Aaron K
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Music
Styles: Classical
Aaron K
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Music
Styles:
Classical
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Margaret Creal Shafer Prize for Performance - 2022
Bard College Community Concerto Competition Winner - 2021
Bard College Commencement Concert Soloist - 2022
I studied at Bard College in the Hudson Valley of New York and was the recipient of the Margaret Creal Shafer Prize in Performance with my extensive involvement in the music program. I've taken composition classes with Grammy winning composer Joan Tower, counterpoint and musicology with Kyle Gann, violin lessons with Kathryn Aldous, voice with Rufus Müller, piano with David Sytkowski, and conducting with James Bagwell. I enjoy music as it's something that I've been involved in for the majority of my life. I grew up singing in choirs, playing for a local church sermon praise team, participating in youth orchestras, and chamber music during my time learning the violin in the greater Cleveland area. After finishing my degree in music, I've stayed home with my family for a year before deciding to move to New York for more opportunities!
I began teaching violin a year after the Covid pandemic when I pivoted to in college. I originally was pursuing a conducting degree so I could work with more musicians and performers. This was derailed due to Covid however because group settings had tight restrictions. I originally was working as a rehearsal director for a production of "Firebringer" on my school's campus and the acapella group, "The Orcapelicans". I've been giving lessons for 3 years now and I've taught primarily beginners. My students came from family friends, church, and word of mouth. I've been wanting to teach more students ever since graduating with my thesis on past implementations of violin education, technique, and performance.
I like to utilize multiple methods in my curriculum because every student has a different learning style. This can include Suzuki (the method I was taught as a beginner), Spohr's Grand Violin School, and ABRSM repertoire. The physical technique of violin requires training that is difficult to fine tune when using comprehensive violin methods. I use them as a references for appropriate repertoire for the level of my students rather than a strict guide. Depending on the goal of my student, the repertoire we play will either be standardized and intense, or personal with more flexibility. I encourage my students to not use a shoulder rest as this is part of my teaching methods. This is not a requirement that I will demand! My thesis, “The Rest is History”, explores the use and disuse of the shoulder rest. There’s a rich history of violin technique and fundamentals that can be traced back to the 1600s Baroque Italy. It is not a question of whether or not one method of playing the violin is superior, but rather that there was so much development of violin technique before the existence of the shoulder rest - virtually every aspect of technique was developed without one - it should be presented as a supplement for more complete violin training rather than a standard.
I've had the privilege of working with teachers that were very patient with me. This has taught me to create strong relationships with my students so that they are comfortable, even during frustrating moments. The moments when I hear my student succeed and acknowledge the improvements they've been making is the best part of teaching. I want my students to be eager to delve deeper into the nuances of violin on their own time, which is my goal to make them absorbed in this world of music. Violin is demanding and doesn't take a lot of compromise which makes it difficult to build proper habits. This means that I like to be picky with my students. My goal is to have my students understand the differences when I'm being picky with them and making sure they know what to look out for when practicing on their own. It's important to reinforce the habits that are correct instead of practicing to, "not mess up!"
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