Teaching
My aim is to guide students to
- comfort, confidence, and skill with the instrument
- an attitude of curiosity and open-minded problem-solving
- an understanding of tradition and history
- a free, playful, intelligent approach to improvising and creating
- playing that expresses depth of feeling and an appreciation of each tune’s unique character
My approach is student-centered: my goal is to meet each student where s/he is and facilitate finding the next steps and the wider view. I have deep respect for the traditions I’m privileged to carry, and deep respect also for individual creativity and the unending possibilities in music.
In teaching workshops and groups, I aim to keep each person comfortable, challenged, and listening well to each other. I enjoy coaching existing groups on musicianship and ensemble skills.
Lessons I offer include, at various levels:
- Swedish, Southern Appalachian, Irish, bluegrass, English, Quebecois, and Klezmer fiddling
- jazz and blues
- classical violin
- improvisation
- theory and harmony
- skills for playing by ear
- skills for reading and writing music
- practice skills
- how to accompany vocals
Workshops
- Swedish music for fiddles
- Swedish music for any instrument
- traditions from Dalarna
- improvisation
- dance band (contra, English, Scandinavian)
- harmony
- I Love to Practice
- skills for fiddle teachers
Groups
Starting fall 2010: a new group for girls 10–18 who play fiddle, other instruments, and/or sing. We’ll learn and arrange traditional tunes, play duets and arrangements from written music, explore harmonies, accompaniment, and improvisation, sing, and compose original music. We’ll record our sound, perform, and play for dances. Meets twice a month on Sundays 5–6:30, including monthly pizza or potluck.
Scandia DC Spelmannslag is open to any musician. We meet on the third Saturday of the month (Sept.–May) from 7–8:30pm in Greenbelt, MD, to rehearse and play for dancing. I share leadership with Loretta Kelley, Göran Ohlsson, and others. Repertoire and other details are posted on the Scandia DC website. www.scandiadc.org
