Violin Lessons in River Forest, IL

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Saxophone Clarinet Recorder Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I never imagined God had plans for me to be a music teacher. I had taken piano lessons for about 15 years (later adding recorder, guitar, violin, clarinet, saxophone, and cello) and was working as a front desk receptionist in a music school when a teacher notified us of an unexpected long-term absence. My boss--who had known me for almost 20 years, and who taught me piano-- approached me and said she would like ME to teach the affected students. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Violin Cello Viola

“I am a professional musician and violin, cello, and viola teacher with over 25 years of experience in Europe and the United States. I teach students of all ages and at various stages of their development as musicians, including helping them prepare for University auditions, study for their own enjoyment or prepare to join a local community string ensemble or orchestra. My teaching philosophy is that of encouraging and inspiring my students to do their personal best in a creative, positive and enriching learning environment. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

Every child learns differently and at various paces; that's why I like incorporating a few different methods in my teaching. I typically use Suzuki along with eastern and western European methods. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin

For beginning students (pre-Suzuki), I like to take material from different method books and even write my own songs. This way, each student has their own, individualized curriculum to help with technique or material that they find to be difficult. Once the student has a good grasp of the fundamentals, I like to use Suzuki books. I like to use the Suzuki method for younger beginners because it can be more challenging to learn to read notes, but I encourage note reading for older students. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

I have loved music for as long as I can remember. At three years old I was dancing around my dad’s office as he played Stevie Ray Vaughn. At four I was begging my older brothers to teach me something on their guitars. By eight I was teaching myself “I Want It That Way” on my MIDI keyboard and by nine I finally decided to play the violin through my school orchestra program. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

For my young students, I use typical methods of teaching, setting up the right foundation and classical repertoire. I combine Russian teaching methods, methods of Mimi Zweig, and the Suzuki system. I typically use Suzuki books for beginners, and than transfer students to a diverse string repertoire. If students are motivated and interested in becoming professionals, I introduce more scales and exercises to help them build a strong technical foundation. Read More