Location: My studio location is at 7324 SE Knight St., Portland, OR 97206.
Ages: I teach students from three years old to adult. For students younger than eight years old I use the Suzuki teaching method.
Tuition: Students should plan on one 30, 45 or 60-minute lesson per week to ensure best progress.
Practice: Practice is essential for learning a string instrument. Students should practice at least the length of their lesson every day—i.e. children with 30-minute lessons should practice 30 minutes, 45 should practice 45, etc. Students will have to show a practice slip signed by parents to verify that practice requirements are met. Younger Suzuki students should listen to their CD extensively above and beyond their practice time. Generally, parents play a large role in Suzuki students’ practice.
Ensembles: Group experiences are very beneficial to musical development. Suzuki students should participate in Suzuki group classes if possible. Otherwise they should participate in their public school orchestra program or one of the many youth orchestra opportunities in the area.
Recitals: The studio does two student recitals per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. The recitals are the culmination of students’ work for the semester and are mandatory for school age students.
Instrument purchase or rental: There are many stores to rent or purchase string instruments in the Portland area; please speak to me about possibilities that would work best for you. Most stores have a rent-to-buy program that allows you to apply the monthly rental fee to the eventual purchase of an instrument, thus making a cello purchase affordable. Also, used instruments are available in the area.