Current students can find online resources here.
I'm happy to offer instruction in the following areas:
- Classical cello - for all levels.
- American fiddle styles for cello - focusing on traditional repertoire from New England and Appalachia, developments in accompaniment technique over the last fifteen years, the challenges of representing fiddle music on the cello, and the implications - both cultural and musical - of engaging a folk tradition.
- Beginning improvisation for classical musicians - tailored to your specific interests; topics might include creating improvisations out of existing repertoire, beginning to play over changes, "free" improvisation, and film improvisation.
- Introductory music theory - there's a lot of notes out there; I can help you figure out what they do.
These topics are by no means exclusive, and in most cases, a student will mix them over a course of study - for instance, some very basic theory is definitely necessary for beginning classical musicians, an advanced classical musician interested in learning Appalachian music might also become interested Scottish music, and every musician can benefit from knowing how to make quality recordings of their own practice sessions.
Each student sutdying privately with me gets a page on this website on which I upload listening samples, sheet music, and other tools and resources.
Each student sutdying privately with me gets a page on this website on which I upload listening samples, sheet music, and other tools and resources.
My lesson rate is $50 for a one hour lesson. Lessons are generally taught weekly from my apartment in Germantown, but let me know if this presents a difficulty for you and we'll see if we can work something out.
For more information or to book a trial lesson, contact me directly!
For more information or to book a trial lesson, contact me directly!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
But I'm an adult. Will you still teach me?
An emphatic yes! Although I'll occasionally take on exceptionally motivated kids, most of my students are adults. I really enjoy teaching adults and I believe that adult amateur musicians play a crucial role in the dissemination and health of any style of music. Beginner adults are just as welcome as folks who already have experience on the instrument.
But if I'm an adult, can I still learn anything?
Another emphatic yes! There's a myth going around that if you don't start a violin family instrument at the age of 3, you're toast. This is nonsense! It's true, the adult brain is no longer the sponge it was in childhood, but adults also bring an enhanced dedication and perspective to their work that can more than make up for any slower rate of learning.
But I don't want to practice!
Tough noogies. There's a direct relation between the amount and quality of time spent on the instrument outside lessons, the type of work that can be done within lessons, and the rate of student improvement on the instrument. If you want to pay me to come and talk about music for an hour at a time, I suppose you're welcome to do so, but if you want to actually get better at playing the cello, you'll need to practice.
Do you offer lessons of lengths other than an hour?
Yes, I usually teach kids 30 minute lessons for $35, and can teach longer lessons for people who are exceptionally busy or live far away and so can't come every week.
What's your teaching philosophy?
For classical music, I draw heavily from my teacher Natasha Brofsky's interpretation of cello ergonomics, a system of playing originally developed by Steven Doane to "develop freedom of movement, balance and fluency at the cello" through creatively harnessing gravity and natural gesture for a more effortless technique. For traditional musics, I employ a lifelong interest in ethnomusicology and issues of indigeneity to inform a method of instruction unique from classical pedagogy starting with the first notes. For anything I teach, I'm guided first and foremost by the potential for music to be something that requires only an instrument and a degree of mastery to bring happiness to oneself and to others at any stage of life.
An emphatic yes! Although I'll occasionally take on exceptionally motivated kids, most of my students are adults. I really enjoy teaching adults and I believe that adult amateur musicians play a crucial role in the dissemination and health of any style of music. Beginner adults are just as welcome as folks who already have experience on the instrument.
But if I'm an adult, can I still learn anything?
Another emphatic yes! There's a myth going around that if you don't start a violin family instrument at the age of 3, you're toast. This is nonsense! It's true, the adult brain is no longer the sponge it was in childhood, but adults also bring an enhanced dedication and perspective to their work that can more than make up for any slower rate of learning.
But I don't want to practice!
Tough noogies. There's a direct relation between the amount and quality of time spent on the instrument outside lessons, the type of work that can be done within lessons, and the rate of student improvement on the instrument. If you want to pay me to come and talk about music for an hour at a time, I suppose you're welcome to do so, but if you want to actually get better at playing the cello, you'll need to practice.
Do you offer lessons of lengths other than an hour?
Yes, I usually teach kids 30 minute lessons for $35, and can teach longer lessons for people who are exceptionally busy or live far away and so can't come every week.
What's your teaching philosophy?
For classical music, I draw heavily from my teacher Natasha Brofsky's interpretation of cello ergonomics, a system of playing originally developed by Steven Doane to "develop freedom of movement, balance and fluency at the cello" through creatively harnessing gravity and natural gesture for a more effortless technique. For traditional musics, I employ a lifelong interest in ethnomusicology and issues of indigeneity to inform a method of instruction unique from classical pedagogy starting with the first notes. For anything I teach, I'm guided first and foremost by the potential for music to be something that requires only an instrument and a degree of mastery to bring happiness to oneself and to others at any stage of life.