Whether you need some instruction in violin basics before joining a music program, or just want to learn to play for your own enjoyment, this 2-week class is designed as an intensive to get you a quick jumpstart to playing and understanding the foundational skills and concepts you will need to continue on with the violin, even if you have never touched an instrument before! 

In this class, students will learn how to care for their violins, how to tune using a combination of the pegs and the fine tuners, how to hold the violin and bow with proper form and work with their body to enable long-term playing, the secrets to getting a good sound out of the violin even as a beginner, what intonation is and why it matters, how to play 3 basic scales, how to identify the parts of sheet music and decode notes to learn to play songs of your choice on your own, and more! 

This class is designed to quickly build a good foundation for future playing and enough understanding to be able to make some further progress even without direct instruction. Students will be able to use what they learn to select a song of their choice to work on during the second week of class, with some class time set aside for individual feedback and coaching. 

I will demonstrate all of the skills that we will cover in this class on my own violin, in short, easy-to-follow steps. This is an interactive class, and students will have the opportunity to demonstrate back what we are learning, and ask and answer questions. This class is best experienced when the learner is able to have their camera on throughout class showing both their violin hold and bow hold. Because of the nature of musical instrument sounds on Zoom, students will generally stay muted while we practice skills together, and may be unmuted for individual demonstration and feedback. 

I believe that the beginning stages of learning to play the violin should always be filled with encouragement, and progress should always be celebrated, no matter how small it may seem! Every learner is unique, and it is always worth taking your time in the beginning stages of learning an instrument like the violin, because a good foundation pays off later on. My goal is to meet every student exactly where they are and help them get the best start they can on their instrument!