Vancouver, WA Viola Lessons

II have been teaching viola for about 20 years. In the first few lessons students learn how to get get big, beautiful tone by learning various bowing techniques that are easy to learn with a little daily practice.

Then I teach how to read music and play songs in a variety of styles: Gypsy, classical, bluegrass, contemporary classical, rock and more. The album I use for this is a beginning book called VIP Strings composed by my mentor Dr. Lyons. The book comes with a play along piano accompaniment CD that makes practicing fun! Along with this I teach music fundamentals like scales, music theory and ear training.

For more serious students, I use materials from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and prepare them for one to two exams a year. The exams test playing abilities on 3 songs plus scales, arpeggios, ear training and music theory. Students that pass get a beautiful certificate for each level, grades 1 to 8.

I believe that students can only learn properly in the right atmosphere, with an enthusiastic, motivated instructor. If the experience is not fun the student will not excel in what they do. I believe the students should periodically have a chance to show what they are learning by performing in recitals with others.

Correct play position, reading viola clef, scales, etudes, solo pieces, shifting, vibrato. Possibility to play in a student string orchestra!

Many teachers who teach viola are primarily violinists, and are not as aware of the extra attention to detail and slightly different techniques that this instrument requires. Since I am primarily a violist, I can teach tone production, posture, and other techniques from the perspective of a player who has spent time learning the idiosyncrasies that make the difference between an excellent violist and a competent one.

My teaching style is inspired by my initial training in the Suzuki method, and my studies with violist and pedagogue Karen Ritscher at Oberlin Conservatory. Please note, I have not yet received training as a Suzuki teacher and use the Suzuki method books and the teaching I received as a Suzuki student as a jumping off point for working on each student's individual needs.

The student will be instructed on the basics of proper playing techniques, music theory, and musicianship. They will learn to read music and also play by ear which will make them a well rounded player.

Students can expect to learn the basics of holding and creating sound from a stringed instrument; parts of the viola; the string names; note reading; and to have a really great time learning!

I specialize in traditional and Suzuki violin and viola methods, and offer violin and viola lessons to students of all ages and levels. Currently, I have a very diverse studio where my youngest student is 3 years old and the oldest, 58. Whether you are a beginner violin student learning how to hold an instrument, an advanced level player seeking for improvement, or violin enthusiast who wants to take lessons as a hobby, I can help you achieve your goal.

Sunwoo Lee currently holds a Bachelor's of Music in Viola Performance, having recently graduated from the Eastman School of Music. As she continues to pursue her Master's degree at the same institution with Professor Masumi Per Rostad, this will now be her fifth year in the Rochester area. Although born in South Korea, she immigrated to the States at a young age and has lived in various areas in the New England area, and is fluent in both Korean and English. She started her musical studies at the age of seven with piano, taking on violin at 9 and switching to viola at age 13. She helped establish a chamber music program at her high school, which eventually grew into an orchestral ensemble. She has taught students at both the beginner and intermediate levels, and coached the viola section of an intermediate level youth orchestra at the New England Conservatory's preparatory division. She also had the opportunity to participate in outreach programs organized by Eastman's chamber music ...

I play viola and violin and am comfortable with teaching both!