Cello Lessons in Fairfax, CA

Instruments: Cello

For younger students and beginners, I like to keep lessons fun and short, allowing them to learns the elements of playing while enjoying the thrill of making beautiful sounds. I like to start with New Direction for Strings for fundamentals and short songs , while peppering in pieces from the suzuki books and fun exercises I've picked up along the way to facilitate learning away from the instrument. For more experienced students, I like to make a musical diet of etudes, scales, exercises, and repertoire to facilitate a well rounded technique, dexterity, and musical freedom. 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

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

The skill level of my students range from Beginner to Intermediate. For Piano Students: My beginner students start with the Bastien Piano Basic Method Books. I assess what book level is necessary during our first lesson. Other beginner material I use are: Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Books, Older Beginner Piano Course (For Adult Beginner Students), and Piano Adventures series. Book levels vary per student and some additional material may fall to the responsibility of the students family to purchase. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Cello Viola Mandolin Recorder Orchestral Percussion Music

I use various methods, books that will fit the student's needs. For instrumental, I use theory book with written activity that helps the student understand the fundamentals of music. In addition, I use various exercise and performance books that will develop the student's skill and master the instrument. For voice, I teach various vocal exercises and vocal techniques that will develop the student's voice. I have been passionate guiding students across various musical genres, including classical and contemporary, and languages such as English, German, Italian, French, and more. Read More

Instruments: Cello

For beginning students, I usually begin heavily with physical technique, music theory exercises, and scales. From there, I use Rick Mooney's Position Pieces as well as solo repertoire from the Suzuki books to develop musicality and efficiency. The solo works chosen are designed to work toward the interests and goals of the students (competitions and/or genre interests). For advanced or adult students, I treat our lessons more broadly, integrating cello playing, music history, and an exploration of the genre as a whole to establish passion and long-term goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Organ Ukulele Electric Violin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar

Each student learns at their own pace and it's important to understand that not everybody learns the same. Setting both short and long term goals with the student helps me understand what they want out of lessons. This makes it easier for me to engage with them and bring it back to something relevant to them at the end of the day. For example, no child understands advanced rhythm unless you disguise it in familiar terms e.g. using the phrase "run po-ny run" to describe two eighth notes sandwiched in between to quarter notes. Read More

Instruments: Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Music

I am passionate about teaching music, and believe any student can learn. I boarded and studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and graduated from Guilford College with a Bachelor of Arts in Viola performance. I am currently obtaining my Masters from Berklee School of Music. I have played in dynamic bands of multiple genre and in symphonies as well. I am new to the Bay Area from Greensboro, NC, where I was born and raised. Read More