Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy flows from the ideas I inherited from my own teachers.  They gave me ideas and principles that still guide me as a musician.

Technical grounding

To begin to make music at a professional level, we each need to look honestly at where we stand in our technical development and do the work necessary to resolve technical issues.  I feel that most issues are best addressed through careful and thorough work with scales, arpeggios, and bowing exercises.  My students learn to use their bodies naturally and in a relaxed way to develop technical consistency and style.  I have had success helping students relieve tension in their bowarms and improve their sound.  I have also helped many students develop a more relaxed and expressive vibrato, and develop greater speed and facility in the left hand.  Many German bow players have found my approach to developing a spiccato stroke very useful.

A focus based on the student's goals

I have students who have chosen to use their musical gifts and training in a wide variety of contexts:  As orchestral performers, as teachers, and in academia or arts management work.  I don't believe in trying to force students' musical work into any preset model; I work with each student's passions and goals as a performer and a person to find the path that works for them.  College is a time to grow and understand yourself, and I want to help each student find their own musical path.

Solos

I encourage all my students to bring solo music into their lessons that they like and feel excited about playing.  While not everyone is ready to play every solo piece, I do feel that we all learn more when we feel personally motivated and excited by the music we are working on.

Music first

My goal is never to teach technique as an end in itself, but to always try to direct technical work towards a focus on musical excellence.  The more I play music, and the more I listen to great musicians, the more I see that the skills involved in making a truly beautiful phrase are much more important (and difficult) than the ability to play loud and fast!  This doesn't mean that I don't teach practical technical skills, but that I want all my students to use those skills to make interesting and passionate music.