Merrifield, VA Cello Lessons

. I can help you understand what is going on behind the music and hopefully see what the composer was hoping to convey, if that is something you want to know. When I was a student I always wanted to know "why?". As a teacher, you will know why if I do.

*** Lesson Details ***
I try to keep my lesson area as stress free as possible. It's OK to make mistakes in my studio. I would like you to bring a notebook to lessons as well as your music and instrument. I write as much as I can down because if you were like I was during lessons, I would forget everything I was supposed to be watching for after 3 days. Like I said above, we move at your pace. The more you practice, the faster we move. Questions are a good thing. It shows interest. But sometimes you just have to stop asking questions and just take the leap of faith.
We start with note reading as well as proper form and the parts of the instrument. We also deal with general care. I will tune your instrument every time you come in for lessons until you learn how to tune it yourself. We will review the day before, I will check on what work you've done and then move onto the next song/ technique etc. After we learn how to pluck the first 8 notes, we start with scales and bowing.

After that we move through the "usual" routine. Scale, etude, song(s) or school test songs, audition requirements etc.

I try to keep the same routine because for some students it's easier for them to focus if they know the lesson is going to move in a familiar way. It's reassuring. After we become proficient in the basics, we move into whatever genre you would like to play, within reason. If you are in the school orchestra we will work towards you getting an A.

I would say I'm more laid back when you are not preparing for an audition. Auditions require a lot of work and I want you to do as close to perfect as possible. I become fairly demanding during that time.

In about 6 months, you can play almost any tune you can hear on the radio. Explaining where you could be gets fairly technical and I might as well be talking like Charlie Brown's teacher.

*** Studio Equipment ***
at the away studio: music, music stand, stool, piano, laptop, tuner, metronome.

at home: music, music stands, chairs, computer, laptop, keyboard, microphone, tuner, metronome.

pictures of the away studio are posted.

*** Specialties ***
I am familiar with Paul Rolland's work, Valerie Bobbett Gardner's Violin Virtuosity, as well as Guillespie's. I was brought up Suzuki but haven't been trained in Suzuki. I have taken classes on how to teach to a variety of students so I could hold a teaching license in the state. I do participate with (Canadian) The Royal Conservatory of Music Music Development. This is active in the US also.

Special note: If you are allergic to cats, you will want to take lessons at my other studio location, not at the home.

IF you are contacting me with questions, please include either take lessons or lessons in the subject area so I can find you faster. I get a lot of junk mail and it is easy for me to miss a note from you.

eel successful. All technique is based on real music. Learning scales, keys and music theory become part of the music. By the end of 6 months, we will have a "repertoire" of several songs that express our best self!

Fellowship, Olga Koussevitzky, HAMS, and Hudson Valley. He is an extensive solo as well as chamber music performer who, has appeared frequently in venues such as Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Music Gettysburg, Banff Center for the Arts, and Orford Festival. Recently he has collaborated with artists such as Hans Graf, Carlos Prieto, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Zakhar Bron, Natalya Shakhovskaya, Franz Helmerson, Richard Watkins, and Hansjorg Schellenberger, and Oxana Yablonskaya.

Born in Bulgaria, Hrant P. started the cello at the early under the guidance of his mother. His first recital was at the age of six. Two years later he gave his debut as a soloist performing C.P.E. Bach’s Cello Concerto. Hrant holds bachelor degrees from The Hochschulle fur Music in Wien, The Juilliard School, and received his Masters of Music from Yale School of Music where he studied with world renowned cellist Aldo Parisot.
Recently, Hrant won a position with the Army Band, married pianist Tatjana P., and is the proud father of son Benjamin.

*** Lesson Details ***
I believe that every student has his/her own need because we are all unique as human beings, every one of us has their stronger and weaker skills and my job as a teacher is to find the best tool to pass to the given student.

I am strict but fun, whichever amount the student needs more.

I use the Suzuki books because the songs (and later pieces) in are very good, popular, fun, and evenly progressive.

Achievements depend also on the student and the amount of practicing done at home. I as a teacher can only do that much in passing my knowledge and spur the student own.
Practicing at home is very, very important.

*** Specialties ***
Classical

the way.

In my view, the most interesting thing about performing music is that it is one of the few activities that engages both the left and the right brain at the same time. With that in mind, my teaching places equal importance on developing strong technique, and developing creativity. Students learn all the basics of music, and also spend time developing strong ensemble skills and strong background knowledge of style and repertoire, so that they can enjoy music in all kinds of settings, all their lives.

Knowing from experience how "boring" it can be to learn by rote, I combine technical work with fun time playing duets together, improvising, and exploring a wide variety of styles and genres of music. After all, there is no experience so motivating as hearing a new piece that you HAVE to learn to play yourself!

*** Studio Equipment ***
lessons in either living room or upstairs office; Steinway baby grand piano in living room;

*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect piano students to have daily access to either a piano or a keyboard with 88 full-sized, weighted keys. Bass or cello students must have their own bass or cello.

*** Specialties ***
classical, baroque, renaissance