Lessons on Viola or Violin
Suzuki Style - Short Terim - Studio Policies - What You Need

I offer a blend of in person and online instruction, both for group classes and for private lessons.

Private lessons are about half in person and half online, with online lessons occurring when either student or teacher might be contagious, or one or the other is out of town, or circumstances make it inconvenient to meet in person. The most frequent reason for online lessons is that I am out of town approximately 2 weeks each month, caring for a relative.

Students who are too far away to attend a lesson in person every other week may opt to do online lessons the majority of the time.

Group classes are in person or, for those who need to miss a group class due to illness or schedule, each class is recorded and available for streaming online approximately 1-2 weeks after each class meets. All group class students whether attending in person or streaming classes afterwards, are invited to in person concerts and recitals twice a year.

​Curriculum & Philosophy: My specialty is teaching long-term Suzuki-style lessons and Creative Ability Development (improvisation) lessons for child-parent teams working together, in cooperation with the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program.

I do also take adult students and short-term students (see Short Term Lessons), and I also offer online lessons for those who have no local teachers available.

The Suzuki Early Childhood Education (music and movement) classes I teach in cooperation with the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program are currently on hiatus due to COVID concerns, but will be returning in the future!

Contact me about lessons by filling out the form below:​
My teaching style: I have high musical standards, so taking viola, violin, CAD or theory lessons from me will challenge your mind, heart, and body to practice, persevere, grow and express yourself in new ways - but I am also patient and gentle, tailoring my instruction to each student's needs.

My viola & violin lessons prioritize healthy posture, beautiful tone quality, creativity, perfect intonation, practice skills, & making meaningful music.

Online Platform: I teach weekly, live online lessons via Zoom or  Source Elements. Current students can access lesson notes or ask questions anytime in my Slack studio workspace, and will be given a private, password protected link to stream any recordings I make during private lessons anytime. Students are also welcome to make their own recordings during the lesson for personal use.

If Zoom or Source Elements does not work for a student, then Facetime, Skype, or other online platforms can also be used depending on the student's needs. 

Physical Location: In-person lessons are held in Monrovia, and I am available for in person lessons approximately every other week. Students may opt for online lessons even on weeks when I am available in person (though I do encourage meeting me in person whenever you can!)

Students & parents must sanitize hands & check their temperature at the start of each lesson, and all persons attending the lesson who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine must be fully vaccinated, before beginning in-person lessons. 

When internet or data connections aren't stable or fast enough for a live online lesson, a blend of phone consultations (audio-only) and recorded video exchanges can effectively take the place of a live lesson. Video exchanges can be streamed, downloaded, shared through cloud services like Dropbox or iCloud, exchanged via apps like Seesaw or Whatsapp, or even mailed through the post office on a flash drive.

Please contact me or see my Calendar for scheduling details.

Suzuki style group classes are offered through the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program, in person with me or another teacher, weekly on Mondays during the school year, on the campus of the Church of Truth in Pasadena. Students who need to miss a group class due to illness can stream a recording of the class online or see group class assignments online via Seesaw .

Cost: Tuition per individual lesson ranges between $40 (beginners) and $80 (advancing students), depending on the students' level and lesson length. Private lesson tuition reserves you a spot in my schedule and is pre-paid. Long-term students may pay annually (by the school year: pay in September each year) or by the semester. 

Short-term private lessons on a single skill (such as sight reading & theory, vibrato, coaching for a specific concert, etc.) are pre-paid by the length of the session - usually between 2 and 8 weeks.

Tuition for group classes averages about $280 per semester (price varies according to level), with 12-14 classes in a semester.

School-year discount: Reserve 25 or more private lesson time slots in a single school year (Sept-May), and receive a 10% discount when you pre-pay in one installment!

Group class discount: enroll in both group & private lessons, and receive an additional 4% off private lesson tuition.

​Other costs of taking music lessons include instrument purchase or rental, instrument maintenance, and various small tools such as a metronome & tuner, pencils, nail clippers, several books of sheet music each year, and audio recordings, as well as a stable internet connection and devices to connect to the internet (see What You Need).

Financial Aid: If music instruction is meaningful and important to your family, but is also a significant financial hardship, please let me know! As a student, I was the recipient of need based work-study discounts, as well as merit-based scholarships, throughout elementary school, high school, and college. I'm happy to pay it forward to the next generation of students whenever possible.

I can help connect you with resources, discounts, and financial aid that will allow you to take lessons. If you need to make tuition payments in installments instead of annually or biannually, or if you'd like to propose an exchange of services instead of money, I'd be happy to discuss options with you.

Contact me about lessons by filling out the form.
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