Ukulele with Molly W.

A lover of cats, kids, and music, I started taking Suzuki violin lessons at age six, finishing all ten books before the end of high school. I added guitar, guitar variants such as ukulele, cuatro, and tiple, and percussion during my Masters degree in Ethnomusicology at U.T. Austin and began teaching world music, piano, and theory at L.A. Trade Tech College in 2002. I performed for several years with the Cal Arts Balinese gamelan, Burat Wangi and Nevenka Eastern European Womens Ensemble before moving to New York to perform with the local chamber pop ensemble Kotorino. In 2012 I moved back to my natal LA to open a teaching studio for Suzuki violin and guitar, ukulele, old tyme fiddle and song writing. I also teach music in the schools Prek-K, 1 and 2. I have many years of experience performing in world and pop music ensembles and have a deep love for music and its transformative qualities, especially when it comes to young people and advocating for a musical education. I currently play violin and sing with Nevenka and I write and produce children’s music for the project Peach & Spoon. Learn more about the first and second collection of songs at peach and spoon dot com. *** Lesson Details *** In lessons I create a positive environment in which the student can feel successful about even small achievement, whether its holding the bow correctly, or having practiced the assigned passage the agreed-on number of times. With the Suzuki method, there is a progression in what we teach beginning students so that they are challenged and interested, but they don't get overwhelmed. For very young students, I will ask the parent to be involved in the learning process and act as a second teacher at home and during practice sessions. Within a short amount of time, the student usually surpasses the parent. And If your child wants to learn guitar or ukulele, my approach will be similar. Holding the instrument will be a very important part of learning the instrument, as well as caring for the instrument. Although I am very detail oriented in the lessons, my manner is very calm, light and reassuring, and children seem to enjoy the attention to details and the focused amount of time that we spend together. After 3 months, a beginning violin player will have usually learned to hold the violin, care for the instrument, they will know the names of the parts of the violin and bow, they will know how to bow before and after a piece, and sometimes they are able to play all the Twinkle variations. After six months to a year, depending on how much time and energy they put into practicing, they can usually play until the middle of book 1. *** Studio Equipment *** I have a high quality computer /microphone setup for Zoom students, and I often create and send you practice videos to help you learn a concept or passage. I have some really great instruments I use during lessons to demonstrate the learning. I can also suggest what instruments for you to purchase. *** Specialties *** Suzuki violin and guitar methods, theory, and self-taught for the ukulele. I studied song writing at UCLA and have many years worth of song writing experience. I also encourage performance and like to teach students how to feel comfortable on stage and I have started to incorporate musical play into lessons which includes early steps towards improvisation, something children do naturally. I teach fiddle tunes to my group classes through the Suzuki Music Program of Los Angeles and I enjoy helping my students learn this fun and easy style of playing.