Violin Lessons in Gibbstown, NJ

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin

My goal is to foster a love of music through mastery, excellence and fun! I never want lessons to feel like something that has to be done, but rather, something to look forward to. I accomplish this by incorporating the interests of each student and including time in each lesson to improvise, create, or learn music they are interested in. I tailor my instruction to each student and keep track of progress so we know how to proceed. Read More

Instruments: Violin

Assuming that the student is starting from scratch, I start by directing them how to hold the bow and explaining all the different parts of the bow and their purpose. I then move over to the violin and do the same. I first start with showing them a good bow hold as I feel like a proper bow hold is a very important key to making a great sound. I will also take the time to explain the role of the fingers and show how it is the foundation to all the bow technique they are going to learn. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola

In highschool I worked with a music mentoring program.  I would travel to local elementary schools and teach children from 2nd to 4th grade violin in small groups.  This cultivated my love of teaching.  Though in college I never had the opportunity to teach privately due to my busy schedule, during breaks I would often give masterclass style lessons to students of my former teacher Michael Bandimere when they were preparing for performances or auditions. Read More

Instruments: Violin

My teaching style can best be described as flexible. I like to tailor every lesson to each individual student based on their needs and interests. For younger and newer students regardless of age, I like to focus primarily on fundamentals such as developing proper posture, becoming comfortable with the instrument, tuning and producing sound. For students who already have a good grasp of the fundamentals, we will have more of a discussion about their goals and interests, such as any upcoming auditions or performances. Read More

Instruments: Violin Cello Viola

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with a beginner method such as Essential Elements or Sound Innovations. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Viola Keyboard

Music is deeply personal; one must get to know each student's own personality, interests, and connections to music. Early on (both in the teaching relationship and in each lesson) one must assess where the student is, as to technical and musical growth, and with the music at hand. Then one finds, models, explains and encourages the next steps the student can achieve. Clear guidance and dialogue about what will happen outside the studio (listening, practice, rehearsal, performance) helps turn the weekly cycle of lessons into an upward spiral of progress, achievement, and reward. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Electric Violin

When it comes to teaching beginner piano, my philosophy is to avoid making lessons and assignments feel like a monotonous chore. If a student feels overwhelmed and/or uninterested in completing assignments and attending lessons, it can have the same affect as being assigned too much school work and house chores; the student will most likely lose interest in learning. As a young musician, I make sure that my students look forward to their lessons by reinforcing the idea of music as a form of artistic expression. Read More