As a musician and teacher, I believe strongly that the purpose of individualized instruction is to give each student the opportunity to explore and develop his or her own innate musical potential. Specifically, as a cello and bass instructor, my main pedagogical goal is to guide students towards effective, convincing, and natural musical expression. The achievement of this goal is rooted in two basic principles: aiding students in the cultivation of their individual musical ideas, and providing them with the technical understanding to express those ideas through their instrument.

 

In order to help students develop and articulate their own ideas, it is essential to first train students to be conscientious listeners. An accurate awareness of their own playing paired with an aspiration of how they would like their playing to progress guides their musical development and helps each student to find his or her own musical voice. It’s essential to meet students at their current level of playing and provide them with the tools they need to progress.The best and most successful musicians are independent and creative; they have thoughtful ideas to share with their listeners, and they have devoted time and energy into communicating those ideas through their instrument. I believe that all students can achieve this goal with effective guidance. In order to guide my students towards this ultimate goal of self-expression, I train my students to ask mindful questions of themselves and I lead them to a style of playing that is full of their own thought and intention.

 

In conjunction with the development of their own ideas, students require the physical and mental tools with which these ideas can be expressed without hindrance. I provide students with practical physical information to use their instruments as a tool for communicating their ideas with ease and to help them play without injury. Teachers should make the physical act of playing an instrument as easy as possible for their students, which requires a great understanding of how to physically approach the instrument as well as the ability to individually assess what each student needs. The mastery of fundamental cello and bass principles such as scales, basic technical exercises, and etudes allows students to feel at ease and achieve true fluency on their instruments. Using the natural efficiency of the body to create a full, resonant sound and finding ways to connect physical movements with the sounds they create are two concepts that each student should be encouraged to explore and refine. Refining students’ ability to collaborate with their colleagues and other musicians furthers their overall success as solo musicians, ensemble players, and basic human beings.

 

The final element that is essential to my philosophy of teaching is a standard of excellence within my own playing. I am a driven and passionate performer, and am constantly striving to stretch the efficacy and impact of my own playing. In order to convey musical ideas to a student, a teacher must be able to successfully demonstrate those ideas. In order to inspire their students, teachers must themselves be inspired. In addition to setting a positive example of cello playing, students need to see their teacher as an effective collaborator, communicator, and source of knowledge from which they can draw information. This belief is central to my teaching philosophy and completes the fundamental principles I adhere to in my teaching. As a teacher, I successfully implement each principle of my teaching philosophy in an approach that is individually tailored to each student’s needs.