and every lesson and to focus on each student's current level with the understanding that only through direct and personal guidance could my students improve and thrive. Read More

Instruments: Cello

My teaching experience has been with both children and adults learning to play for the first time. I love getting to know a students interests, both musical and scholastic, and helping them overcome any obstacles that they encounter while learning to play the cello. While learning technique and rudiments is essential for any instrument, playing music that the student selects as a performance goal is at the heart of my teaching. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Cello Viola

For young piano students, I useJohn Thompson's Easiest Piano Course and A Dozen a Day. For adults, I like to useAlfred's Basic Adult Piano Course for a lesson book. I use various books for additional songs or technique depending upon a student's interests and abilities. I like to use different types of music - classical, traditional, pop, modern, etc. For strings, I like to use String Builder, Suzuki, and other method and etude books. Read More

Instruments: Violin Cello Viola Double Bass

I work in partner with students who are enrolled in public school lessons, and incorporate their school's method book (i.e. Essential Elements 2000 or similar), as well as rudimentary exercises and pieces appropriate for their level. I am a strong advocate of Kreutzer etudes, Hrimaly scales, and Suzuki pieces as learning tools. I guide my instruction based around the students' ability, needs, and goals. I believe that learning music is a constant conversation between student, teacher, and any others involved (parents, guardians, siblings, school music teacher), and like to keep communication open with weekly notes and homework assignments recorded in a music notebook. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola

Mostly I'd refer to the methods section. Though here I will discuss the dragon that is practice. It's difficult. Even I don't practice as much as I'd like and I'd wager few truly do, but it is consistency that makes the difference. I often say that music has more in common with a physical activity than an intellectual one. What I mean is, you can learn a fact and know it. Read More

Instruments: Cello

I grew up as a cellist in El Sistema, a huge educational system in Venezuela thats famous for its innovative process and for creating among other great musicians, Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. El Sistema relies heavily on the buddy system, which means that as I learned and was taking lessons from cellists who werent that much older than me, I was also teaching lessons and translating for masterclasses by the time I was 12. Read More

Instruments: Cello

My teaching experience dates back to my college days, as I began teaching private lessons 25 years ago. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. 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