For Adult Students:

The benefits of learning the violin as an adult are numerous. Studying a musical instrument is a challenging, fulfilling, and refreshing pastime. It allows you to deepen your understanding and appreciation of music and provides you with a skill to enjoy throughout your life. In addition, there are few experiences more valuable than that of becoming a beginner again.

 

The primary goal of music is to communicate. Therefore, during lessons we will work on developing the tools to express yourself through music. I place great importance on helping students set up a solid technical foundation, as technique is what allows us to communicate freely. In addition to developing your technique, we will work on reading music, understanding the fundamentals of music theory, and creating an awareness of tone, pitch, and rhythm. As most of a student’s learning takes place outside of lessons, I believe it is also essential to teach my students how to practice effectively. [Top]

 

For Parents of Young Students:

Giving your child music lessons is a never-ending gift. Through the study of music children not only experience the joy of expressing themselves musically, but they develop essential life skills such as patience, concentration, confidence, the ability to set and achieve goals, a willingness to explore, performance skills, self-awareness, perseverance, self-discipline, and independence. Most importantly, by learning how to play an instrument, children learn how to learn.

 

Depending on your child’s age and experience, I will recommend Suzuki instruction, a slightly modified Suzuki approach, or traditional violin instruction. If you are interested in learning about Suzuki instruction, you will find some basic information on the Suzuki Method page of this website.

 

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the Suzuki approach, I highly recommend that before beginning lessons all parents read Edward Kreitman's book Teaching From the Balance Point. Another book I recommend for parents interested in music instruction—whether Suzuki or traditional—is Cynthia Richard’s How to Get Your Child to Practice . . . Without Resorting to Violence. It is an insightful, informative, and light-hearted book addressing an issue that most every parent struggles with at one point or another. [Top]