Thomas L
5.0
(2)
Instruments: Cello
Styles: Classical
Thomas L
5.0
(2)
Instruments: Cello
Styles:
Classical
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 3-80
2015-2019: Casals Cello Scholarship, UC Santa Barbara
2015-19: Principal, Assistant Principal, Section Cello, UC Santa Barbara Chamber Players Orchestra
2016-18: Substitute Cello, American Youth Symphony
2016: Guest Assistant Principal, Opera San Luis Obispo
2015: First Prize, Palisades Symphony Concerto Competition
Thank you for visiting my profile! My name is Thomas, and I am a professional cellist with a Bachelor's of Music in Cello Performance from UC Santa Barbara, where I was a four-year recipient of the Casals Cello Scholarship. In addition to my music studies at UC Santa Barbara, I have performed in masterclasses for world-renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, the Danish String Quartet, and Enrico Pace. I have also performed orchestral, chamber, and solo cello music internationally throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Czech Republic, and Taiwan.
As a cello teacher with over five years of experience, I have taught beginning, intermediate, and advanced students from ages 5 - 72. Some of my former students have gone on to study music at the collegiate level, at prestigious musical institutions such as Cal Arts and NYU. Other students of mine have won awards and honors in competitions, as well as seats in Honor Orchestras at the regional and state level. My goal as a cello instructor is to guide my students through their own personal journey with the cello, and help them discover the joy of music!
I tend to tailor my method for the individual goals and desires of the student. Generally, for my beginning students, I assign a regiment of short pieces and technical etudes from a variety of method books. I find this to be an effective way to build technique while also cultivating musicality. As a student advances, I begin assigning works from the standard cello repertoire, which includes pieces such as Bach Cello Suites, concertos, and sonatas. I also find that technical studies from composers such as Lee and Popper are excellent means to build agility and facility on the cello.
Through my teaching experience, I am able to provide my students with a well-rounded teaching approach that strengthens all facets of cello playing. To achieve this, I tailor lessons to the individual student in order to most effectively help them meet their goals. I encourage an open dialogue between students and myself in order to identify their goals and inspirations; this allows us to produce a step-by-step plan in order for those goals to be met. Whether your goal is to play a piece you heard on the radio, or audition for your local symphony, I am confident that my teaching style can help you achieve your goals!
Jessica
Thomas was incredibly flexible and punctual with our lesson times. Through three years of lessons with Thomas, I was able to develop key technical skills and confidence in my playing. He takes his time when I run into difficult passages and is incredibly encouraging. Definitely recommend!
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