Introduction: When you hire me, you begin a mentorship with a teacher who will help you unlock the door to making music. I will encourage your musical preferences and open your ears to new composers and styles. I will point out all the things you're doing right and help you work through limitations to continue making progress.
Some teachers have their methods, and they stick to them (and so must you!). I'm not one of them. To play the piano or violin, you need certain foundational skills - such as technique, ear training, and reading music - but they can be learned in a variety of ways.
Most kids enjoy having some some say over what songs they play. I love walking into a lesson and seeing a child's face light up as they ask to play a song from a Disney movie or a Top 40 hit. I usually write their part for them so I can keep it at their level. (If they need to learn a bit more first, I tell them we'll work towards that goal, and I suggest other songs to get started.) This makes kids (and adults!) more invested in playing their instrument, which is really the point, isn't it?
I can't tell you the number of times parents have told me their kids hardly left the piano or set down their violin between lessons. It's another kind of music to my ears!
I especially enjoy helping the piano or violin player try something NEW. It's a little risky, it's a little uncomfortable, but once you start, it's also kind of addictive!
Learning something new usually means that I lay a little groundwork first, then get out of the way. When needed, I give supportive reminders: a) cut yourself some slack, b) own your freedom to try it on your own, and c) definitely make a few mistakes, it's the only way! After the new thing has been attempted a handful of times, we work through what parts of it going well and where to focus in the coming week.
The sense of accomplishment when you unlock a new skill or finally conquer that "tough spot" in a piece is like nothing else. Pure joy! It keeps every musician going, and makes it so much fun for me as a teacher, too.
