Coast Violin & Fiddle - Bluegrass Fiddle/Classical Violin Lessons

Coast Violin & Fiddle - Bluegrass Fiddle/Classical Violin Lessons

4.9Exceptional(8 reviews)
Offers online services
Offers online services

About

I do online and in person lessons. If you are not in Southern California, of course these lessons will be online.

FOR BLUEGRASS: No reading, ear training only! Bluegrass, old time, Irish, Texas styles and contest fiddling. As 4-time Southern California fiddle champ and 17-year main fiddle judge at the Topanga Banjo/Fiddle contest, I have been teaching over 30 years. I enjoy the young players and also specialize in teaching beginning adults. I teach Timing, Tuning, Technique and Theory. I am an expert at aural training along with improvisation. I also provide fingering and bowing.

FOR CLASSICAL VIOLIN: I teach beginning through intermediate violin. I was classically trained in Russian techniques by LA Philharmonic violinists.

For In Person Lessons: Please have available some type of recordable media (i.e., voice recorder or something similar) so you can record, practice, and actually hear and remember what we worked on.

For Online Lessons: I teach online using https://www.muzie.live, which is free to you as my student. I video record all lessons so if you want a copy, I can always send it to you.

Its fun to teach! I love meeting the students who ultimately become like family. I also learn from my students as well. It is fun to see them progress and actually understand how to play and play well.


Highlights

Hired 8 times
1 employee
36 years in business
Serves Fountain Valley , CA
Offers online services

Payment methods

Cash, Venmo, Zelle

Social media


Specialties

Do you own a violin?

Student who has an instrument, Student who is planning to purchase an instrument and would like advice

Years experience

No formal training, No formal training; some self-taught experience, 0 – 2 years experience, 2 – 4 years experience, 4+ years of experience

Able to read music

Student can read music, Student cannot read music

Lesson length

45 minutes, 60 minutes

Student's age

5 – 10 years old, 11 – 13 years old, 14 – 18 years old, 19 – 25 years old, 26 – 45 years old, 46 – 65 years old, Over 65 years old

Instrument interested in

Violin, Fiddle

Photos and videos

  • Coach House

  • Reviews

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    JN

    Julie N.

    Shelah is great! My sons loving his lessons and eagerly looks forward to each lesson!
    ... Show more
    February 24, 2023

    LF

    Luke F.

    Shelah has great patience! She is pleasant and easy going.
    ... Show more
    June 11, 2019
    Hired on Lessons

    KT

    Kellie T.

    February 09, 2019
    Hired on Lessons

    GB

    Gary B.

    I have had a fantastic experience studying fiddle with Shelah. At almost 50 years old, I decided to take up the fiddle with no prior violin or fiddle experience . Shelah has been incredibly patient with an adult learner. Her technique got me up and playing almost instantly. A year later I have 14 tunes in my repertoire, without even needing to read music. I have learned music of several different styles, each highlighting a specific technique. Not only am I enjoying playing at home and learning new tunes, I have already been able to go to my local beginners bluegrass jam and play with other, more accomplished musicians. Shelah has structured everything so that I am continually challenged without getting frustrated. She has a very keen sense of how much pushing is just enough. I look forward to every lesson and her wonderful personality makes every meeting fun.
    ... Show more
    January 20, 2019

    LF

    Lynne F.

    I am a true beginning fiddle student in my sixties. Shelah gave me much needed and valuable instruction, pointers on violin and bow posture, guided me with chin rest and shoulder rest which I was really struggling with, and tunes. A very satisfactory experience!
    ... Show more
    April 22, 2018

    BL

    Brad L.

    Friendly and down to earth. Very patient and makes the lesson like your just having fun with a friend.
    A deep well of experience with different types of fiddling.
    ... Show more
    April 13, 2018

    Frequently asked questions

    ON LINE LESSONS NOW!

    I live in Southern California, so online lessons work great! I use Muzie.live for my online lessons! It is way better than Zoom and set up for music lessons. You should give this a try if you have questions about how this works.

    My lessons are specifically designed for each student individually taking into account how they best learn. I specialize in beginning adults!

    Get to know them and how they learn.

    Get them to relax so that they are open to learning.

    Find out what they know and explain the functions of the instrument and how it works.

    Find out what they want to learn and work within their abilities.

    35+ years being a professional musician. Worked at Magic Mountain and Knott's Berry Farm as a musician, toured to Japan and across the US. Have done recording studio work, stage plays, sang on jingles, and in an active working bluegrass band now.

    Studied Russian classical violin from LA Philharmonic teachers.

    I have different lesson packages ranging from $320 to $560 a month.

    Enrollment prior to lesson.

    24-hour cancellation policy.

    Contact me for more indepth information at 

    [email protected] or by text/phone at (714) 454-1976

    It just happened (a very long time ago!). I was performing at Knott's Berry Farm and playing music 6-7 nights a week with several bands throughout Orange County, CA. A friend suggested there was a teaching position open at a music store and would I be interested. I took him up on that and have been teaching ever since that time.

    Classical - school-aged children (7 years on up)

    Bluegrass - teens through adult. I also specialize in adult beginners.

    Any bluegrass festival or private party where I get to perform! I always have jobs coming up, see my Facebook page for upcoming events!

    My bluegrass band plays at Me-N-Ed's Pizza in Lakewood usually the last Saturday every month.

    Just give yourself time to get to understand the instrument. Fiddle is tough, but once you start understanding it, the easier and more fun it gets.

    Its okay to make mistakes, we all do. Only you know the mistakes you make, the audience doesn't. Learning is a process and we never finish learning! I love it when the students make mistakes, it means they are trying! Play it like you mean it.

    Playing is not a solo activity. It is meant to be shared by playing with other people and for people who want to listen. I encourage all my fiddle students to go to "slow" jams and festivals, see how othr people jam, and ultimately join in. That is the best fun.

    What is the style, tunes, songs, they want to play?

    Do they want to play with other people (a must), enter contests, play at a jam, join a band, join an orchestra, or just because it is something they always wanted to do.

    Practicing - I suggest 15 minutes Every Day. No need to start out with a whole hour. Learning is usually done in the first 10 minutes and then 5 more minutes of practice to make it better. But needs to be done every day. Do you have 15 minutes to spend every day?


    Services offered

    Violin