Teaching
Teaching
I realized that I was interested in teaching early on in my own training, so I pursued Suzuki teacher training concurrently with my two performance degrees. I am trained in books 1-10 of the Suzuki violin repertoire (books 1-4 twice over!) and in Stages 1-3 of Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE). I have also taken supplemental teacher training courses—both non-Suzuki and Suzuki based—with Mimi Zweig, David Strom, Ed Kreitman, and Daina Volodka Staggs.
My teaching is grounded in the basic tenets of Suzuki philosophy. In the most practical of terms, this means that I believe in the musical potential of all children, I prioritize a calm, positive learning environment, and I work closely with the parents of young students to support them working as a practice-team at home. Regardless of the student’s age and musical background, I am committed to both the creativity and the structure involved in learning a musical instrument. I seek to develop joyful musical excellence by working with students and their parents to foster both enthusiasm and discipline for music.
I feel strongly that children enjoy playing violin/viola when they are properly set up to make consistent progress (this means always prioritizing excellent technique and maintaining an age+level appropriate practice routine). While I value steady progress over rapid progress, I definitely work best with families who prioritize music as one of their top two extracurricular activities. I expect that students practice daily, as well as devote daily time to listening to recordings of their current and future repertoire. And, when appropriate/possible, my students participate in group lessons, youth orchestra, chamber music opportunities, and musical summer programs in addition to their private lessons.
My violin/viola studio currently ranges in age from 4-18 and includes students of all levels. I am very comfortable working with young beginners, as well as intermediate and advanced students. My wide range of teacher training coupled with my grounding in Suzuki teaching philosophy gives me the skill and the flexibility to meet students at many different starting points and help them develop excellent musical and technical skills.
Teaching Locations:
Center for Performing Arts (Minneapolis)
Breck School (Golden Valley)
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you would like to learn more, if you’re wondering if your child is the right age to start lessons, or have any other questions!
