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Teaches online
Teaches Beginner, Intermediate
Age: 5-105
Speaks French
Teaching since 2004
Master of Music in Violin Performance

    About Sylvia S.

    Fascinated and deeply inspired by the relationship between music, movement, and dance, violinist and Dalcrozian-in-training Sylvia is a passionate chamber musician in both modern and historical performance practices. A native of Boston, MA, Sylvia performs currently with Guts Baroque Duo, L’Esprit Baroque, Los Angeles Baroque, and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. She has also played with UCLA Early Music Ensemble, Eudaimonia, A Purposeful Period Band, Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra, Amherst Baroque Academy Opera & Festival Orchestras, the folk/baroque band Lizzie and the Flakjackets, and the prog/alt rock bands The Mood Swings and The Fixtures. As a chamber and orchestral musician she has performed across the United States and Europe, including Shostakovich Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the major halls of Boston. She has performed recitals extensively in the Boston area. She has also been a member of the Harvard Summer Chorus, Chorus pro Musica, and The Masterworks Chorale, and sees in her students as well as herself the great benefit singing has for string players. Sylvia is equally passionate about bringing music to life as a performer and nurturing creative expression and empowerment in her music students. She uses a combination of Suzuki approaches, improvisation, Dalcroze-inspired eurythmics, and Alexander Technique-inspired movement awareness to simultaneously develop fluent musicality, joy in making music, a solid instrumental technique, and musicianship (including reading and theory). A former sufferer of tendonitis, she has a particular interest in addressing and preventing performance injuries, in both beginning and experienced players. Sylvia earned a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Longy School of Music, where she studied with Laura Bossert and coached extensively with Dana Maiben, Na’ama Lion, Vivian Montgomery, and Ryan Turner. She is also a certified Suzuki Violin Teacher through Book 3. Sylvia teaches privately, online only for now (in person again soon!), and at the Vienna Music Institute. She has also taught at the Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program, Music 101, and the Winchester Community Music School, where she was also Administrative Director of the WCMS Summer Chamber Music Festival. She was thrilled to be Interim Orchestra Director in the fall semester of 2018 at Woodbridge High School, a Grammy Signature School, where teacher, students, and families alike enjoyed exploring baroque performance practice as part of the curriculum.

    Instructor details

    Location:
    Teaches Online
    Teaches Online

    Teaching Hours

    Tuesday
    1 PM-3 PM
    Wednesday
    3 PM-4:30 PM
    Thursday
    4 PM-6:30 PM
    Saturday
    10 AM-11:30 AM
    1 PM-2 PM
    Times are shown in your local timezone (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
    Pricing
    30 minutes
    $40
    45 minutes
    $50
    60 minutes
    $60
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    Experience

    Private Violin Teacher, Cambridge, MA

    Feb, 2013 - Present

    Independent

    Practice tutoring for Longy Community Programs faculty, lessons supporting Vassal Lane Upper School string program (extension of Longy teaching practicum)

    Teaching Artist Workshops: Bartok's Violin Duos

    Mar, 2014 - Mar, 2014

    through Longy School of Music of Bard College

    Created and performed interactive presentation exploring how human experiences appear in Bartók’s folk-melody-based violin duos. Tailored to seniors at Hale House, Boston, MA and students grades 5-8 at El Sistema Somerville, East Somerville Community School, Somerville, MA.

    Teaching Assistant

    Nov, 2013 - Feb, 2014

    El Sistema Side-By-Side Seminarios, Longy School of Music, Cambridge, MA

    Gave on-demand mini-lessons to individual students and small groups. Assisted with orchestra rehearsals and sectional coaching.

    Teaching Assistant

    Sep, 2013 - Jun, 2014

    YOFES String Orchestras, Hyde Park, MA

    Planned and co-taught rehearsals of beginning orchestra, ages 6-13. Gave mini-lessons to individual students and small groups. Assisted conductors of advanced orchestras (ages 10-18) with rehearsals and coaching. Maintained an energetic, focused, and nurturing atmosphere where students felt comfortable taking positive risks and asking for help. Assisted with strategic planning for pedagogical goals and approaches to meet those goals for the whole organization.

    Teaching Assistant

    Aug, 2013 - Aug, 2013

    Youth Music Academy Collaborative, Longy School of Music, Cambridge, MA

    Gave on-demand mini-lessons to individual students and small groups. Assisted with orchestra rehearsals and sectional coaching.

    Co-Teacher, Business Writing Class

    Jun, 2013 - Aug, 2013

    SMMA Architects and Engineers, Cambridge, MA

    With one collaborator, developed curriculum and teaching materials, taught, assigned homework, and provided individual support for course offered in-house to junior and senior staff of 180-person architecture and engineering firm.

    Teaching Assistant

    Sep, 2012 - Jun, 2013

    Longy School of Music Community Programs, Cambridge, MA

    Assisted weekly with youngest string orchestras (ages approx. 6-15), leading sectionals, providing support during tutti rehearsals and tuning. Taught violin sectionals as needed for most advanced orchestra. Assistant and substitute chamber coach for primarily high-school-age students and some 10-12 year olds. Assistantship renewed for 2013-2014 (Teaching Assistant with YOFES strings program).

    Green Building Standards Trainer

    Apr, 2010 - Aug, 2012

    SMMA Architects and Engineers, Cambridge, MA

    Developed teaching materials and gave training to SMMA staff in Cambridge and collaborating contractors in the field. Part of Sustainable Design Specialist position.

    Academic Tutor

    Jun, 2005 - Aug, 2007

    Acton-Boxborough Regional School District and Olin College Office of Student Life

    Junior high and high school levels: math, chemistry, and French. College level: chemistry and French.

    Education

    Bachelor of Science in Engineering: Sustainable Design

    Sep, 2005 - May, 2009

    Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

    Master of Music in Violin Performance

    Sep, 2012

    Longy School of Music of Bard College

    Certifications

    Suzuki Violin Teacher

    Jun, 2011

    Suzuki Association of the Americas

    Teacher Training with Carol Sykes through Book 3

    Awards

    First Place, Senior Division

    Jun, 2003

    Massachusetts Music Teachers Association Annual Contest

    Presidential Scholarship

    Apr, 2012

    Longy School of Music of Bard College

    Languages

    French

    Native Proficiency

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