What to expect

Cello lessons are a wonderful gift to your child. They are the perfect vehicle for learning creativity, self-expression, discipline, consistency, and the rewards of diligent effort.

All students who study with me attend a lesson each week. Usually my youngest beginners start with a 30 minute lesson and then move up to 45 minutes, and eventually an hour when they need more time and guidance to meet their goals. We have a formal recital twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. We always do a group concert in December in the community to share some holiday cheer. In between, we have studio classes every now and then, and sometimes students will have the chance to play in a small ensemble with other students.

My teaching style, especially with young beginners, is based in the Suzuki Method. Shinichi Suzuki was a violin teacher who believed that regardless of innate ability, every child can learn. If a child is exposed to beautiful music in a supportive and loving environment, they cannot help but succeed. My definition of success might be different from what you are expecting. I don’t really mind if my students win auditions for competitive youth orchestras (though many of them do). It is much more important to me that my students go out into the world as kind people who support others and try their best. I have found, through teaching and through my own experience, that by focusing first on character and integrity, most of the other things take care of themselves.

There is way more to be said about the nuts and bolts of cello lessons, about your role as a parent in lessons, the importance of listening to music at home, how I support my students in learning to read music, how to spend time with the instrument in a productive way… but it all comes back to this:

Availability

limited, Monday – Thursday afternoon

now accepting new students for fall

Location

North Decatur near Valley Brook and East Ponce