Teaching Philosophy
Pushing the students to make smart decisions from very young ages is one of my goals. I truly believe that real learning comes after students are able to think on their own, develop critical thinking, question themselves and start to listen to their inner voice. Learning how to be a problem solver during my practice time was the best lesson that I received from my teachers.
As a cello teacher, I aim to ignite, motivate and guide them during this process. This is a continuing development and must be adopted as a long-term goal. It is also an invaluable opportunity for personal growth; because critical thinking is vital in everyday life situations. Teaching students how to become their own teachers is essential for their development as cellists.
Cello Technical Mastery
On the technical side, I concentrate on creating habits from the very basics to the more advanced ones. Like building a house, the future cellist needs first to get strong technical foundations on the cello. I’m very consistent on this; because having a good technique will give them freedom in the future for better artistic interpretation, it will help them play difficult repertoire more fluidly and even avoid injuries. Secondly, I show them how to follow rules and listen to their teacher instructions, which is a very important habit to fuel progress. Finally, it is very important to create the discipline for constant and meaningful practice; this is what will help them to reach the highest levels.
I do believe that commitment, optimism, patience, and effort are the most important qualities for success. According to my experience as a teacher and a musician, students that have these qualities are able to reach their goals and have a healthy relationship with music through the years. Every kid has an individual character and it’s my job as a teacher to design a lesson plan that fits each student and even change my teaching style according to the personality of each kid.
Love for Music and Teaching
I love teaching as much as I love playing the cello and it is a privilege for me to participate in the identification of all those musical abilities that the students have inside. Getting to the core of the technical difficulties on the cello repertoire is fascinating for me and to have a positive impact on my students’ musical ideas and life is a blessing. There is no ending for learning and improving; I myself learn every day from my students and colleagues and that is a wonderful reward that I get as a teacher and as a musician. Seeing them succeed as cellists and seeing them grow as wonderful humans beings are absolutely priceless.