There are a few different types of music lessons that I offer.
The first is traditional violin lessons. My pedagogical style is primarily influenced by Simon Fischer. It also draws from the styles of my own violin teachers, Julia Bushkova, and Dr. Rossitza Jekova-Goza. I have a very scientific approach with playing violin, involving physics of sound to maximize resonance and intonation. And it’s fairly easy to communicate the principles of violin playing to a student of any age.
Since studying Contemporary Improvisation at the New England Conservatory, I also teach Music Improvisation lessons. This can be for any instrument, and is an exploration of the student’s individual style and artistry. My musical influences from the conservatory include Lautaro Mantilla, Mark Lee, and Ran Blake.
There is also a very big difference between playing as a soloist, and performing in a musical group. A lot of ensembles aren’t maximizing their sound as a group. Learning how to leverage each musician’s strengths, to listen, and develop various modes of interaction creates a tightly-knit band and offers a lot more variables for musical freedom and creativity. I can help with that!
If you would like to join my studio, click here to find my email address or phone number for a consultation.
Overall, as a violin pedagogue, there are four main aspects of development that I track.
First is the ability to play the instrument. The violin is one of the hardest instruments in the world to learn how to play. A few generations ago, if a person didn’t sound good, they were assumed to not be made to play violin. I don’t think that’s true. Physics of sound applies to the violin like any other instrument, and with the right application of principles, the ability to play well can be taught.
The second track is musical literacy. For those who want to learn any kind of pre-existing genre of music, or notate their own music for others to understand, being able to understand the applicable written systems of music is a completely different learning track than technical execution.
The third track is musical presence. In the secular world, people say a person’s “got it.” I think that’s a very vague way of saying that the musician’s spirit is engaged in the music making. It used to be that a musician either “had it,” or not. But what about the people who really are musicians in design and it just doesn’t show for some reason? I think there are ways past that for a person to grow into their own musical presence.
The fourth track is character development. Learning any aspect of music takes character, dedication, and strategy to achieve your goals, and it is important to help a student learn to go from being taught to standing on their own two feet as a musician.