Teaching Studio
My private violin studio is located minutes away from Rosedale. I take on students of all ages and levels emphasizing on the importance of the proper set up to facilitate the act of playing the violin and to project beautiful music. I have 10+ experience of teaching at Junior Guildhall School of Music & Drama, teaching my professors’ students, and teaching at music studios in Toronto (Neighbour Notes, Lowe’s School of Music Toronto, High Park Music, Sistema Toronto).
Teaching Philosophy
Music is a universal language - an art form to express oneself without the use of words. It is vital to teach children early on the importance of human connection and interaction in our diverse world. Learning an instrument is a great way to become a well rounded person and to develop valuable life skills such as concentration, multi-tasking, problem solving, and patience.
As a violin teacher, my teaching methods are catered for each student. I educate with the combination of how I was taught, with what I have learned during my studies and my professional career, and my knowledge from teaching a multitude of people. With my musical knowledge, I like to make comparisons to relatable aspects in life the students are more familiar with. I like to help my students to obtain their potential by encouraging creativity, encompassing challenges, and discovering capabilities. I aim to cultivate individuals to celebrate successes big or small, to think outside the box and to be confident.
In all of my lessons, I enforce good technique and appreciation for music. I began my studies with the Suzuki method in Japan and recently, I was awarded two scholarships from Suzuki Association of Ontario for my Suzuki training. I use the Suzuki method to teach beginners with a challenging, yet fun, personal approach while testing auditory boundaries. I enforce the importance of effective practice from the beginning.
Teaching Methods
As a trained Suzuki teacher, from the very beginning, I focus on the awareness of the auditory sense to understand what it really means to use our ears and to listen. No matter what age, I enforce the value of proper technique. It is important to have the violin properly placed on the shoulder, it is vital to have a strong, relaxed, flexible bow hold, and to have curved left hand fingers positioning at a certain angle to prepare for difficult pieces in the future (and I do not shy away from introducing the pinky finger very soon!). I teach the meaning of the ‘contact point’ from the beginning because all in all, the goal is to produce beautiful sound from the violins. I incorporate ear training and theory at appropriate times and use singing during the lessons as our voices are our most comfortable musical instrument. Even though learning to play an instrument can be challenging, my students are eager to learn more, celebrate each accomplishments big or small, and there is always an element of fun, humour and big smiles in the violin lessons.
I understand that this journey can be overwhelming especially to the parents who don’t have any musical background, but I will be there to answer any questions and guide you through this bonding journey with your child/children. I advise parents on taking notes during all lessons and to practise daily with them at set times (it can be as little as 15 minutes). Simply put, learning an instrument is like any other skill. It takes patience and hard work to create a wonderful habit of being able to play the violin.
