Suzuki, Viola, Teaching, Learning, Loving
As you know, it's recital season, and I'm in the home stretch of helping to prepare my students for their solo performances. A few years ago, I also started adding a viola ensemble performance at the end of the recital. At the time, it was just a fun opportunity to showcase a few more advanced viola... Continue Reading →
Shifting is the great divide for my viola studio. On the one hand, I have always had a handful of students who are excited to start shifting, perhaps after they have seen an older student deftly moving all over the fingerboard. Other students approach shifting with reticence and sometimes outright dread, particularly my transfer... Continue Reading →
One of the most common technical hangups with string players is excess tension in the left hand. In the beginning, many students don’t yet have the finger strength to be tense, but as soon as they do, it can seem like they are holding the violin or viola like a vice! This can be a... Continue Reading →
Hi, My name is Eliana. I am a Suzuki viola teacher, "traditional" viola teacher, and sometimes Professor of viola based in St. Louis. I love all things playing and teaching music and have been teaching viola (and sometimes violin) for over a decade but I have never blogged about it. . I'm originally from Louisville,... Continue Reading →
