TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

A tailored technical regimen through scales, etudes, Bach, and a variety of repertoire to establish muscular flexibility along with a thoughtful approach to harmony and phrase structure.  Lessons and masterclasses are structured to provide all students with a clear set of goals and a baseline for positive feedback in the practice room.  Students will depart each session with a clear goal, multiple exercises, and musical examples to provide contextual relevance.  All instruction and assignments will be summarized at the end of each session along with time for questions and clarification.

Unlocking Expression through Technique

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Understanding the how of violin playing, and why we think about it.

  • An empathetic approach to instruction that prioritizes an understanding about the physics of string playing while promoting healthy physical and mental playing habits
  • Maximizing musical inspiration while minimizing physical frustration.
  • A belief that a solid technical and musical structure unleashes the deepest freedom and flexibility.
  • A goal for a student to step onstage with complete technical, musical, and mental confidence.

Inspiration through Empathy

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  • Every student is unique, with a distinct musical voice waiting to shine forth.
  • As a teacher, I will address the varied needs of each student and tailor my teaching approach to resonate with their learning style most strongly.
  • Mental health and musical inspiration will be my goal for each individual.

Masterclasses: Evolution through Short-Term Exposure

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My masterclass style provides students with usable tools to evolve their own string playing in a palpable and long-term way, while also using the opportunity to educate the audience in attendance.  My step-by-step approach is as follows:

  • Identify the main issue to be worked on (~5 min)
  • Approach the issue from 2-3 different ways, using specific passages from the music (~15 min)
  • Summarize all information for both students and the audience, so that clear objective goals are set to inspire long-term adherence. (~5 min)

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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  • My commitment begins by continuing to educate myself about the experience of marginalized communities in our society and striving to create a safe and open space for all individuals.
  • My mission is to provide a strong and dedicated education to every student who needs it.  For those who I am unable to take on, I will take every possible step to realize their success by connecting them with strong and inspiring teachers and opportunities to help them realize their dream.
  • I will do my part to teach, play, and celebrate the wealth of repertoire by historically marginalized and underrepresented composers, to make their music a visible and cherished part of classical music, both past and present.

Upcoming

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Brian Hong

VIOLIN | VIOLA

Korean-American violist and violinist Brian Hong has forged a notable career as a chamber musician and educator. Known for his commanding stage presence, Mr. Hong joined the Grammy-nominated Aizuri String Quartet as their violist in 2023. He has performed concertos with such orchestras as the Juilliard Orchestra, New York Classical Players, Fairfax Symphony, American Youth Philharmonic, Chesapeake Orchestra, US Army Orchestra, National Philharmonic, and the Springfield Symphony. A dedicated chamber musician, Mr. Hong has served on the faculty of the Manchester Music Festival and as guest artist at the Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival and Kneisel Hall. Other festival credits include Marlboro, Yellow Barn, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, the Taos School of Music, and the Perlman Music Program.

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Henry Wang

Brian

Hong

VIOLIN | VIOLA