About My Teaching
I have spent years studying and refining violin and viola technique, not just for my own playing, but to equip students with the tools they need to play at their highest potential. As a Paul Rolland Pedagogy Mentor and certified presenter, I specialize in efficient movement and technique to help students play with greater ease and resonance. I continue to expand my expertise through ongoing training in body mapping, with a focus on upper strings.
My approach is highly individualized and grounded in a deep understanding of biomechanics, musicianship, and pedagogy. Lessons are structured, goal-oriented, and designed for students who take their practice seriously.
With a foundation in both the Suzuki philosophy and Paul Rolland pedagogy, my approach integrates the strengths of these methodologies to foster technical excellence and musical expression. My training includes mentorship from protégés of Dorothy DeLay and Ivan Galamian, and I hold certifications in Rolland pedagogy and Suzuki instruction and have trained to teach body mapping. I have taught for nearly 30 years now.
As a petite violinist with unique hand proportions and with a never ending quest to keep improving both as a player and as a teacher, I have studied violin technique in depth to optimize movement and sound production. My personal journey has deepened my understanding of violin mechanics, enabling me to guide students in achieving their fullest potential, regardless of physical attributes.
My studio is for violinists and violists who want to develop strong technique, musical understanding, and are willing to practice daily. I work with:
Private Lessons: Personalized instruction for dedicated students. Lessons focus on technical refinement, efficient movement, and developing a sophisticated musical voice.
VIP Violin/Viola Program: A structured, immersive program for serious musicians featuring masterclasses and high-level instruction.
Back to Basics: Bow Workshop: A focused deep dive into bowing technique for those looking to enhance sound production and control.
The pedagogies that greatly influence my teaching are described here:
The Suzuki “method” is not so much a “method” as it is a philosophy, as Suzuki thought that each teacher should develop his/her own method. It is based on the idea that children learn music in a similar fashion to language. Children are able to start at a very young age and learn from rote at first. This encourages students to learn the same way we perform – we first hear the sounds we’d like to produce, then we produce the sounds we imagined. Students develop a musical language and a good ear for tone and pitch. The Suzuki books provide standard graded repertoire used by teachers around the world. I grew up learning with the Suzuki Method and later received my teaching certification at Vanderbilt University.
Paul Rolland studied the physicality of violin playing, consulting with experts in movement such as those in physiology and Alexander Technique. He created a method of training young students to play the violin free of excessive tension, as well as the first films demonstrating violin technique. Each child is set up with his/her instrument in the way that best suits his/her body. The left hand is set up in a frame to reduce the amount of effort and tension needed to play all four fingers in tune – one need only drop the fingers into place rather than search for the right notes. The right arm is trained to use the larger muscles in an ergonomic way to pull a ringing sound. Shifting and vibrato movements are trained from the very first lessons in embryonic form. Large muscles are trained before small ones. I came across the Rolland methods after attending a workshop by Mimi Zweig. I then attended three Rolland workshops and received my Rolland level 4 certification under the mentorship of the detailed and renowned pedagogue, Gerald Fischbach, as well as Joanne May, and Lynne Denig.
Mimi Zweig influences my teaching as she combines the Suzuki and Rolland methods with ideas from her teacher, the great pedagogue Tadeusz Wronski. Wronski taught at Indiana University and was known for his ability to remediate students who studied with him – his students went on to be very successful violinists.
Kurt Sassmannshaus teaches at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, where I took many semesters of his pedagogy class. A student of Dorothy DeLay, his father is also a well known pedagogue in Germany and his method books are designed for very young children in a way that they learn new songs every week.
Noa Kageyama is the foremost sports psychologist for musicians. He teaches scientifically backed ideas about efficient practice, resilience, confidence, fearlessness, focus, and peak performance.
Karen Tuttle developed ideas about how to teach viola players coordinated ways to release tension while playing in order to reduce risk of pain and injury and produce a more resonant and effortless sound.
Body Mapping most of us have mismappings of our bodies that lead to faulty movements that can cause pain and injury. Clarifying this map enables us to move correctly. Many thanks to body mapping experts including violinist Jennifer Johnson and violist Claire Stefani.