Lessons
My Guiding Principles
of Instruction:
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1.Playing music should be fun, an enjoyable way to express oneself through music.
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2.Playing music with others and sharing it with an audience, large or small, is the most fun.
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3.Correct technique, learning to read music and play expressively, developing a good ear, and gaining a basic understanding of music theory are all important parts of learning to play the cello or gamba.
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4. Regular practice is essential.
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5.Students learn faster when they challenge themselves.
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6.If you work hard, music can take you as far as you want to go.
I’ve been teaching cello and gamba since 1977.
FOR EVERYONE’S SAFETY DURING THE PANDEMIC, I AM TEACHING ONLINE/REMOTE/VIRTUAL CELLO AND GAMBA LESSONS USING THE ZOOM PLATFORM.
While at Mason Gross, I worked as a teaching assistant with a full scholarship and stipend. My responsibilities included teaching cello to undergraduate students, coaching their chamber groups and leading the cello section in the orchestra. I’ve also taught at Seton Hall University and College of Saint Elizabeth. Teaching the cello and the viola da gamba always seems to show me new things and my respect for and enjoyment of it continues to grow as time goes by.
I teach children as young as kindergarden age all the way up through teens and adults. All the lessons are private—one on one—in my Whippany studio near Morristown in Morris County, which is in northern NJ. Very comfortable, no distractions, and there’s a separate waiting room for parents (or other designated chauffeurs.) The majority of my students are from the northern NJ area, and a few come from central NJ. My location is conveniently reached from a number of highways and local roads.
My teaching philosophy
I work with students of all ages and levels and strive to instill a genuine enthusiasm for and love of music in them. While I look for my students to make progress as they study with me, I’m also aware that each student is an individual, so I will work with each student at a pace that’s tailored to their particular needs. I feel my goal as a teacher is to encourage and nurture each student’s musical growth and have them learn to enjoy the experience of learning new skills, as well as help them develop a life-long love for music, and for playing the cello or gamba.
About my teaching method
It’s best described as traditional. I use a variety of books and materials, and depending on the age and ability of the student, I may include scales and arpeggios, music theory, technique or method books, exercises and etudes, solos, duets, and orchestral repertoire. My students participate in their school orchestras and small ensembles, perform in my own student recitals, and play in area youth, amateur, regional and all-state orchestras. I assist them in preparing for competitions or college auditions, should they choose to do so. Also, each year I have my students take part in the Certificate Advancement Program exams given by ASTA (American String Teachers’ Association).
A very special thank you to my students whose pictures appear on this site! Thanks everybody!
If you have any specific questions about lessons, by all means give me a call.
By the way… if you’re thinking of starting lessons, but you want to buy or rent a cello or gamba for yourself or
your child first… Wait! Contact me before you get an instrument. I can suggest the best place to get a good starter instrument at a reasonable price. (Bargain priced “Internet instruments” are not always the best value.)
To ask about cello or gamba instruction, please send me an email.
