Guitar Lessons in Laredo, TX

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Viola Ukulele Music Acoustic Guitar

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
It was just a decision that happened from one moment to another because I started to play when I was 9, I said to myself "I am already on this, so let's do it perfectly" and here I am 16 years after that moment.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I would be a Lawyer. It is a very different area, but I really like to make justice for people, I have the capacity to see different points of view at the same time, but I love my career and I would not change it for anything else.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I have gotten 100% of the scholarship on my Bachelor's degree at the Universidad de Chile and now I got also 100% of the scholarship on my Artist Diploma Program at Duquesne University.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Yes, my family is very musical people, all of them play at least one musical instrument, I think my talent comes from there so. It is very funny to make music together.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Constant practice and motivation. I think it is a very important fact to improve, and also it is hard to have constant motivation sometimes, with all our problems, or distractions...

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
I already performed this piece, it is the Brahms Violin Concerto in D minor. I love this piece since I am very young, and it is because it has many contrasts, melodic and beautiful parts that touch the soul of people. It is just wonderful.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Any child can start to have lessons, in different levels of learning. There exist lessons of pre-violin or pre-music if the child is too young, and it is good for them to know the music world.

When will I start to see results?
I would say after the first month of lessons, overall my students are ready to play easy songs on the violin. It depends also on how much time the student practices at home.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
A student needs to know first how much time he/she has for practicing, after that, to select what pieces they will practice. Put a timing for each piece and practice slowly. Repeating, and doing it by short spots.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I am specialized in classical music, and I love it. All the history that is behind all that music is very unique, and I like to know the history of each piece I have to play.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Yes, I have had successful students that have had awards in scholarships to buy their own instrument, that have been selected in advanced orchestras of the music school and they have the principal positions there. Also, they have played as a soloist with the orchestra of the music school.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance on violin, and fine arts, and I am also a candidate for a certificate of an Artist Diploma Program. I choose music because it is beautiful, the role of music on society, it is very important and it is unique.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I really do not know, it came to my head as a vision. I do not even remember where I saw it first, but one day I thought about that instrument, and I never forget about it.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My first violin teacher had a lot of patience with me, he was always explaining everything in a very detailed way and he showed us many beautiful things about music and its function in the lives of the people.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
First of all, organization of all you have to practice and timing of that and make repetitions of short spots of music. Also, it is important to practice slowly.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
Yes, I use a mixed-method based on Suzuki, and I use also my own methodology, I paint also the music for younger students and I sing with them a lot. I use the Suzuki books, Fiddle time joggers, and Laoureaux.

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