This course will include private violin instruction for all levels and ages. Please send me a note during sign-up regarding age level and current musical experience. Adult supervision is mandatory for students under age 8 for at least the first four lessons, after which we can discuss what lesson style would work best for the student. During the first lesson, I will ask students about their general goals with music, as well as demonstrate any current piece, etudes, and scales. If you are an absolute beginner, no worries! We will go over lots of fun games and exercises to start playing songs in no time. 

Topics taught will include: 
-beginning to advanced sheet music reading
-music theory and scales
-right and left-hand coordination and independence
-parts of the violin or piano and sound mechanics
-hand-frame
-posture
-intonation 
-musical expression
-sound production
-practice skills
-tone and vibrato development 
-practice safety and warm up stretches
-pertinent relaxation techniques

For beginners, we will start with learning how to hold the violin and how to pluck the strings. Beginners will start with the Essential Elements for Strings Book 1 before moving on to a custom violin method developed to focus on music literacy, musicality, and tone production. For intermediate and advanced players, the first lesson will be spent discussing your current level and goals with the music. Then we will talk about required materials as well as next steps in terms of pieces, etudes, scales, and technical and musical development. If any of these materials are cost prohibitive to you, please feel comfortable letting me know so that we can discuss options. After a degree of comfort with the instrument and literacy with music is reached, students are highly encouraged to suggest and bring in songs that they want to play! My goal with the developed curriculum is to give all students the knowledge and tools to find freedom and joy with their playing.

Daily practice is expected of all students. At the very beginning only 2-3 minutes a day is necessary in the interest of habit formation, and practice time will naturally increase with skill level. For students younger than 8 years old adult assistance and supervision with practice time is highly recommended. 

A NOTE ABOUT ATTENDANCE: Subscribing to a class reserves that class time for you and your alone. No other students are able to learn during that section, and I am not able to use it for make-up lessons. If you know that you absolutely cannot be available for a lesson, please let me know at least a week in advance through the conversations tab on Outschool so that we can schedule a make-up lesson. Make-up lessons are offered due to availability of open class times. I urge you to be respectful of my time and that of the other students. I will do my best to be as flexible and accommodating of scheduling issues as I can.