© Kelton O'Connell
I've been coaching young violinists and musicians in some capacity since the age of 14, and it has always felt like second nature to me. It is incredibly rewarding and inspiring to work with students of all ages on all aspects of violin playing, from the basic first steps of holding the violin properly and making a beautiful sound to interpreting the monumental masterpieces of our repertoire on the highest level possible.
violin pedagogy
My method is very simple: the goal is always to equip the student with the tools necessary to express him- or herself freely while honoring the composer's wishes in the most convincing and respectful way possible.
On a human level, I find it fascinating to help each individual student access their potential, and helping them discover themselves in the process.
As I see it, these are the ingredients necessary for becoming an excellent violinist:
1. Anatomical awareness: understanding which body parts are needed for each technique
2. Efficiency of movement: knowing how to eliminate unnecessary effort and tension
3. A non-judgmental practice environment: embracing mistakes as part of the learning process
4. Precision in listening and reading, in order to learn correctly from the start
5. Playfulness in all things: practicing, learning, collaborating, performing
How to become an artist?
That is a more complicated question. Here’s my humble attempt to answer it.
A violinist-artist is one who:
1. Has a flexible and limitless technique
2. Uses that technique with endless imagination and spontaneity
3. Is able to seamlessly merge his/her artistic vision with that of the composer
Send me a message if you'd like a lesson:
On a human level, I find it fascinating to help each individual student access their potential, and helping them discover themselves in the process.
As I see it, these are the ingredients necessary for becoming an excellent violinist:
1. Anatomical awareness: understanding which body parts are needed for each technique
2. Efficiency of movement: knowing how to eliminate unnecessary effort and tension
3. A non-judgmental practice environment: embracing mistakes as part of the learning process
4. Precision in listening and reading, in order to learn correctly from the start
5. Playfulness in all things: practicing, learning, collaborating, performing
How to become an artist?
That is a more complicated question. Here’s my humble attempt to answer it.
A violinist-artist is one who:
1. Has a flexible and limitless technique
2. Uses that technique with endless imagination and spontaneity
3. Is able to seamlessly merge his/her artistic vision with that of the composer
Send me a message if you'd like a lesson:
chamber music
I equally love coaching chamber music groups.
It is such a joy to dig into the vast and magnificent repertoire, whether it be works which I've played numerous times or those which I have not (yet) gotten to experience first-hand.
One of the highlights of my year is working for four weeks, daily, with the young and gifted participants of the Indiana University Summer String Academy. One of these groups often performs an entire work in the final gala concert, such as this Mendelssohn Octet from 2023. It's astounding that many of these teenagers are the same age as Mendelssohn (or even younger) when he wrote the piece!
Read more about the methods I follow for practicing and teaching chamber music here.
It is such a joy to dig into the vast and magnificent repertoire, whether it be works which I've played numerous times or those which I have not (yet) gotten to experience first-hand.
One of the highlights of my year is working for four weeks, daily, with the young and gifted participants of the Indiana University Summer String Academy. One of these groups often performs an entire work in the final gala concert, such as this Mendelssohn Octet from 2023. It's astounding that many of these teenagers are the same age as Mendelssohn (or even younger) when he wrote the piece!
Read more about the methods I follow for practicing and teaching chamber music here.