Violin Lessons in Dogtown, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Viola Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I'm an experienced and caring instructor who loves to see students empowered in their own creativity and excellence. I received my Bachelor's in Music Education from Ithaca College in 1988. I have recorded and released three projects so far that have received radio play internationally and been on the charts on college public radio. My travels performing music in the U.S. and beyond have enriched my life immeasurably and I love sharing the spark of imagination with my students. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Music

My aim is to provide you with a pleasant, high quality learning experience, developing a healthy and happy relationship with your instrument so that you can enjoy and express yourself through any music style! Combining the means offered by the finest violin schools and all the alternative, related disciplines such as Alexander Technique, Yoga, and Meditation working all together towards the importance of knowledge of our body, awareness of the self, need for enjoyment and educational relationship centered on student needs. 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 Viola

For beginning students, we always start with how to hold the instrument, parts of the instrument and string names, and then begin playing open strings. This may take a few lessons. Placing the left hand fingers is usually the last step before playing an A scale and then Twinkle. Setting a foundation is more important than going quickly, so many of my students spend a number of months on Twinkle before starting to move more quickly with Lightly Row. Read More

Instruments: Violin

I am pretty new at teaching the violin. I have been playing for eleven years and for most of that time I have been taking private lessons. When teaching I can draw off my own experiences as a student and try to replicate those results. I do hope that you can bear with me as I am new. I am willing to learn and get better at teaching. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

My teaching style may be very detailed, but I believe that a certain level of firmness, honesty, as well as kindness is needed to provide a successful violin learning experience. I want each student to be able to have fun while also feeling that they are improving as well. Each student progresses at their own pace and I will tailor my teaching according to each students unique learning abilities. I believe that what is most important for a student isn't winning competitions but is finding their own love and inspiration for the music they are creating. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

For my beginning students, I start out with a mixture of my own exercises, as well as basic songs using open strings, string crossings and rhythms, before moving to songs with basic fingerwork on one string (scale plus rhythm based). I usually supplement this beginning process with Essential Elements, before intruducing the Suzuki Method Book 1, Doflein Method Book 1, and rhythmic exercises from the Kodaly method. For my intermediate students, I use a mixture of Galamian bowing technique, emphasis on etudes and position work, Suzuki method, Barbara Barber scales and rep. books, and level-appropriate classical literature, combined with solo repetoire of the student's interest/choosing. Read More