Ukulele with Mary-Elizabeth H.

(See FAQ section at the end) Located in Los Angeles. Teaching online via the takelessons classroom or FaceTime, or in my west side Los Angeles studio. Lessons in your home may be possible for an additional travel fee. Hello! I am a professional violin/fiddle/guitar/uke player and singer. I have recently relocated from NYC to Los Angeles for a little more sun and sand. I have been teaching private and group classes for over 25 years, since 1995. In Los Angeles I play live music all over, mostly Irish and other folk music. In New York I performed and taught music classes all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. I truly enjoy teaching and fulfilling the students needs and seeing them progress as a musician. You are the most important part of our classes. I worked for the NYC Department of Education and the Connecticut Department of Education as a substitute classroom and general music teacher (2015-2018). I have substantial experience teaching students with many different kinds special need, in special education, and students with learning differences. In 1999 I was awarded a full-tuition scholarship through an audition through the North American World Scholarship Program to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2001 I was awarded the String Department Special Recognition Award. At Berklee I earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance. I began my studies as a young child with the Suzuki Method (which focuses on learning by ear, substantial parental involvement, and only later reading music.) In high school I began studying jazz/blues improvisation, composition, and music theory. At Berklee College of Music I focused on jazz and all kinds of contemporary and traditional music. After graduating I was awarded a position at the Henry Mancini Institute (2003) in Los Angeles and was privileged to work with some of the biggest names in music including Diana Krall and Christian McBride. My favorite type of music to play these days is traditional Irish folk music, or "Irish trad". For the past few years I have immersed myself heavily in New York's traditional Irish music scene. I regularly play alongside some of the city's finest Irish music players, both in New York and now Los Angeles. A large part of my teaching style is that you are having FUN, you are enjoying what you are learning, no matter your skill level. Even if you are an absolute beginner, you can learn to play songs you like even if we only work on playing the chorus or the riff of the song. For example, one year I had a very happy 6-year old boy learn the theme to Star Wars and another college student learning the a hit single from pop band MGMT. Again, if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to use the TakeLessons message portal. My average response time is 1 hour and I will always get back to you as soon as I can. Please note I am on Pacific time and I'm typically 'in the office' from about 12pm-9pm PST. *FAQ for interested students* Scheduling Contact me after 12pm PST for the quickest possible reply.) Basically, I work late and sleep late, haha. What is the Goggle Practice Log? The Google Practice Log is different for every student. You can print it out each week or fill it in online. Some examples of what I might write in the left most column are: I AM SO PROUD OF YOUR WORK THIS WEEK! Keep it coming! 1. Warm up: G Scale (4X) 2. Play exercises on page 32 3. Listen to my recording (1X) 4. Play Minuet without recording (1X) 5. Play Minuet Game (remember to focus on counting and dynamics) 6. Play Minuet (3X) This practice should take you about 15 minutes. On the sheet, the next several columns are labeled Mon/Tues/Wed and so on. So you just go down the list completing each task, checking them off as you go or all at once at the end of your practice. If you have a super busy work week and have less time for practicing (life happens!) I would update the Practice Log to reflect this, i.e. designing your homework according to how much time you have. How much do I need to practice? Of course the more regularly you practice, the faster your progress with be. You and I decide together the how many days we aim to practice this week". We set attainable goals so you feel encouraged all the way along on your music journey. If you have limited time, that's okay. I do not demand that my students practice every single day, Many of my students work or go to school full time and have a weekly class. Let’s say you feel you only have 3 days to practice. In a time, we decide what's best for you, an additional day or a slightly longer practice. For example, I have an elementary age student I’ve been teaching for 3 years who started out practicing twice a week and when they were ready, we added one more day per week. We kept going in that fashion and they are enjoying doing 5 days/week and they love meeting their Practice Goal. What is a Practice Goal? You and I set your goal and keep it attainable so you stay motivated! My students feel great when they meet their Practice Goal, and we give a cheer! My classes are relaxed and cheerful (it is my job to encourage you and cheer you on!). I tell you both positive things and share things that need a little more work. The method that I've been using for over 25 years absolutely guarantees steady progress, no matter who the student is. (The word ‘patient’ comes up in my reviews a lot.) :) Can I have class every other week? We can certainly do every other week lessons. However, I don't recommended it especially for beginners. If you've started to develop a bad habit we don't want to have to unlearn it. Having weekly classes will also keep you motivated and keep the structure we set up. I have and have had many students who work or go to school full time and do their class in the evening after work, and I tailor the lesson according to their energy level. .