Dallas, TX Violin Lessons

ersonally conducted 3 of the 5 orchestra and taught each class daily, either in sectionals or group instruction and conducting

At Texas Tech University, I worked two years as a teacher for the nationwide outreach program, String Project. With String Project, I would teach classes of 15 to 20 students at a time. These classes were forty-five minute violin classes held at the university twice a week. Each student had an additional thirty minute weekly, private lesson. My work, along with 4 other teachers, earned a position to lead two clinics at the annual ASTA convention, held in Atlanta Georgia in 2009.

During the Spring 2011 semester, I spent my week in the Houston area as an orchestra teacher at Fort Settlement Middle School. During my time at Fort Settlement, I ran a program of 164 middle school string musicians on violin, viola, cello, bass and harp. The orchestra ranged from beginner to upper-intermediate levels. I had the opportunity to take 3 of the orchestras to UIL contest. All three groups came back with outstanding awards, including Sweepstakes, the highest award possible.

I am a sought after violinist, pianist, accompanist, teacher, conductor, and adjudicator for several ensembles, musical organizations, and student recitals. I began my musical career at the age of eight playing the piano. I have continued to play and take piano lessons throughout my life. When I entered the sixth grade, at the age of 11, I began my violin studies. These violin and piano studies led to my eventual audition and acceptance at Texas Tech. Though one may think two is enough, I did not. After a year marching in the colorguard in high school, I began lessons on the clarinet at the age of 15 and joined the band. I continued to perform on the clarinet in the marching and concert bands throughout high school and college.

With 6 years of private, group and public teaching, I am a state certified music teacher for early childhood through 12th grade. Since the fall of 2011, I also teach full time as a middle orchestra teacher in Lewisville ISD. I am a current member of TMEA, TODA, TMTA, and ASTA. I have taught a wide range of students and enjoy sharing my passion for music making. As a teacher, I want my students to understand and learn music in many different aspects. Understanding how to read notes and rhythms is important, but combining them with the emotion and sensitivity of music makes playing any instrument fantastic. Music theory and technique are other important aspects of playing all instruments and are stressed in each lesson as well. As students practice and develop their skill and understanding, it is my desire for students to express the music from the depths of their heart.

*** Lesson Details ***
I am generally a very easy to get along with, but I do have high expectations from my students. For beginners, I run my lessons in sections with stretches, detailed warm-ups, repertoire, theory and end with an overview of the lesson and expectations for the next lesson. With my intermediate and advanced students, I expect them to come in already warmed up and prepared. I will have them play through technique exercises with brief reviews and explanations for the next expected exercise. We then go immediately into repertoire where students will "perform" prepared pieces for me. I stop and work on things throughout and then set an expectation for the next lesson for repertoire before ending the lesson.

*Note* I do expect all students to have an instrument to practice on. I highly encourage all beginners to RENT their first instrument from an instrument specialty store and not purchase one from a "department" or "super" store or online. Instrument specialty stores are always available to do repairs and upgrades with very decent prices. Purchased beginner instruments are hard to sell once grown out of. I do have names and numbers for multiple violin and piano shops in the DFW area, as well as a piano tuner.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Front Room: Piano, music stand and mirror, chairs and couch, highly encourage parents to sit in on lessons

*** Travel Equipment ***
Students will need to provide all of their own equipment. I will bring any additional books on an as need basis. I will bring my own violin to violin lessons, but students will need to provide their own with accessories.

*** Specialties ***
Kodaly and Suzuki

your family to achieve your music education goals!

d in the Spring of 2008. I learned how to write acoustic and electronic music as well as studio recording processes.

I worked for the Walt Disney Company through the College Program after which I became a campus representative on Disney's behalf. My performances with the Disney Company include: 1st Violin for the Encore Cast Choir and Orchestra at E.P.C.O.T. in July 2007 and as Mrs. Armstrong for S.T.A.G.E.'s 2007 Christmas Pageant, performed in E.P.C.O.T. December 13-16 in the Circle of Life Pavilion.

Since my return to Boulder in January 2008 I finished my Masters Degree in Music Composition and taught Ear Training and Theory of Music to Freshmen, and Ear Training to Sophomores at the University of Colorado at Boulder until May 2009.

I became a member of a six-person band, called Indigent Row, in 2008-2011 where I played fiddle and sang lead vocals. We performed throughout Colorado monthly.

I now reside in Denver, Colorado. I joined Buckstein (Modern Country Rock) in March 2015 and perform regularly each month all over Denver and sometimes out of state. We are also the house band for the internationally recognized Grizzly Rose performing 6 nights a week bi-monthly.

I currently teach beginning voice, all levels of violin and viola, sight-reading, theory of music, recording techniques, performance techniques, and song-writing. I am continuing to compose new music and collaborate with others as the opportunity arises. Some of my collaborations have been published and are available online. Please ask for details.

*** Lesson Details ***
Are you excited about learning a new instrument or learning to sing your heart out? Come and learn with me in a comfortable, friendly environment! I am patient and encouraging. I will help you set goals and meet them. And to help motivate you, I will schedule performances along the way so you can show off all of your hard work!

I can teach you violin, viola, voice, music composition, recording techniques and stage techniques! I am trained in numerous styles and can help tailor lessons to your passion.

Lessons will start with the basic building blocks, as any great musician needs to have a strong foundation in the basics. I can teach you how to read music as well as improvise if that is your desire. I feel it is essential to know how to play/sing by sight and will make this a strong focus throughout the initial lessons in addition to technique and posture. I will make sure you learn how to perform and practice without injuring yourself, as certain repetitive motions can cause long-term injuries if you are not practicing with proper posture and technique. My goal for you is to make this a fun journey.

Embrace your musical side and express yourself! Bring a positive attitude to your lessons and get ready to show off your stuff!

For string players, I like to combine Suzuki with traditional Russian style and progressive scales to build the foundation and then progress to the styles of your choosing. For vocalists, I focus on Solfeggio to learn scales and sight-singing techniques and then focus on exercises to build vocal range and control. At all levels of learning I will be sure to assign tunes to work on in addition to scales/exercises so that there will always be something fun to work on in addition to the rudiments.

Remember, this is supposed to be an enjoyable experience! Let me take you on your musical journey and give you the skills to express yourself through music. Choose me as your instructor and I will contact you within 48 hours to schedule your first lesson.

I look forward to seeing you on stage!

-Jennifer

*** Studio Equipment ***
In the space I will have music stands and an amplified electric keyboard. All students should bring their own water to each lesson. Violin/viola students must bring their own instruments complete with rosin, bow, cleaning cloth, and protective case.

*** Travel Equipment ***
All students must acquire their own music stand as soon as possible. I expect my students to have access to a piano or musical keyboard and purchase their own music books.
Violin and Viola students will need to have an instrument with shoulder rest, bow, and rosin. I highly recommend that all beginning string students purchase Suzuki Book 1.

*** Specialties ***
Electric Violin
Acoustic Violin
Vocal Performance
Five-String Violin Performance

My specialties include: Suzuki, Alexander Technique, traditional Russian Violin, Country Fiddling, Celtic Fiddling, Classical Violin, Classical Viola, Folk Singing, Traditional Irish, pop singing. Composition ranges from electronica, to experimental, folk, and electroacoustic pop.

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n Details ***
I am mostly laid back, however, I do demand excellence and great tonal projection. For clarinet, I really like Klose's method, however, I use a lot of Rose Etudes, Voxman, etc. Sightreading is a focus in clarinet lessons as well as ear training and theoretical concepts such as building tetrachords, identifying major or minor intervals, familiarity with major and all forms of the minor scale as well. Special attention is given to hand position as well as noticing and achieving tonal excellence. For violin, special emphasis is placed upon proper bowing technique, left hand position, and ear training to improve intonation. Scales and arpeggios would be the building blocks to flawless technique. Method book that I prefer would include the Suzuki and Flesch methods. In all instruments that I teach, I also utilize You Tube videos to enhance the learning process.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect all students to have a stand and a metronome/tuner. With piano students I have a variety of educational games that make learning fun and easier. I usually travel with a whiteboard and manuscript paper in order to test music writing ability.

*** Specialties ***
I teach mainly in the classical genre....for Violin I like the Suzuki method, though I can teach through any method. I am aware of the freedom of jazz improvisation as well.

ion and programming.

As a composer, she studied with Robert Frank, Mark Dal Porto and attended masterclasses with Donald Erb, Wynton Marsalis and Samuel Adler to name a few. Her compositions have been performed in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida. A commissioned composer, her Dualities for Clarinet, Brass Ensemble, Electronics and Percussion; Fantasia pour Cor; Feline Romp for solo clarinet; works performed in the classical idiom.Plains of Lhasa and Tearing were composed in the electro-acoustic medium. She is a member of ASCAP, TMEA, TODA, ASTA, and self publishes. She has performed internationally and in addition to her professional schedule, taught music technology related courses and music theory as an adjunct professor at Collin College, Spring Creek Campus and maintains an active private teaching studio in Dallas and Clute, Texas; along with her duties as a faculty member in the music department at Brazosport College and former Head Director of the orchestra program at Brazosport High School and its feeder school system.

mposers and aiming to share their work throughout the Ann Arbor community.

ly trying to expand my genres by taking any opportunities and gigs for jazz performances.