Students will learn:
-How to set up and care for an instrument
-Pizzicato (plucking string) technique and bow hold and technique as the student advances
-String names
-Developing tone and quality of playing
-Reading music on the treble, alto or bass clef (depending on instrument).

Elisa Garcia-Gaetan - Elisa is a very enthusiastic violinist and violin teacher. She believes in helping the student reach their highest potential while at the same time considering the development and learning process of each student. She got her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The Hartt School in 2019 from which she graduated Suma Cum Laude. She has taught in several institutions in Puerto Rico, one of them being Musica 100x35 ( El Sistema de Orquestas y Coros Juveniles e Infantiles de Puerto Rico) with the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. She enjoys performing classical music and Latin American music genres. She is fluent in teaching her lessons in English or in Spanish.



Amy Pikler - a native of Glencoe, Illinois, Amy embarked on her musical journey at a young age. She started playing the violin at five, the recorder at eight, and the viola at ten. Currently distinguished as a violist with the San Antonio Philharmonic, Amy has also performed with renowned orchestras, including the Utah Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and Fort Worth Symphony. Amy's dedication to musical excellence is evident through her impressive academic achievements. She earned a BM in Viola Performance with highest honors from the University of Michigan under the mentorship of Professor Yizhak Schotten. Her outstanding accomplishments include being selected as co-principal violist of the University Symphony Orchestra for three years, reaching the finals of the University of Michigan Concerto Competition, and securing second place with her piano quintet in the Dale and Nancy Briggs Chamber Music Competition.  

Beyond her performances, Amy actively demonstrates a strong commitment to musical education. Amy's passion for teaching is evident in her coaching of sectionals at Lanier High School, masterclasses at John Jay High School, and instrument demonstrations at various San Antonio schools.  With over five years of experience in music education, Amy tailors her pedagogical approach to align with each student's unique goals. As a long-term substitute teacher for the orchestra director at Burbank High School, she left a lasting impact on the students she mentored.   Amy's musical lineage includes her father as her teacher, Charles Pikler, who held the esteemed position of principal violist in the Chicago Symphony for many years. Her mother was a public school music teacher and also helped Amy learn. This familial connection serves as a testament to the profound musical legacy that Amy continues to carry forward in her exceptional career, contributing significantly to the cultural vibrancy of the San Antonio musical community.


Dr. Lily Zhu plays in Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Midland Symphony Orchestra and freelances in other regional orchestras. She was the orchestra violin coach at Binhe Tieyi Middle School in China, and she taught violin at Flint Institute of Music, Marshall Music Co., and currently teaches group and private violin lessons at Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music School, with over 7 years teaching experience. She teaches all ages, but have special focus on working with beginners.  She believes music is a language for everyone, and she focus on using music as a tool to make good influence on everyone's mental health. 

She got her doctoral degree (DMA) at Michigan State University in 2023 and studied under Prof. Dmitri Berlinsky with full scholarship and fellowship in violin performance.  Dr. Zhu gained leadership experience from serving as the Assistant Concertmaster of Midland Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaster of Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, Central Michi-gan University Symphony Orchestra and Xi’an Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra.  Other than that, she’s also an Art Administrator, working as an Event Coordinator at Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art (MICA Gallery) and Grant Writing Intern at Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where she has gained lots of management skills and teamwork experience.

 

숙제 제공
Students will be expected to practice 20-30 minutes a day depending on age and skill level.
수업 외 주당 1 - 2 시간
제공되는 평가
Constant feedback from instructor during 1:1 lesson.
제공되는 성적

Suzuki Violin or Viola book 1 (or appropriate book for level if student is not a beginner).