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Master Degree: San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Graduate Degree: Sacramento State University
I am a holder of M.M degree in Music Performance from San Francisco conservatory of music, and a Bachelor degree in Music performance from California State University, Sacramento. During the course of my career, I have had the opportunities to be associated with multiple orchestras in various permanent, sub and freelancing roles. My orchestra performance experience includes diverse musical styles, such as: Baroque, Jazz, opera, symphony, and music of the 21st century. During the years of my undergraduate studies I participated in several projects with the emphasis on teaching pedagogy and performance. I was involved in a string project at Sacramento State University, where I had the opportunity to learn effective pedagogical methods in academic and performance spheres, and incorporate them in my practices working with teenage musicians. Throughout the years of my studies I participated in different musical festivals: Monterey Jazz festival, Baroque music festivals, and Festivals of Russian and Spanish music. After graduating from California State University, I became involved with conducting and established my own youth symphony orchestra, working with teens who were eighteen years and younger. I organized weekly rehearsals, prepared the orchestra repertoire, and arranged performances. During my graduate studies at the San Francisco conservatory I was involved in the internship program coaching orchestra excerpts and private lessons at George Washington High School. Recently I became involved with music composition and scoring and arranging pieces for solo instruments and ensembles. Currently I am working at Pleasanton Music Academy and Community Outreach Academy, where my duties include private lessons, chamber music, and music theory and solfege classes. I worked with diverse groups of students; of different ages, nationalities and students with disabilities and special needs.
My teaching experience started during my undergraduate studies at Sacramento State University. I was teaching at the String Project program at Sac State University, where I was coaching string ensemble classes, basic knowledge of music theory and private violin/viola lessons. During my Graduate studies at San Francisco Conservatory I was involved in the internship program teaching at George Washington High School; coaching orchestra excerpts to a string players, and private lessons. I am currently teaching at Pleasanton Music Academy, where my duties involve teaching private violin/viola lessons, music theory and coaching chamber music classes. I am teaching at Pacific Institute of Music, and Community outreach Academy; teaching band classes and private lessons.
I am using simple, but effective methods to explain a certain technique or concept. I want my students to understand a certain concept in a way that they could explain it to me. I do not dismiss my students from the lesson until they understand a certain technique that we are working on during the lesson. I am doing my work very carefully, making sure everything looks good; that includes the hand posture and techniques that we are working on. I do not let the student to proceed to the next level until the previous level is complete successfully.
It is very essential under which environment students are learning. Therefore, my teaching philosophy is to create a warm, healthy and welcoming environment for the students, as well as to motivate and engage them in activities that would get them to a professional level in their career. I train my students to be able to logically analyze, brainstorm, and use critical thinking in class assignments. When I am explaining a certain topic I am trying to use the most simple and easy methods. This approach helps students to understand the material faster and clearer. I like to think outside the box and therefore, am not strict on following one specific method or structure because something that can work for one student may not for the other. Therefore, I encourage my students to use the methods that best work for them. Whether I am teaching music performance or music education classes I always tend to focus on the basics. Without the knowledge of the basics a student would not be able to advance further. In my lessons. I make sure that I focus on the weak sides of my students rather than the strong. For instance, if it is an orchestra rehearsal I practice the excerpts that are the most challenging first and then move on to the simpler sections. I am trying to find the most productive methods that would help to fix issues my students are struggling with. I am very patient with my students and believe that every student has a potential in a certain sphere. When it comes to practicing an instrument I had cases where students did not practice at all. Instead of stopping lessons with those types of students I patiently waited and continuously motivated, and little by little the progress was happening. I also care about my students. If a student needs additional help, despite the fact that I might have to spend my personal time working with that student, I would do my best to help that student to succeed.