Charlotte U  
Instruments: Cello
Styles: Classical, Pop, Rock, Folk

I have been teaching private lessons since my undergraduate days, working in public schools in private studios and independently. I offer lessons to cello students of all ages in and around Red Hook. I have extensive experience teaching students ranging elementary school-aged to retired. My priority is to keep in mind that each student has different needs and strengths. Students can expect that I will find ways of teaching that work for them, challenging them while showing them the beauty and fun of playing the cello. I hope for my students to come in with open minds, willing to be challenged and to put in the effort to reach their goals.

An effective teacher must observe thoughtfully and, often on the spot, come up with solutions that will work with that particular task, for that particular student. I bring a variety of different ideas for activities to my lessons, so that when confronting a difficult skill to learn, such as bow hold or producing a good tone, my student and I do not get stuck in a method book. This is not to knock method books, as they can be invaluable resources. But even if one method is widely used by famous educators and is believed to be fail-safe, for the one time this method does not work for a student, the teacher must be able to try something else. Perhaps most importantly, I make it a priority to include as much real music as possible from the start, so that the students experience musical playing early on. I hope that, in being a creative, inventive teacher, I will set up my students to be more creative themselves, and to love music from the very beginning.