Viola Lessons in Ellisville. Amazing Teachers.

Having taught and performed for over 30 years, I have had the pleasure of working with students of all levels and ages. For beginning students, you can expect to be playing and learning to read music within your first month of taking lessons. I am happy to say that my intermediate and advanced students have met goals of preparing for auditions with success, performance events, and simply studying new technique and repertoire for their own pleasure. I look forward to meeting and sharing your musical endeavors!

Students can expect a relaxed, fun, and encouraging atmosphere for learning. The viola can be an intimidating instrument- you will make a lot of unpleasant sounds before you start sounding great- and that's okay! I'll be there to guide you and help you reach your goals.

If you're already an experience player, you can expect me "workshopping" your technique. We will analyze your form, practice patterns, and playing style, to ensure that you are growing and improving from the moment we begin. I will push you to become the most expressive player that you can become, but at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

What young students can expect:

- Preparing for entry into school orchestra
- Polishing up school orchestra repertoire
- Learning new material and scales
- Perfecting their technique
- Preparing for NYSSMA
- Preparing college audition tapes (I do have the ability to record these as well)
- Learning to play with confidence
- Learning vibrato

What adult ...

During the first lesson we will get acquainted and you can tell me about your history with the instrument and what you would like to learn. Then I will come up with fun technique building exercises so you can play with ease. Then we usually work on a goal piece. For the piece I will give you practice methods and ways to play through the pieces with a beautiful tone. Viola is fun and expect to have a great time!

I can teach beginning-advanced viola students, and I can also help a student in the process of switching from violin to viola.

I teach scales, technique, shifting, vibrato, tonal exercises, solo pieces, and theory. I also teach group ensembles, trios, quartets, etc., in Classical, Religious, Fiddle, Pop. I help students with their school orchestral music and audition pieces also.

As a music instructor, I am eager to cater to the needs of each individual child and to provide them with engaging musical experiences in supportive environments. I have previously provided violin, viola, and piano lessons to students of all ages both through Thompson Tutoring in Portage, Michigan and Reverb Lessons in Chicago, Illinois. I have approximately six years of private teaching experience.

I recently graduated from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts with a Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance. In 2016, I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Viola Performance and Spanish. My performance experience includes both local and international venues. I have performed locally throughout the Southwest Michigan area, in orchestras such as the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Whiting Park Symphony Orchestra, Holland Symphony Orchestra, and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. I have also performed internationally ...