Why is Music Education important?  
It empowers the individual, it develops the mind, it provides a creative outlet, it makes one aware of the body, it helps develop fine motor skills, it helps in developing mental focus and study habits for life. 

Click here for fees and studio information

My Approach
Teaching from the beginning 


Violin Playing involves physical understanding, mental focus, and emotional involvement.  Correct technique and beautiful tone are important from day one.  And while developing a good ear is crucial, music theory and note reading are also key in the development of young musicians.   My training in the Suzuki method alongside extensive training with Mimi Zweig at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music helped form my approach to violin teaching.  I am also influenced by  the teaching methods of pedagogues Ivan Galamian, Paul Rolland and many others. 

Suzuki Method
  • I began violin at age 5 and studied under the Suzuki Method.  Because of this, I developed a keen ear and there was great communication between my teachers and my parents.  But as I progressed, I realized the importance of sight reading and theory training as early as possible.  This is why I incorporate theory and note reading as soon as we have established a good technical foundation, which is usually within a few months of beginning violin lessons.
  • I teach "Pre-Twinkle" repertoire so that the student can move forward quickly from holding the violin, to pizzicato, to bow development, to left hand development.  This ensures that students have a smooth transition to their first Suzuki piece: The Twinkle Variations and beyond.
  • I am Suzuki trained and certified, and I also incorporate methods developed by Mimi Zweig. 

Mimi Zweig Pedagogy
  • Much of how I teach comes from my studies with Mimi Zweig at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.    The following tenets of violin playing were further developed during my studies and work at the IU String Academy.

Theory and Ear Training
  • From the very beginning, I incorporate theory into lessons.  This includes rhythmic understanding, interval recognition, scales.  Once these fundamentals are secure, students move on to chord recognition, sight reading, and even composition.
  • Developing the ear to hear pitch and the shape of melody is incredibly useful in playing the violin.  I have all my beginning and intermediate students sing and clap each piece so that they know it in their ear, heart, and mind as well as well as in their fingers.
Technique
  • Scales and etudes are at the heart of all technique training.  The violin is a difficult instrument, but with correct technique, every person can produce a beautiful sound.  
  • Proper technique begins with understanding the relationship of the body with the instrument.  So much of learning how to play the violin is learning how to release tension.  
  • I spend a lot of time on scales and etudes so that new levels and difficulties are tackled beforehand.  This helps in moving students through repertoire faster, while instilling good practicing habits. 
Tone
  • I've often heard that parents are tentative about starting their children on the violin because of the terrible screeching sound for the first few years.  This doesn't need to happen!  With the correct training and understanding of the body and the violin, students can be making beautiful tone from day one.  
  • Beautiful tone is the ultimate goal in violin playing.  A gorgeous tone is what moves the heart of the listener and helps to communicate the message of the music.

Judgement-free atmosphere
  • One of my favorite quotes from Mimi Zweig is: "Mistakes are just information."  This means that in lessons and practicing, we should not get mad at ourselves for making a mistake.  That mistake is simply information telling us what is not working and where we can improve.  Mistakes help us to learn by showing us where to focus our attention.

Playing in a Group
  • Ensembles are an important part of learning an instrument.  Playing in ensemble, whether it is a homogeneous group of violinists, a string orchestra, a chamber group, or a full symphony, helps students develop as a musician in note reading, listening to multiple parts, watching leaders, blending into a larger sound, and developing a beautiful tone.


Practice, Practice, Practice
  • As Shinichi Suzuki said, "Knowledge is not skill.  Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill."
  • It takes time to develop these concepts and for the body and mind to really learn different aspects of violin playing.  I have been playing the violin for over 20 years, and I'm still learning! Patience and determination are a must for learning how to play the violin.
Picture




"Erica is truly a talented, gifted and experienced violin teacher. We are so blessed to have had someone of her caliber teaching our daughter for the past year. She teaches with an easy-to-follow curriculum for learning violin from beginning to advanced levels and has clear homework assignments. She demonstrates the violin techniques with great patience during class. She makes learning violin easier by simplifying the theory and concepts. She identifies the student’s problems and corrects them persistently.  During my daughter’s time with Erica, her violin performance and the posture has improved dramatically."- Jill Jiang, Parent

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to start learning the violin?
  • It's never too late to learn how to play the violin beautifully, but the best time to begin is starting at age 5-9.  This gives the best chance for development and success on the instrument.  Much like learning a language, it is easier to soak up information at an early age.  But if anyone has the drive and determination to learn to play, they can do it.

What Music and Etude Books do you use?
  • I use the first four Suzuki Method books alongside supplemental repertoire, and then most students move on to traditional classical pieces outside of the Suzuki repertoire.
  • Beginning in Suzuki Book 2, students will need to purchase 1 additional etude books.  The beginning and intermediate etude books I use are: Wohlfahrt op. 45, Volume 1 and 2, "Fiddle Magic" by Sally O'Reilly, Schradieck Technical Studies book 1, Whistler "Introducing the Positions, Bk 1, and Whistler's Preparation for Kreutzer volume 1 and 2.  As each student progresses, I will introduce more advanced etude books including Sevcik shifting and double stops, Rode, Dont and Kreutzer as well as 3 and 4 octave scales in all keys.

Where do you teach?
  • I teach through the Duke University String School, which operates in Duke's Biddle Music Building in Durham, North Carolina.
Links to learn more!