Violin Lessons

I teach at my home in Parkfairfax, Alexandria, Virginia.

Each student receives a weekly individual lesson. During lessons, students are encouraged to explore their own creativity through the process of learning to play their instrument. I guide students through every step of the process using the Suzuki Method along with supplementary materials and pieces.

Following the Suzuki philosophy, I start with learning to play by ear and gradually incorporate note reading once the fundamentals and basic skills are in place. *Students participating in school orchestra often need to develop music reading skills sooner, and I tailor lessons to fit the needs of each student.

In some cases, particularly for adults, we may choose to have lessons every other week.

Bring your instrument if you have one. If you don’t have an instrument yet and you are a beginner, you do not have to have an instrument for the trail lesson. We will determine the correct size together.

For very young beginners (4-6 year olds), I am the teacher one day of the week, and YOU are the teacher the other 6 days! Don’t worry, you do not need any prior musical training. By being present and engaged in each lesson, you will learn how to help your child with their home practice. Once students develop good practice habits and have a strong foundation, we will consult to determine the level of parental involvement that works best for you and your child.

The Suzuki Method is a popular method for learning to play violin. Here are a few bullet points:

It's a progression of 10 books, starting with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in book 1 and ending with a Mozart Violin Concerto in book 10. Students learn the same songs in order and so can play the same music together.

In the beginning, students learn to play by ear. Note reading is incorporated once fundamentals are in place.

Parental involvement is strongly encouraged - often a parent comes to each lesson and helps with home practice.

Suzuki Teachers are trained in teaching each book and register training with the national organization.

Here's a link to the official Suzuki Association's description.

Traditional Lessons

There's no set curriculum. It draws from lots of different methods/genres of music.

Parent is typically not in the lesson (but can be).

Harder to define since it's not a standardized method.

Ex: Adult students wanting to learn specific songs/students working on school orchestra music.

I am a registered Suzuki Teacher, but I incorporate lots of supplementary material in lessons and really tailor lessons to the needs of each student and family. My primary goal is for students to have a positive musical experience and learn to play violin. There is no difference in rates, lesson length, etc. If you'd like to have a trial lesson, that's when we'll chat to determine what will work best (usually a mix of the 2).

Receive 4 lessons per month, designed to meet you where you are and tailored to your specific needs.

Individual lessons (most popular):

30 minutes = $180/month

45 minutes = $240/month

60 minutes = $300/month

Duet lessons: Grab a friend and learn to play together! Rates are per person for duet lessons.

30 minutes = $120/month

45 minutes = $180/month

60 minutes = $240/month

*If you would like to take lessons but the cost is prohibitive, we will work to find an option that works for your family.