Philosophy
Parents often ask me about the "method" that I teach. This question always throws me a little off, because I do not believe in any one particular method. From a technical standpoint, I teach with a variation to the Suzuki method, but I do not follow the same path for each student, as straight Suzuki teachers would.
I believe that everyone can and should learn to sing or play an instrument. It is my job to figure out how to present the concept I want to teach in any given lesson so that the student will learn it, understand it and succeed with his or her instrument. I feel that by hunkering down with one specific method, I am really not doing my job.
Many times public school music programs, because of their time and funding constraints, short-change students on the quality of their lessons. This causes students to become frustrated and often quit prematurely. A musical education is valuable to everyone and I hated seeing students give that up.
Students' motivation and interest can best be captured by music they enjoy, in a lesson structured specifically for them and their style of learning. That is not to say that I do not see the benefits of small ensemble playing. I am always willing to teach a pair of siblings or friends in a small group lesson, and as the studio grows it is in fact one of my goals to create small ensembles within the studio for students to play in and expand their musical experiences.
In short, I believe everyone can learn an instrument. It is my job to find a way to teach that works best for each student.