Olivia S
Instruments: Guitar, Violin, Viola, Ukulele, Mandolin, Fiddle, Music
Styles: Classical, Folk
Olivia S
Instruments: Guitar, Violin, Viola, Ukulele, Mandolin, Fiddle, Music
Styles:
Classical, Folk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 4-80
Soloist with Itasca Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (2019)
Minnesota State Oldtime Fiddle Championship, 1st place (2016, 2018, 2019)
Minnesota State Fiddlers Association, 1st place (2019)
Tour soloist with St. Olaf College Orchestra (2019)
Christiansen Music Scholarship (2017-2021)
I am a graduate of Olaf College, where I received my Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance (‘21). I played in the first violin section of the St. Olaf Orchestra, and have toured with them throughout the United States and abroad to notable venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Oslo Opera House. During my senior year, I served as co-concertmaster of the orchestra. I began private violin lessons at age nine, with notable teachers including Francesca Anderegg, Nathan Cole, Natsuki Kumagui, and Alex DePue. I performed as a soloist with the St. Olaf Orchestra on their 2019 fall tour, and was the first place winner of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition in 2017. In 2019, I performed the complete Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Itasca Symphony Orchestra. I have spent many summers out of state studying at music festivals, including Interlochen Arts Camp and Meadowmount School of Music. Additionally, I am an avid fiddler, and have been fiddling since age ten. I am the three time Minnesota State Fiddle Champion, and additionally placed first at the Minnesota State Fiddlers Association contest at the Minnesota State Fair in 2019. I currently live in Tallahassee, FL, where I am a member of the Tallahassee Symphony.
I had my first experience teaching as a thirteen-year-old, giving lessons to a young girl from my church. I have since worked with over one hundred students, from ages five to adult. I have teaching experience both privately, as well as with several professional music studios. I teach both in person and online. Instruments include violin and fiddle (up to advanced) and viola (up to intermediate), as well as guitar, mandolin, and ukulele (beginning levels). I teach both classical and bluegrass music.
I have used a variety of books with my students, but generally start students with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. I use a mix of books (note reading), ear training, and musical games (depending on age) in lessons. I like to offer students a variety of learning styles, in order to find the one that best suits them. I am flexible and open to requests, but I will also guide students through their learning process with the materials then should know in order to succeed. For advanced students, I give them more freedom to choose repertoire, though I will guide with suggestions.
For me the most important thing in lessons is to get students to play. After all, that's why they're here! From your very first lesson, I will have you playing simple parts in duet with me, so you get to make music from day one! I combine these simple exercises with learning notes and technique, so you'll always have a variety of skills to work on. For all students, I focus on helping them to hear their own mistakes, figure out what is wrong, and know how to fix it. I always send my students home with a detailed list of their assignments from that week, and the techniques we focused on in the lesson.
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