Introduction: I love teaching cello to kids and adults of all levels in my home studio in DC and also my VA location in West Springfield. My musical journey began at age 5, when I started piano lessons. My grandmother and great aunt were piano teachers so it was easy to get going! At age nine I began cello studies and played in my school orchestra as well as a community youth orchestra. Throughout my youth I practiced both instruments with the steady encouragement of my parents. After completing my Bachelor of Music in cello performance at James Madison University, I worked as an elementary orchestra specialist in Fairfax County Public Schools, and a private instructor at the Madeira School before focusing on my music performance career. My life as a professional musician has included touring in the US, Europe, and Japan, and appearances on over fifty albums spanning rock, folk, experimental, and classical genres. I later earned a Master of Music at Peabody Conservatory with a focus on early music. While performing is a great passion of mine, I’ve maintained a private cello studio for the past 25 years as well.
Everyone is a musician, whether they know it or not. Learning an instrument, especially at an early age, can help unlock a lifetime of heightened sensory development and awareness, intellectual curiosity, and increased fine motor skills. We are unique as human beings, and thus learn differently from each other. One of the thrills of teaching is discovering along with the student how best to tailor music study to individual learning styles. I like to try a variety of approaches, especially in initial lessons, to diagnose and meet each student’s needs and interests. While I am not a Suzuki-trained teacher, I use the Suzuki books for teaching repertoire, and I also use the Sassmannhaus Method for beginning cellists. All of my students perform in an annual recital, usually held in late spring. It's a wonderful culmination of the work we've accomplished together, and it's my favorite day of the year! I am a current member of the American String Teachers' Association and the Kindler Cello Society. My students perform with the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras and the DC Youth Orchestra.
