Materials Needed
- Strings – instrument (with bow), case, rosin, soft cloth, music (as assigned), rock stop (‘cello and bass), three-ring binder with blank paper, pencils, shoulder rest/sponge (violin and viola) and practice journal
- Voice – music (as assigned), water, three-ring binder with blank paper, pencils, blank cassette or recording device and practice journal
- Piano — instrument (at home, for personal practice — one is provided at the studio for lesson times), three-ring binder with blank paper, pencils, music and practice journal.
Objective
Applied music instruction (private lessons) is the pedantic and sequential approach to learning musicianship skills and musical technique. The overall goal of applied music instruction is to build a highly disciplined, independent and knowledged musician who is able to participate in any genre of his choosing.
Beginners will learn the very basics of an instrument (the voice is an instrument) from posture, positioning and basic technique to note-reading skills. Intermediate students will begin learning more advanced concepts of performance practice (e.g. – vibrato, multi-octave scales, vowel unification, passaggio bridging) and more difficult rhythmic analysis. Advanced students will focus on expanding repertoire and musicality while also learning sophisticated techniques and historical contexts of performance practice.
Requirements for Satisfactory Standing
Practice Requirements: Students must come to each lesson practiced, willing and ready to learn. Students who constantly fail to meet required practice amounts may be subject to disallowing in studio recitals, forfeiture of lesson time (to be made up in the future) or removal from the studio.
Strings:
- 1st – 2nd year of study – 15-30 minutes, four times per week.
- 3rd – 4th year of study – 45-60 minutes, four times per week.
- 5+ years – 60-90 minutes, four or more times per week.
Voice:
1st – 2nd year of study – 30 minutes, four times per week
3rd – 4th year of study – 45 minutes, five times per week
5+ years of study – 60-90 minutes, five times per week
Practice Journal: All students are required to keep a practice journal. Students too young to read/write or unable to keep a practice journal are NOT exempt from this. A parent or guardian who is in charge of practice time will need to keep track of the journal.
A practice journal helps the instructor assess what the student has worked on, what difficulties need to be addressed in the lesson, and the direction the instructor needs to take the student.
The practice journal also serves as a vital self-motivating tool for the student to track progress and achievements. You can find an article on the importance of the practice journal on the Blog page or by clicking here. A blank template can be found on the Resource page.
Recital Requirements: All students in good standing are required to perform in the end-of-semester studio recital (Winter/Spring).
Attendance: If a student is to miss a lesson, please give me at least twenty-four(24) hours of notice. The same courtesy will be extended vice-versa. A lack of a twenty-four (24) hour notice will result in being charged for the lesson, whether or not you show up. Sometimes emergencies or unexpected things happen and are understood, which is why I have a flexible make-up lesson policy. Lessons that can be made up should be made up. Lessons missed by the instructor will be made up or refunded. Lessons missed by the students will be made up at the instructor’s discretion.
Contacting the Instructor
If there is ever a time when one has questions about practicing, lesson times or absences, do not hesitate to contact me via cell phone or email. If the situation is a non-life threatening emergency, then call me directly. If not, it is best to email me and I will be able to do the adequate research to get back with you promptly.