I love teaching promising violin students because I learn so much from them.

Many students have the same struggles and their development processes mirror not only each others but also my own. There is great enjoyment and satisfaction in watching a student learn something new about their own playing that will enable them to be their own teacher while practicing at home. It is a long process and I myself am still growing as a violinist, trying to discover ways to overcome problems and be the best performer and teacher that I can be.

Technique is the most absolute necessity for a solid foundation from which we can grow as musicians. So many of us, myself included, travel this route a little backwards. I'm always amazed at how much a young student can handle, how long they really can concentrate when technique is presented in a consistant and organized manner. I think sometimes teachers assume a young person will get bored (sometimes they do) with repeated emphasis on a straight bow, shifting exercises, etc. But I have found(in my career so far) that if presented correctly and in conjuction with letting him or her play through larger sections at a time (to satisfy the human need to show off a little) a student can handle a lot more technique
than you'd think.

Currently I am working on an etude book geared towards specific concertos. My first project is notating technical exercises that apply to the Vieuxtemps Concerto #5. One of my students actually gave me the idea of writing down all the exercises I make up for her to practice certain difficult passages. I think this really falls in line with what I have been saying about learning how to practice and being one's own teacher in between lessons. I often compare playing the violin to a miniature version of gymnastics; our fingers have to jump around a balance beam (fingerboard) in a precise, yet artistic manner. However, unlike gymnists, we don't get to have our coach/teacher with us every day, watching us train and making sure we don't practice bad habits. Instead, we have a one hour lesson once a week and are left to our own devices the rest of the week. Even if a student is disciplined enough to practice a few hours everyday, it is possible that they are practicing bad habits over and over or just wasting a lot of time by practicing in an ineffecient way. The most successful student is the one who has found how to tackle difficult passages in a way that works best for him/her. The collection of exercises that I am currently working on will hopefully act as a springboard for students who have not yet found their own way.