Archive for the ‘ Teaching ’ Category

For my students

This is most exciting time of year when everything is starting back up again out of the lazy, relaxing summer.  I was fortunate enough to teach one day a week during the summer to a bunch of dedicated students who wish to keep playing music and learn new skills.  By September, that handful number of students exploded into 30+ students for this semester!  While I’m excited to be touching people’s lives with music and knowledge, my schedule is filled to brim with driving up and down the Massachusetts coast.  Haha, this is surreal!  Let’s hope I don’t burn out too quickly.  Aside from teaching almost everyday, I have to keep up my playing chops and expand my freelancing career in Boston.  I’m definitely being more proactive about taking auditions and hopefully I can make good use of my musician’s union connections and bonuses.

Now back to teaching. For students who do read my blog, I want to encourage you to view a website called Violin Masterclass by Kurt Sassmanshaus, a well-known violin pedagogue in the traditional method.  I especially find great inspiration when watch his videos on basic things like the violin stance, bow hold and tone production, and various technique builder exercises for both hands.  Please take a look when you have the chance and bring some questions in your lessons for discussion.

dwindling summer

Wow. My tropical vacation in HI ended so abruptly that it’s hard for me to focus right now. I’ve been back in Boston for a week now, and the only thing that’s forcing me to be productive are my summer students. Sometimes, being a teacher is the most difficult job… but I love it.

The week at PMI started out slowly, but we ended up working so hard that time felt like it just flew by. I was very impressed with all the students there who exhibited focus, persistence, and determination, and maintained the high level in all the performances. I had the pleasure and honor of coaching the first movement of the Mendelssohn Octet (one of my favorite pieces of all time), and it was a learning experience for me and the students. It was a technically challenging piece for them, and I’m glad they pulled it off in 5 short days of coachings and rehearsals. I’m already think of the piece for next year… maybe Barber’s Adagio for Strings? This PMI was also special in that most of the clinicians performed alongside the students in the concerts. Thanks to them, I was able to recount all of my youth orchestra moments :) BRAVO to all the PMI students and it was great working with HYS and the coaches once again!

Pacific Music Institute 2010

Only one more day left then I head off to beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii where I coach sectionals for string orchestra and string quartets at the Pacific Music Institute.  This will be my fourth year (!) there, and I have to say it feels like a second home to me.  Unfortunately, many strings players go abroad for summer festivals and what not, so it’s a little disheartening to have so few strings this year.  But we’ll make the best of it and it will be so much fun!  If you are a local reading this and play a stringed instrument, please join us!  PMI, here we come~~