Audie S  
Instruments: Violin, Viola, Electric Violin, Fiddle, Music
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Folk

I began teaching during high school as a supervised intern observing and teaching both small groups of orchestra students and private lessons. Since then, I've gained independence and have taught students in a variety of settings, both individual and group, and to ages ranging from young beginner to adults. Self growth and striving for self improvement is an important tenet of my teaching, and I encourage it in both my students and myself. I make an effort to observe and learn from my fellow music teacher colleagues whenever possible, and have attended a wide range of professional development workshops dedicated to furthering music education.

With beginner students, regardless of age, I start with the Suzuki pre-twinkle exercises to build a solid foundation of technique, as well as starting ear training exercises and note reading practice. Once a student has mastered the pre-twinkle fundamentals, I move to the first two Suzuki books, and supplement with etudes tailored to the student's level and musical interests. My philosophy is that learning should be organic and enjoyable, so I do my best to introduce repetitive and uninteresting exercises only when necessary, and to make them as entertaining as possible when I do so. When a student has reached this level of proficiency, whether they have been started with me or by another teacher, my instruction plan becomes unique to the student. We work together to identify what their needs and wants in their playing are, and put together a plan of pieces, etudes, and a practice schedule that best suits them.