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24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
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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: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Organ Ukulele Electric Violin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar
Each student learns at their own pace and it's important to understand that not everybody learns the same. Setting both short and long term goals with the student helps me understand what they want out of lessons. This makes it easier for me to engage with them and bring it back to something relevant to them at the end of the day. For example, no child understands advanced rhythm unless you disguise it in familiar terms e.g. using the phrase "run po-ny run" to describe two eighth notes sandwiched in between to quarter notes. Read More
Instruments: Piano Voice Violin Cello Viola Ukulele Recorder Music Acoustic Guitar
Teaching is a passion of mine that I hope to further expand upon in my post-graduate educational studies. I do my best to provide a personalized lesson that is designed to suit a students playing style.I like to acknowledge a students accomplishments to help encourage their accomplishments. By acknowledging a students accomplishments it helps them thrive and eager to tackle further challenges both in music and their lives. I want my students to enjoy practicing and grow their love for their respective instruments. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Music
I'm looking to transmit all my knowledge as I'm confident it would optimize and benefit your performance, health, wellbeing and teaching skills by integrating body, mind, emotions and instrument into one-a balanced and fulfilled artist. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have. Rather you are a beginner, intermediate, advanced or just looking to deep your learning trhough Tango music-we'll take it from there and follow the path together! Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola
I used to use the Suzuki method but mostly I used formal classical method. Although, I always fit my lessons depending of each student's needs and/or requests. Personally I like the classical method because I also teach my students music theory if needed as well as historical facts to understand the music better. I have also thaught the El Sistema method from Venezuela which basically teaches students the feeling of playing music phisically. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola
After, I will introduce the students to scales and arpeggios which will progress from one octave all the way to four octaves. Once students have grasped fundamental violin playing, i will introduce the student to different repertoire based on the students skill set and also desire. For older more advanced students, I will evaluate their current playing level and then teach according to their needs and goals whether it is playing for fun, auditioning for an orchestra, competitions, or etc. Read More
Instruments: Violin Cello Viola Electric Violin Music
For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. 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. Any learning repertoire can be incorporated into lessons depending on the students playing level. Read More
Instruments: Violin Viola Mandolin Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass
Normally with very young students I start with the parallel study of written music, basic technique and music learned by imitation. It is a question of repeating short fragments of melody and then composing the whole piece piece by piece. This practice is widely used in many musical traditions and leads the student to develop the ear and the memory, that is the main elements of the musical practice. This practice can be applied to all levels from the most basic to the most advanced. 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.
24 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.
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