TEACHING

TEACHING BACKGROUND

I have significant experience teaching students of a variety of ages and backgrounds, from beginner students of all ages to advanced college and high school students. As a teaching assistant at Juilliard to violin professor Lewis Kaplan, I assisted in teaching alongside him during studio class lessons. I also have experience coaching chamber music and teaching music theory classes as a current faculty member at the Chamber Music Center of New York, as well as teaching theory to undergraduate students at Juilliard as a teaching assistant in the Juilliard Theory Department under the supervision of Prof. Steven Laitz. In addition to this, I also enjoy teaching beginner Ready, Set, Play classes at Silver Music NYC several days a week, where young learners ages 2-5 are introduced to all string family instruments, along with basic music rudiments.

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Something I really enjoy about teaching is how different each student is in their learning approach, and figuring out how to address each issue in an encouraging way that will work best for that particular student. During my undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, I really admired the way my mentor, Renee Jolles, tailored her pedagogical approach to each student. With this as a blueprint, I now strive to personalize my own teaching to each of my students, and tailor lesson materials to their own musical goals as they evolve in their musicianship. I aim to foster a positive, supportive learning environment, focusing on learning through curiosity and discovery along the path to mastery. I also incorporate theoretical and historical concepts into lessons with all of my students, so that they can become not only accomplished instrumentalists but also well-rounded musicians.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

As a teacher, I focus on building a strong foundation which is constantly improved upon over time, as opposed to just getting through a lot of material quickly. I strive to personalize my teaching to each individual student and their goals, so I will often check in with you about what kinds of things you want to learn. I firmly believe that the experience of learning an instrument has something to offer everyone, at every level of mastery. At the end of each lesson, we'll come up with a practice plan together for the week ahead based on your personal goals and schedule.

I have worked with students of all ages one-on-one and in group settings, mostly using Suzuki books for beginner and intermediate students. I grew up learning violin using the Suzuki method and really believe it is one of the most successful and positive ways to teach music, especially to younger learners.

I usually incorporate other supplemental pieces and books outside of Suzuki depending on the level of the student and their personal interests. I am personally a big fan of improvisation as a tool for exploring and incorporating theoretical concepts on your instrument, as well as a way to expand your musical creativity. I also really believe classical training is great for developing and deepening a mastery of fundamental technique, which is what allows you to play any kind of music well. Once students are more advanced, we move on to Kreisler short pieces, Monti Czardas, Massenet Meditation, the Mozart violin concertos, romantic concertos like Bruch and Mendelssohn, solo Bach sonatas and partitas, and other similar works to help build technique and musical artistry. Each session is specifically tailored to each student and their personal goals.