Teaching

Having proper technique is not something that one can hope to grow into, it really has to be cultivated and practiced. Holding the viola properly is so important, and keeping the left hand positioned to easily play quickly and reliably in tune is really challenging. Holding the bow has its own special technique, with proper finger positioning of the utmost importance. However, students also need to enjoy the music they are playing, while they are learning correct technique! I break each student’s weekly practice routine into technical exercises and musical pieces. The technical exercises include scales for intonation and tone, finger dexterity exercises (such as those written by Schradieck and Sevcik) for knowledge of recurring patterns in key signatures as well as intonation, etudes for putting technique and bowing studies together in a more melodic format (beginning with Wohlfahrt, continuing through and including Dont, Sitt, Kreutzer, Mazas, Rode and Vieux), and solo repertoire (I like the collection of pieces in Suzuki books 1-4, and then move away from those mostly Baroque solos to more lyrical and increasingly technical sonatas and concerti from the Classical, Romantic and 20th century repertoire).

Did you know?

I received much of my performance training at the Juilliard School, receiving both a bachelor's degree and master's degree; my doctorate is from the University of Washington. My doctoral dissertation on the Shostakovich Viola Sonata was published by Barenreiter, and it’s often used in scholarly research. My recording of the complete unaccompanied Suites for Viola by JS Bach was released on CD and for download in July 2013. I’ve performed as Principal Violist/Solo Violist of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra in Seattle, and as a guest artist on many prominent Northwest chamber music series, including the Olympic Music Festival, Chamber Music San Juans and the Second City Chamber Music Series. I love learning and performing contemporary music and I have premiered many new solo and chamber works. In addition to teaching privately, I have taught at Eastern Washington University, as Assistant Professor of Violin/Viola and a member of the Spokane String Quartet.