Felicia P  
Instruments: Cello
Styles: Classical

My teaching journey began in high school when I led sectionals for younger classes and elementary programs, as I already knew I wanted to study music education. I started teaching private lessons to a few students in my free time, and this early experience helped me develop effective teaching techniques. Since then, I have taught private lessons in the Kansas City area through my own studio and traveled to schools to teach lessons during the school day, as well as small cello classes outside of school hours. Each year, I attend the National ASTA (American String Teachers Association) conference, which allows teachers to share effective teaching techniques, brainstorm ideas, and learn from one another. The music education degree program I’m in is excellent, offering numerous opportunities for teaching experience, including leading small orchestras and an extended student teaching and observation experience of two years instead of the typical one semester.

For Beginners I focus on the fundamentals: instrument skills, posture, bow hold, left-hand placement, and how to produce a sound. I use a lot of repetition and review to build muscle memory, and we often learn some music by ear until that memory forms. Students may learn by ear with the bow or start reading music while plucking, but I try to introduce the bow as soon as possible—after all, it’s the fun part! I want to avoid overwhelming you with too many new skills at once. Once basic instrument skills are solid, we shift our focus to note reading. For this, I usually use the *Essential Elements* book, mastering notes on one string at a time, starting with the D and A strings. We first focus on pitch, followed by rhythm notation. For Intermediate Students The focus shifts more toward tone quality and advanced techniques such as shifting, vibrato, improving intonation, different articulations, bow strokes, and dynamics. I introduce these elements at a steady pace, depending on the student's experience and how quickly they can pick up on these skills.