Online Piano Viola Violin Lessons with Julia 

Julia - Teacher #4508

Instruments:
- Piano
- Viola
- Violin

Services:
- Solfege
- Suzuki

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

I have been teaching since 2015, I love music, and want to share this joy through my teaching. My main goal is to get students excited about coming to lessons and learning more. I never want practice to feel like a chore, so I come up with personal goals for each student (along with parents if applicable), and see where they want to go, what they want to learn, and what excites them most about wanting to learn their chosen instrument. I believe there is beauty in any instrument that someone chooses to learn, and I want to highlight this in my teaching. I cater each lesson according to the specific person I am working with, and make sure that their needs are met. I make sure that there is open communication established, so if we start to feel that our practice at home is not as productive, we make a plan to address the issue and try a different approach. I believe that since everyone is different, it is okay to try different practice strategies, I even encourage it! My main goal is for students to understand the importance of being able to listen, sing, and play. These (in my opinion) are the cornerstones to a great understanding of music, and (if applied at home) will allow students to reach any musical goal they have in mind.

Musical Education

I have a Bachelor in Violin Performance degree from the Schulich School of Music (McGill University) in Montreal, QC. I studied under Violaine Melançon, who studied with Ivan Galamian at the Curtis Institute of Music, as well as Isadore Tinkleman at the San Francisco Conservatory, and with Arthur Grumiaux in Belgium. Under her tutelage, I discovered the importance of listening as a skill to improve musicianship, as well as developing the ability to adapt to what you hear on the spot. I learned to become very detail oriented as well as dedicated to becoming a faithful interpreter of whichever composer’s work I was playing. Before my time in university, I was also playing the piano as a secondary instrument, and completed my RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music) Level 8 exam with Honours, and am very comfortable teaching beginner and intermediate level students (I have over 2 years experience teaching piano to both children and adults). Along with my Grade 8 RCM exam, I have also completed the Level 10 RCM History Exam, Level 10 RCM Harmony and Counterpoint Exam, and the Level 10 Violin Exam (where I received the highest grade in the province of Alberta, First Class Honours with Distinction). I also briefly attended the University of Alberta for one year, where I majored in Psychology (Bachelor of Arts).

Awards and Distinctions

- Anne Burrows Music Foundation Scholarship
- Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarship
- Alexandra M. Munn / John & Andrea Wallin Scholarship
- Winspear Fund Scholarship for Advanced Classical Music
- Iris Evans Scholarship ‘Most Likely To Become A Professional Artist Award’ from the Sherwood Park Music Festival

Special Skills and Training

I started at the age of 6, learning the Suzuki method. My first instrument was flute, but around a year later I fell in love with the violin and decided this was my passion. My main exposure was the Suzuki Method (which focuses mainly on developing listening skills), but later in my teen years I explored the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) system as well. This helped me develop more of my theory knowledge and learn about historical accuracy when it comes to music and composers as well. I also really enjoyed ensemble playing as I was in my teens, being accepted into the EYO (Edmonton Youth Orchestra), as well as playing in the USO (the University of Alberta’s Orchestra), and later having the privilege of attending the NYO (National Youth Orchestra) summer workshops (COVID forced the entire program to be online, therefore I was not able to be a part of the traditional ensemble, but worked with many great musicians over Zoom; Mark Fewer, Erika Raum, and Mark Skazinetsky). I was also a part of the MGSO (McGill Symphony Orchestra) from 2019-2023, and attended “Le Domaine Forget de Charlevoix” (Quebec) summer music academy in the summer of 2022, receiving a scholarship at the end of the program. I also attended Camp Musicale in Saguenay, QC that summer, an intensive program where we were to learn a sonata in a week with our collaborator (pianist), and performed it at the end of the week. Here, I realized my passion for sonata and duo playing, and learned so much about how to approach listening and understanding collaborative music. Since I am also a pianist, I have a special understanding and appreciation for how pianists and accompanists play with other instruments, and this allows me to have more productive coachings when there are pianists involved. I have been in many chamber groups throughout my life, and am proud to say also have experience coaching children as well as teens in their own chamber groups. Ensemble playing is a beautiful art form, and it takes our listening and music skills to a whole other level, as well as being a lot of fun. Even in private lessons, I like to emphasize the importance of listening to others, and playing together.