17835 Brigham Trail, Minneapolis MN, 55391
Instruments:Cello
Styles:Classical
Levels:Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Experience:20 years
Rate:$50 / hr
Personal Statement
When I was 5 yrs. old, I wanted to play the violin. I looked at pictures of violinists and listened to violin music. I wanted to be Jascha Heifitz when I grew up. I remember a day in Kindergarten when the local circuit general music teacher brought her daughter, who was studying to become a string teacher herself, to our class to play for us and to show us the various string instruments. At the end of the class all of us were invited up to see the instruments up close. I distinctly remember being in the back of the crush of 5 yr. olds thinking to myself that it wasn’t that important for me to see a violin up close that day because I was going to have one myself. Due to family circumstances, I wasn’t able to start learning to play until I was in the 8th grade, at which time the school orchestra teacher said, “We don’t need any violin players right now….would you play the cello?”. The rest is “history” and I count myself fortunate. I want to help students realize their passion for music, just as I was able to realize mine. Making music is an essential part of the business of being a human on this planet, something that I believe everyone should be able to do. Whether they go on to a life, and livelyhood, in music is not necessary, of course, but I want to try to help my students make music and to make it a vital, active part of their lives.
As for nuts and bolts, I use a more traditional method of instruction. While I use Suzuki materials, I don’t use the Suzuki method. I ask students to practice scales, etudes and study materials as well as work on solos and orchestra parts they have in their school and/or in one or both of the wonderful youth orchestras we’re fortunate to have in our area.
Education / Training
I began learning the cello myself in the public schools. I studied with Ruth Fischer, Paul Thomas, with Tanya Remenikova at the University of Minnesota and with Sachiya Isomura and Mina Fisher. I’ve done chamber music studies with the Pacifica and Cavani String Quartets and participated in the inaugural Midori Center for Community Engagement summer program at USC’s Thornton School of Music while a member of the Northern Lights String Quartet.