Violin Lessons in Upper West Side, NY

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola Music

I believe that music theory is a fundamental when learning any musical instrument, and I make custom worksheets that cater to the individual's curriculum each week. When learning a new piece, the aural, visual, and written components encapsulate the primary step, as I believe it develops a deeper understanding of the piece before attempting it on the instrument. Students at any level complete scales and work on sight reading each lesson. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

For younger students I like to give them weekly practice charts so they can see how much work they're putting in. If they complete enough practice charts, they get a reward. I find this is very helpful in the beginning stages of learning for younger musicians. For older students, I really nudge them to take auditions for a higher seat at school, or depending on how serious they are for youth orchestras and summer programs. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Clarinet

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. I encourage students to perform as frequently as possible, and am happy to create recital opportunities within my studio. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Saxophone Bassoon

I like my lessons to be fun! I like to start my lesson with a "music swap": we each play one minute of a song that we found that week from youtube or spotify and take 30-60 seconds to say why we found it interesting or inspiring (it can be any genre). We then aim to discuss and practice a new technical skill and use exercises to develop it, we work on a song from the method series or a song that the student wants to work on (I often transpose pop/rock songs for my students), and then rhythm training, ear training, and music theory concepts are interspersed throughout. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

It is extremely important to set realistic goals for each student. I accomplish this by isolating each issue and not trying to spend one lesson addressing everything. Instead of overwhelming the student, I try to set realistic and obtainable goals for each student while retaining the challenge. As the student improves, I gradually start setting more challenging goals according to each student's ability. When the student improves, (s)he becomes more motivated to learn more, which is crucial for continuous development. Read More

Instruments: Violin Electric Violin Fiddle

I welcome all ages and all types of adventures! I have early education experience, special education experience, undergraduate and graduate college teaching, as well as classroom teaching experience. We will find a teaching style that is tailored specifically to each student's needs. Every person has artistic talents! However, it is up to the teacher to find those talents, and nurture them. While practice helps, practice never makes perfect... it makes permanent. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

As an educator, my role is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for students to learn and grow. It is important for learning to take place in such an environment so that students are not only free to be themselves, but free to make mistakes. This way, mistakes happen in a safe, forgiving environment where students can learn from them before they have to learn those lessons in the real world. Read More