Violin Lessons in Minor, WA

Instruments: Violin Viola

I have been teaching privately part time for the past 4 years working with students in grades K-12. My main goal in lessons is for my students to not only succeed at a new skill once, but to be confident in their ability to repeat their success in practice at home and at our next lessons. I encourage positive feedback and positive "self-talk" as a means of boosting self-efficacy. I think an important part of learning is goal setting and outlining specific, achievable steps to reach that goal so that progress can be tracked and the process of learning can become less ambiguous. Read More

Instruments: Violin

In order to enjoy playing our instruments for many years to come, I emphasize the importance of healthy technique in order to prevent injury. Through the process of learning scales and pieces, I make sure to incorporate a focus on correct posture, a relaxed left hand, and healthy bow arm so that playing the violin is a positive experience for each student. I use a wide range of materials depending on a student's interests and background - I often teach music reading to students who are reading for the first time, and for students who are already able to read music I modify our lesson materials to reflect this. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

Learning in this fashion has taught me something really important to teaching private lessons. Adaptability. All of my students took lessons because they wanted to improve their ability to play music. I desperately wanted my students to enjoy learning their instruments and music they learned; knowing how easy it is to feel burnt out from too many scales and disappointed by slow progress. So I started asking my students, even the 6 year old, why they wanted to play an instrument and what they wanted to achieve. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

I teach using a combination of the Pascale Method (a very good set of pre-written lessons for the very young student), I Can Read Music's rhythm exercises (goes along with the Suzuki books), Strings Fun and Easy, and Suzuki. In addition, I now start students in third position, which has proven to be so very beneficial to my students. During lessons, students should expect to receive a very firm foundation on which to lay their more advanced skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola

For younger students who are beginning, I usually start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. This book has great materials for setting up the violin and bow hold, reading notes, rhythm and other musical markings, and introducing basic music theory such as time and key signatures. Also, this book incorporates the foundation of all musical learning, scales and arpeggios, into fun exercises that are enjoyable for every student.For older students who have more experience, I have a range of etudes from Sevcik to Kreutzer that can futher develop and solidify a good foundation of technique.For musical training, I use solo repertoire from Suzuki and other sources that are appropriate for each student's level so that he/she can be healthily challenged musically and technically while feeling accomplished during performances. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola Mandolin Recorder Electric Violin Fiddle

I have been teaching violin for 30 years, starting as a bluegrass and Irish fiddle teacher in a folk music store run by a family of performers who were related to the von Trapps of The Sound of Musicfame. Since then, I have tried to continually grow as a performer, musician, and teacher. I have collected a vast amount of muic and resource materials along the way, so I am able to meet each student's needs--from child-friendly beginning repertoire, holiday music, fiddle tunes and jazz standards, to concertos and orchestral excerpts for youth and college orchestra auditions and beyond! Read More

Instruments: Voice Violin

In 2014, I began teaching students privately. I taught multiple students of different ages, with a range from early childhood to late adulthood. Most of my students were beginners, and we worked together for over a year. By the end of our time together, they were able to play fairly advanced music for the time they had been playing, such as "La Folia" by Corelli and "Jesu, the Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach. Read More