About Lessons
Lessons are given weekly, or more frequently, in a positive and encouraging environment. Typically lessons are one hour or 1.5 hours for age 12 and above. For ages 7-12 lessons are either 45 or 60 minutes depending upon the child's attention span.

People often ask me what my teaching "method" is. I draw on a number of methods, approaches, and materials from different teaching traditions, such as Suzuki, Paul Roland, and Kato Havas. For instance, I do not consider myself a "Suzuki Teacher", yet I often use the Suzuki collection of beginning violin pieces.

I usually include the following components at lessons, and in structuring student's practice times:

• Mechanical Work: attention to the specific physiology of playing - posture, strength, etc.
• Basic Concepts: method books, note reading, theory, etc.
• Repertoire: learning pieces, often with a piano accompaniment or as a duet.

Much focus is given to the primary skill: how to practice. This means developing the ability to self-analyze and self-correct. They may have a lesson once a week, but what they do (or don't do) the other six days of the week will ultimately win in the end. I would imagine the skill to self-analyze (and self-correct) would be valuable no matter what one pursues in life.

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