Violin Lessons in Flatbush, NY

Instruments: Piano Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

As an instructor, its important to me that my students are developing both their skills and their love for music at an equal rate. I do this by assigning exercises and material that will be both rewarding and fun for the student. I also set timely goals so that they have something to look forward to in their next lesson. During my lessons, I also do a lot of mirroring (showing how I play a certain passage with my instrument) so that they can visualize the proper implementation of a passage. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

For beginning or young students (under age 8), music-related games are incorporated into lessons to encourage positive growth, rather than thinking of playing an instrument as a "chore". Small assignments are expected to be completed weekly, so that the child feels a sense of accomplishment and progress. For older or more advanced students, lessons are structured by a regimen of scales, exercises, and classical pieces. If the student so chooses, classical pieces can be exchanged for pop or contemporary music. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

I believe in the importance of holistic music pedagogy for students at every level. Musicianship requires technical proficiency, music theory training, music history study, and creativity. I prefer to craft unique courses of study for each of my students rather than using popular, one-size-fits-all approaches, such as the Suzuki Method. Though many of these methods have valuable pedagogical insights, I hope my students can have a deep engagement with music, art and creativity that goes beyond technical mastery, a goal that requires a greater flexibility than such methods provide. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola

I'm well trained in the Suzuki repertoire and philosophies, however I teach a combination of traditional methods and also have the ability to exclude one or the other. For beginners and young children, I teach note reading simultaneously but separately from the applied side of playing. Holding the violin and bow, for example, are very challenging and require time to focus on them individually. Note reading is done on the side and later these aspects merge so that kids are eventually learning new pieces by reading the music directly. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Saxophone Bassoon

I like my lessons to be fun! I like to start my lesson with a "music swap": we each play one minute of a song that we found that week from youtube or spotify and take 30-60 seconds to say why we found it interesting or inspiring (it can be any genre). We then aim to discuss and practice a new technical skill and use exercises to develop it, we work on a song from the method series or a song that the student wants to work on (I often transpose pop/rock songs for my students), and then rhythm training, ear training, and music theory concepts are interspersed throughout. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin

My teaching method combines aspects of the Suzuki method with my own creative exercises and improvisation. I believe that teaching students to invent melodies and rhythms from early in their musical training deepens their ability to hear and perform. I also believe that rhythmic exercises are not emphasized enough in classical instrumental training, and I incorporate such exercises into my own core curriculum. If a student is interested in improvisation, jazz, or pop music, I offer in-depth instruction to performing over chord changes, and other creative violin techniques like playing chords, chopping, and other percussive tools. Read More