Bass Clef Music
About
I have 45 years of cello teaching experience. I also taught in a grade school for 9 years which gave me experience in meeting the individual needs of each student as well as the “how to” skills to effectively teach. In addition to my teaching background I played in the Ballet West Orchestra for 8 years, have done much freelance work and was the secretary of the Utah Chapter of the American String Teachers Association for four years. I was responsible for picking up guest artists who came to Utah to give workshops and lectures. In this capacity I was able to get advice and important information on a one-to-one basis which was of invaluable help to my teaching. In 2001 I received the Studio Teacher of the year from this organization. I was privileged to go to Hungary in 1999 as part of my Kodaly certification and this experience has had a profound effect on my teaching because it inspired me to take my teaching to a whole new level as a result of what I was taught and what I witnessed. Many of my students have played in the Utah All-State Orchestra. They have also received superior ratings at district and state Solo and Ensemble festivals and have been chosen to solo at student concerto night concerts at various local high schools. In addition to this several of my students have received music scholarships to BYU, USU, the University of Utah, BYU-Idaho, and the University of Southern California (USC)as well as to prestigious music camps during the summer. My students have also been chosen to perform in the Disney Youth Orchestra, the National Honors Orchestra and the Utah Symphony’s Salute to Youth concert. I co-authored Volumes 1-3 of “The Complete Musician” which is based on using the principles of the Kodaly approach to teach beginners through beginning intermediate students. I have been involved in training cello teachers in this approach. Besides my teaching the cello pedagogy and private teaching practicum and also teaching cello students at both BYU and UVU for several years I also train cellists who wish to become cello teachers and work with established teachers to help them improve their teaching skills and to help them know about and learn a wide range of cello literature.
I LOVE to teach for many reasons. There is nothing more fulfilling than to work one on one with a student of any age and to share my knowledge of cello pedagogy (how to play the instrument), introduce them to the beautiful music written for our instrument as well as to teach them music history, effective practice strategies and to help them prepare to perform solos and cello chamber music (duets, trios, etc.). To see a student suddenly grasp a new musical concept or technical skill is so rewarding. Even better is when a student finds their own musical voice and is able to use it to share beauty and inspiration with others. Because I tailor my teaching to the individual needs of each student I never, ever get bored. I try to keep up with the latest cello technique, healthy cello playing, new ways to motivate my students and new music. This is very exciting and stimulating. Teaching also makes me a better musician which makes me a better teacher. Best of all, I enjoy the interaction with each student. We form a special bond that lasts long after they move on to college, move, etc. Many of my former students keep in touch with me. For me being a cello teacher is my dream job and I just can’t imagine not teaching. Actually “job” isn’t the best word to describe what I do. For me teaching is a personal calling. It’s an integral part of who I am and not just what I do.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Each student is different. I first assess their skills by asking them to play a scale and a short piece or excerpt from a larger solo of their choosing. This gives me an idea of their strengths and also tells me what areas of cello playing will need extra attention. I then am able to assign them a particular level of scales and technical studies that will help them overcome bad habits and other challenges and to reinforce their strong skills while teaching new ones. I only teach one new technique, rhythm or other musical concept at a time. This way the student is able to focus on just new thing at a time. This is much more effective than teaching several new concepts in one lesson because the brain can only focus on one thing at a time. It also helps students to avoid the feeling of being completely overwhelmed. With regard to solos and duets I give the student a choice after performing sections of solos (usually 4 or 5 solos). I find that if the student likes the music and is able to choose what to work on they are almost always more motivated to do everything necessary in order to prepare and perform the piece. With beginners I use Book 1 of “The Complete Musician”. This involves teaching the student to learn French rhythm syllables (the best way to learn to count rhythm in my opinion because it’s very intuitive), learning basic sol fa syllables (do, re, mi, fa, and sol) and in tune singing (a necessary skill to be able to play in tune and play musically). The first songs a student learns use sol fa syllables which makes it easy for the student to learn the music and then transpose it to other strings and keys. Note reading is then tied to the sol fa syllables and is taught string by string. The music used is folk music from the US and other countries. Folk music is the basis of all Western music.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have 9 years of experience as a school teacher (grades 4 and 5) and being the school music supervisor. I began performing as a freelance musician in 1982. In that capacity I have accompanied guest artists who come to Utah to give concerts, played on many recording sessions for tv and film soundtracks as well as albums and have played for opera, ballets, the Tabernacle Choir, Utah Chamber Artists, and other professional groups. I received training from guest teachers who are leaders in their field as a result of my being the state secretary of the Utah chapter of the American String Teachers Association. I continue to go to workshops and music related conferences to improve my teaching and to learn new skills. I am a certified Kodaly educator.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $35 per lesson. However, I would never deprive a student of the opportunity to study with me because they couldn’t pay my fee. (This happened to me in high school and I vowed that I would NEVER do this to a student who really wanted to take lessons.) The parents or student are able to set the price that they can afford. I’ve never had anyone take unfair advantage of this policy. I prefer to be paid by the lesson because this way I don’t have to worry about bookkeeping issues plus it’s easier for parents/students to keep track of what they owe for lessons this way.
How did you get started teaching?
When I was 15 years old my orchestra teacher (from grades 7-12) asked me to work after school with his cello students at the junior high school that I had attended. As a result some of the parents of these students asked me if I would privately teach their children. I quickly discovered that I enjoyed teaching and sharing my knowledge with others.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students who have been
-gifted and highly musical
-diagnosed as being on the high end of the autism spectrum
-diagnosed with learning disabilities
-dealing with mental illness
-older beginners (The oldest one was 68.)
-dealing with chronic health issues
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently saw the Metropolitan Opera’s premier of Phillip Glass’s opera “Akhnaten”. The music, singing and set design were truly amazing. I became so engrossed in the music and the story that was unfolding that I lost all concept of time. The soloists, but most especially Anthony Roth Costanzo who sang the part of Akhnaten, sang with incredible feeling. I found myself weeping because of the sheer beauty of the music as well as because of the tragic ending. It’s been a while since a musical performance touched me so thoroughly and deeply. Even now I find myself seeing and hearing this opera in my mind.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for a teacher who is
-teaching because they love to teach and not just teaching to make money.
-has plenty of experience, or one who has less experience but is attending workshops, conferences and is always learning. Experienced teachers should be doing this as well.
-has a well balanced course of study which includes note reading, rhythm studies, ear training, cello technique that is appropriate for the student’s level of experience, music/cello history, interesting music and solos, etc.
-actively encourages students to ask questions about what they’re learning, and can give them good answers. This also goes for encouraging students who have their own ideas about the music and want to try them out. If the teacher doesn’t know the answer they should find the answer and then give it to the student. It’s good to be able to say “I don’t know the answer to your question and I’ll do whatever is necessary to find an answer for you.
-listens to the student and who builds a relationship of mutual respect and caring. A good teacher/student relationship is absolutely vital to the student’s success.
-is not rigidly attached to only one way to learn/do a skill or concept.