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Bachelor Degree: University of Akron
Master Degree: University of Hartford (in progress)
Hartt Talent Award
University of Akron Strings Scholarship
University of Akron School of Music Scholarship
I am a professional violinist with many years of experience in performing, and teaching in all areas of music. I earned my Bachelors of Music from the University of Akron and earned experience there as a Violin Teaching Assistant and Theory and History Tutor, and am currently working towards my Masters in Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy at The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. When students take lessons with me, they can expect to learn something new every week about the violin, technical abilities, how to create music that tells a story, and most importantly, about themselves and their own creative and learning abilities. I aim to incorporate all these elements every single week so students feel accomplished about the time they spend with me, and walk away knowing how to continue improving on their own until the next lesson.
I began teaching during my time at The University of Akron, and have had the opportunity to work with students at all ages and levels - from young students who are just beginning their musical journey to more advanced students preparing for youth orchestra and music school auditions to older adults who wish to continue improving their skills or pick up new ones! I also served as a Teaching Assistant and worked with collegiate level students in solo work and ensemble preparation. During each lesson, I focus on the continuous journey a student is taking - what we've worked on in the past, what they accomplished on their own since the last lesson, key points to address during the lesson, what they should work on until the next lesson, and large-scale future goals. I always try and make the student's goals and learning points as clears as possible, and relate everything back to those. And of course, I want the students to have a good time during lessons! I consider our time together as an open, free, and no-judgement area - the student should feel free to experiment, ask questions, and make their own musical suggestions without the fear of what they say being brushed aside. Whatever your goal is whenever you pick up your instrument, I am here to help you achieve those goals and work towards future ones as well. I can't wait to help you on your journey!
For younger beginning students, I either start with Strictly Strings or Suzuki, depending on how much prior musical experience the student has. In either case, I ensure that the student has a clear understanding of the violin and what is involved right from the beginning, and place a heavy emphasis on aural learning and ear training so they have a good foundation for their own practice at home and furthering their aural skills. With older students, it is an ongoing conversation of what they hope to accomplish and their goals in music, and I can help further that progress.
For me, the best part of teaching is helping students grow, and helping them realize their musical abilities and self-reliance. I feel that my role as a teacher is to present new information or challenges, and aid the student in learning how to address those challenges on their own. I find that this encourages the students to want to learn more and more to expand their own musical and technical literacy, and it makes them much more prepared for individual practice, ensemble playing, and future challenges where they have to rely on themselves.