I am a Suzuki Teacher who has received training from Mary Ann Ramos, Tanya Carey, Avi Friedlander, and Carey Cheney. I operate from the belief that learning the cello is attainable for anyone who has the right support system, instruction, and environment. I teach students as young as 4 years old through adults! Below are the main cornerstones of my instruction:
Join my Flagstaff cello studio to take weekly in-person lessons.
1. Beginning by ear
2. Positive feedback
3. Practice
The beginning of instruction will be learning by ear. This develops a strong sense of body awareness, healthy mechanics, and active listening. Don't worry, reading music and preparing for orchestra and collaborative settings IS a part of my instruction, it's just not the first step.
My teaching style is based on positive feedback. I focus on what's working and encourage my students to chase what feels and sounds good. They will walk away from their lesson feeling like I am their number one fan, which I am!
Only so much can happen in 30 - 60 minute weekly lessons. The work that students (with parents as partners for young students) put in at home determines how much they will achieve! This includes setting aside time to listen to and sing the music they will learn. If the student is a child, I ask that a parent is present for each lesson as they will be learning how to be at home practice partners.
I have been taking lessons from Emma for about 3 years. I had never even touched a cello in my life before I started at age 50! My first year, I took lessons in person with Emma. Then, we moved, and so I have been continuing on Zoom.
Emma is a fantastic teacher. She helps me notice where I am getting stuck and helps me break down what I need to do to move forward. She is very good at this kind of troubleshooting. And she is very positive. She always points out ways I am making progress, even when I can't hear it in my playing.
When we first moved, I did wonder if Zoom would be a realistic way to do music lessons. It is actually working just fine. Emma still notices subtle things in my posture, fingering and bow technique. She also hears the tone I am producing and gives me tips to produce a better sound. If you want knowledgeable and encouraging instruction, you should learn with Emma.
testimonials
-TJ, cello student age 40
Emma is excellent at assessing my child's interest and attention span and adjusting the lesson accordingly. She knows how to encourage him while making the lesson fun. My son looks forward to his weekly lesson and can't wait to show what he has practiced each week. We appreciate how she has introduced him to the world of music and highly recommend Emma as a teacher!
testimonials
-jeenah, mom of cello student age 8
Emma teaches with musical intelligence, joyful passion, and patience for even the wiggliest kid. She has been teaching my son since age 6 and I'm so grateful for the ear training, discipline, memorization skills, and love of music that he has learned through her training.
testimonials
-Gretta, mom of cello student age 8
I am SO excited to share that i am launching two online workshops this year and a complete digital course for new cello students early 2025!
Online Learning
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