Viola Lessons in Trilby, FL

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola

I use multiples methods. One of them is the Susuki method. I consider that is a good method for beginners with a lot of techniques exercises and also includes pieces. For me it is essential that a student learn first all the techniques exercises and then start to create music. After that I started to teach how to respect the essential aspects in a piece: the fingering, the bowing, the dynamics, the tempo and others. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass

I'm a very motivated cellist and private teacher who loves developing the talents of my students. I have had the opportunity to study at some of the worlds best schools of music including: Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, University of South Florida's School of Music, and was accepted into the Longy School of Music in Boston. At these institutions I have had the chance to study with some of the worlds leading solo and orchestral cellists including: Helga Winold, Emilio Colon, Janos Starker, Scott Kluksdahl and Lowell Adams. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

It is extremely important to me that every student benefits from his or her own personally tailored lesson. This means that there is no "cut and paste" lesson plan to use with each student. Once I get to know the student, I will be able to judge their level of playing ability, their ability to read music, how good their posture is, how good their hand position is, etc. It is also important to me to get to know the student's personality, so that when teaching, I can help make the student feel as comfortable as possible during the lesson. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

When teaching strings to beginners I tend to teach out of a string methods book but I also offer stylistic direction outside of the book. I find this method helps the student with dependency of string books and helps to harbor curiosity to the vast world of music and methods beyond one book. I offer compositions fit to the level of the student and give them the opportunity to bring them up to performance standard. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola Flute Piccolo

For beginning students, I like to start from Essential elements, Suzuki 1, or Piano Adventures. Students will also likely have a theory workbook or worksheets that match the level of their current repertoire. Intermediate students, we will start using a program called smart music that plays the accompaniment for pieces that we are working on. This will really help develop a great internal sense of rhythm and help students recognize immediately when something needs correcting. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Cello Viola

For beginning cello students of all ages, I normally use one of my teacher's method books: Cellocity by Helga Winold of Indiana University. As my cello students progress, I slowly introduce smaller pieces that can normally be found in Suzuki method books. After my cello students have advanced significantly, I begin to introduce more complex pieces that are found in the standard cello repertoire. Eventually, my students reach a level where they gain the ability to gauge their experience level and select their own pieces with my approval. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

I like to begin the first lesson by recognizing the students strengths by having them show me what they can accomplish on their own. There are specific books that I like to teach out of depending on the skill level so that needs to be addressed during the first lesson. Recognizing and building on strengths to me should come before criticising weaknesses. Those will be addressed as they come along and exercises with scales and etudes will be chosen for those weaknesses, but that does not mean that challenging music needs to be played each and every time so that the student has to struggle for greatness. Read More