Kenneth R
Instruments: Violin
Styles: Classical
Kenneth R
Instruments: Violin
Styles:
Classical
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 6-75
Master Degree: The Juilliard School
Bachelor Degree: The Juilliard School
Teaching Assistant to Itzhak Perlman, The Juilliard School (Sept 2018 - present)
Teaching Assistant to Li Lin, The Juilliard School (January 2017 - present)
Chamber Music Faculty, The Perlman Music Program Summer Music School
Laureate: Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition 2015
First Prize: Yehudi Menuhin International Competition 2012
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I've been living in Manhattan for the last five years, where I studied at The Juilliard School with Itzhak Perlman, Li Lin, and Catherine Cho for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees. For the last two years I've been serving as Teaching Assistant to Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin at Juilliard.
I've had the good fortune of performing internationally as soloist with orchestras around the world, including the National Orchestra of Belgium, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Weimar (Germany), The Lithuanian National Orchestra, and the California Symphony.
I've given recitals at the Auditorium du Louvre (Paris), The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival (Germany), and Flagey Studios (Belgium), among other major European venues.
I'm also very passionate about chamber music, having given performances at the Caramoor and Ravinia Festivals and Music@Menlo. I was recently appointed Chamber Music Faculty at the Perlman Music Program's Summer Music School on Shelter Island.
In addition to the teaching I do at Juilliard as Mr. Perlman and Mr. Lin's Assistant, I have been teaching all levels privately since 2013, initially part-time, and within the last two years more full-time. I believe that music is a universal creative outlet for expression no matter one's age, background, or level. I also believe that it is my duty to pass on the knowledge I've gained through my teachers and experiences to others interested in music.
I love seeing the "lightbulb" moment - when a student is able to suddenly grasp something that was previously difficult for them. I try to enable these moments to happen frequently in lessons, and give students a clear plan for personal practice and improvement at the end of each lesson.
As a teacher, my goal is to give students the technical tools and sensitivity of listening necessary to freely express themselves through the violin, no matter what level they may be. Much of my system of teaching has been passed down from my mentor Li Lin, who masterfully taught hundreds of young violinists of all ages in San Francisco before being appointed faculty at The Juilliard School.
His approach (and mine) combines the systematic technical discipline of the Russian violin school with the nurturing and personalized care for each individual student of the late pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. Most importantly, I believe every student is different and I always try to avoid a "one size fits all" approach to teaching. That said, I'm a big advocate of scales, etudes, and technical exercises, as well as exploring repertoire (solo, chamber music, and symphonic). I encourage students to listen to a wide variety of music, in addition to their work on the violin, sometimes with weekly listening assignments.
Daily, systematic practice at home is required of all my students (especially younger ones) for clear progress to happen.
I encourage my students to find performance opportunities, study composing and music theory, join youth orchestras (when applicable), and participate in competitions (when appropriate). I believe very much in creative, but goal-oriented learning.
I try to customize my teaching style based on what I observe each student needs. Some are visual learnings, in which case I do lots of demonstrating on my own violin. Other students respond very well to imagery, and listening to their own imagination/instincts. Some students need more systemic discipline, others require more freedom and nurturing. It's important that each student develops at their own natural pace, and I try to give a clear schedule/plan for each student's practicing at the end of every lesson. Each student should leave lessons feeling inspired and motivated to improve!
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