Musika Quick Stats
25 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Violin lessons in San Francisco . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Music
I am passionate about teaching music, and believe any student can learn. I boarded and studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and graduated from Guilford College with a Bachelor of Arts in Viola performance. I am currently obtaining my Masters from Berklee School of Music. I have played in dynamic bands of multiple genre and in symphonies as well. I am new to the Bay Area from Greensboro, NC, where I was born and raised. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola
I have been playing violin since I was 7, and viola since high school. My favorite part of music has always been the connection with others, and I still often play with others, either in chamber ensembles, sight-reading, or as part of an orchestra. I was a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony in high school, was part of my college orchestra in college, and have been a member of the San Francisco Civic Symphony since fall of 2013. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Viola Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
I typically perform an assessment with every individual during the first lesson. Depending on goals, I will recommend curriculum to achieve the desired results. If a classical approach is desired, I use the Alfred's Basic Piano series and the Hal Leonard method for guitar, along with scale and chord theory literature depending on the level of the student. I also teach jazz/pop accompaniment style improv playing so I print music out from various sources. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle
For my beginning students, I start out with a mixture of my own exercises, as well as basic songs using open strings, string crossings and rhythms, before moving to songs with basic fingerwork on one string (scale plus rhythm based). I usually supplement this beginning process with Essential Elements, before intruducing the Suzuki Method Book 1, Doflein Method Book 1, and rhythmic exercises from the Kodaly method. For my intermediate students, I use a mixture of Galamian bowing technique, emphasis on etudes and position work, Suzuki method, Barbara Barber scales and rep. books, and level-appropriate classical literature, combined with solo repetoire of the student's interest/choosing. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola Mandolin Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass
The approach to the violin with the orthodox method can be particularly frustrating. The technique is important but equally important is to develop the ability and taste of playing together right away. For this reason, regardless of the styles you want to deepen, I play as much as possible together with the student whether it is classical duets, folk songs or jazz. For the more advanced students a part of the study of the accompaniment is reserved as well as for soloists Calibrating the objectives based on the abilities of the age and the talent of the students is an attention that can avoid frustrations and lead everyone to the common goal of the musicians: to express and continuously improve. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola
My teaching experiences date back to my high school days where I was a teacher assistant to my school's orchestra program. I have had the opportunity to work with students of all skill levels from basic beginners to more intermediate students auditioning for youth orchestras. I have also been teaching privately on and off according to my school schedule. Through my experiences and love for teaching, I am certain that I can provide each student with their own unique and motivating violin experience. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Viola Saxophone Flute Clarinet
I'm an experienced and caring instructor who loves to see students empowered in their own creativity and excellence. I received my Bachelor's in Music Education from Ithaca College in 1988. I have recorded and released three projects so far that have received radio play internationally and been on the charts on college public radio. My travels performing music in the U.S. and beyond have enriched my life immeasurably and I love sharing the spark of imagination with my students. Read More
Instruments: Clarinet
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Since at least medieval times. My last name, Harper, is an occupational name for a harp player on the medieval court, an important position that was often hereditary.
If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I wasn't a musician, I would most likely have studied computer science and engineering in college, with a focus on physics and astronomy. I do a lot of amateur observational astronomy and astrophotography in my free time and also have learned basic programming skills in Python and Java.
What is your dream piece to perform and why?
I would love to perform Jackdaw for Bass Clarinet and Tape by Wayne Siegel. It is such a cool piece, but extremely challenging to do well. Among other things I am an amateur birder in my free time, so the piece combines multiple areas of interest.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
I begin with long tones and other fundamental excercises that focus on scales, intervals, sound production, and articulation. Depending on how long I have to practice, I do this for between 5-30 minutes. My goal is to both warm up my mouth and hands to be reinforcing good habits while also giving myself time to get focused and anxious to make music. After this, I will take out the 32 Etudes & 40 Studies by Cyrille Rose. At this point, I have studied each of these etudes multiple times, but I refer to them to remind myself of the good habits that I learned along the way, while also working to improve phrasing and critical thinking in my playing. Only at this point, after both my warmup and etudes, will I begin to work on repertoire for auditions and performances as well as my personal interests.
If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance degree from Temple University. I am currently working towards a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance degree at Carnegie Mellon University. I chose this degree because my main goal as a musician is to achieve a high level of mastery and knowledge of the clarinet, and this degree allows me to focus the most time on this goal. I believe that having a high level of mastery on the instrument is valuable not only for performing, but teaching as well.
Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
My curriculum is student-centric, meaning that lessons look different for each person. This is to prioritize meeting the specific needs of each student and adapting to how they learn best. Some books that I am likely to reference are the Rubank method books for beginners and the 32 Etudes & 40 Studies by Cyrille Rose for more advanced students. I use these books because I have personally played through these books cover to cover and am confident in their educational value to students.
25 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Violin lessons in San Francisco to students of all ages and abilities.
We'll then reach out to the teachers for you.
Schedule the risk-free trial lesson directly with the teacher.
Continue with that teacher or try someone else.




