Private Studio Sessions

Master Class Clinicians
Pre-College Level Master Classes
Bass: Barry Green, University of California, Santa Cruz
Cello: Daniel Levitov, Gettysburg College
Viola: Yizhak Schotten, University of Michigan
Violin: Brenda Brenner, Indiana University (Sponsored by: Clemens Violins, Violas & Violoncellos)

Collegiate Level Master Classes
Bass: David Moore
Cello: TBD
Viola: Don McInnes, USC Thorton School of Music
Violin: Robert Lipsett, USC Thornton School Music

Multilevel Master Classes
Alternative Styles: Christian Howes (Sponsored by Electric Violin Shop)
Chamber Music: Fritz Gearhart, University of Oregon
Guitar:   Jad Azkoul, Conservatoire Populaire De Musique
Harp:   TBD

100 Students: Supercharge Your String Studio for Success
Proven strategies to build and maintain a full teaching schedule and a student waiting list. Effective advice on successfully recruiting and retaining good students with supportive parents, using step-by-step, real-world methods and materials. From self-promotion to studio marketing - how to start, sustain, and expand your teaching studio’s profile and popularity by offering unique value and distinguishing opportunities.
Presenter: Andrei Pricope, Park Ridge Strings

A Bach Recipe: Constructing a Pedagogical Foundation for the Bach Cello Suites  
When you teach the Bach Suites, are you confused? Overwhelmed by all the editions and recordings? Intimidated by performance practice and harmonic analysis? Mark Rudoff sets out a few essential Bach ingredients – principles of tone production, articulation, voicing and phrase structure – and suggests ways to help a student understand and work with the ingredients toward creating solo Bach that is informed, eloquent and personally meaningful.
Presenter: Mark Rudoff, The Ohio State University

Bach, the Viola, and the HIP Movement (Historically Informed Performance)
Bring the 18th century into the 21st century and honor the Baroque masters on your modern instrument. Perform with musical drive and character through rhythmic clarity, articulation, and phrasing. Topics will include the Baroque instrument compared with the modern instrument and bow, the role of the treatise in developing an authentic interpretation, and the unique characteristics of Baroque sound including articulation, slurs, bow strokes, vibrato, and double stops.
Presenter: Daniel Sweaney, The University of Alabama

Bridging the Gap:   The Unjustly Neglected World of Intermediate Cello Repertoire.  (What to play BEFORE the Haydn CM Concerto!)
The body of intermediate cello repertoire is often neglected these days, and as a result students are pushed into advanced repertoire, such as the Haydn CM Concerto, too early. These wonderful intermediate pieces are played and discussed from a pedagogical persepective. Suitable for private and university-level teachers and students.
Presenter: Marie-Aline Cadieux, Kutztown University

The Capricious Composer: Virtuoso Violists from 1757 to 1995
Did you know that Paganini's teacher wrote beautiful Viola caprices? Because of rapid changes in the classical performer’s career due to lifestyle changes in society, today’s violist must be versatile. Caprices are short in length of time, are easily accessible to the general public, and yet convincing to the professional and so merit inclusion in a violist’s repertoire. Come find out more!
Presenter:   Pamela Ryan, Florida State University

Coordinate Motion and Violin/Viola Left-Hand Technique  
Combining aspects of Taubman, Feldenkrais and basic principles of neurology and physiology, this presentation explores the relationship between natural motions in the body and facile, injury-free playing. Burrell examines ways in which reflexive actions in the arm, hand and fingers facilitate skill-building rather than muscle-building; coordinate motion eliminates the need for the repetitive stress routines which so often lead to tension and injury. Audience participation is encouraged with exercises for instrumentalists at all levels.
Presenter:   Lisa Burrell, Sam Houston State University

Double Bass Pedagogy
Advances in double bass technique have helped to bring the bass to a higher level of performance. What are those advances and what areas of myth vs. reality are still needing to be understood? This session will discuss major areas of bass technique beyond how to hold the bow that effect the teacher and student's ability to succeed on the bass.
Presenter: Jeff Bradetich, University of North Texas

Dounis Bow Techniques for Violinists and Violists
Demetrious Dounis (1893-1954) is largely known for his many method books to develop the left hand, but not as well known for his wonderful work on the bow arm. The exercises that he developed are simple and yet extremely effective for developing sound and the ability to do all bow strokes well.
Presenter: Maureen Gallagher, Columbus State University

Excellence in the Private Studio
This session will present the best ideas gathered from interviews with top studio teachers from around the country. Topics will include recruiting, motivation, pedagogy sequence, competitions, and demanding excellence. This session will be useful to studio teachers of all instruments and levels.
Presenter: Philip Baldwin, Whitworth University

I Got a Violin for Christmas!   Teaching Strategies for the Beginning Adult
Teaching the beginning adult student can be a rewarding experience for both student and teacher.  However, what works with your young beginners may not be appropriate for the adult student.  Learn about the adult student from a teacher who started playing at 40 and changed careers to teach strings at 50.  What works, what doesn't, and why the adult student is a special challenge.
Presenter: Laura Klein, private studio teacher

I LOVE to Read Music!   Easy Steps to Music Literacy
Old-fashioned Suzuki whiz kids or other "hear-play" students, who can play well but can’t sight read? This session for all bowed instruments will demonstrate easy, quick, efficient, and effective steps to teach music reading and sight reading to children, to bring them to fabulous music literacy in five minutes a day. Presentation includes understandable methods, clear explanations, helpful demonstrations with children, and effective material teachers and parents can use.
Presenter: Denise Willey, American Heritage Lyceum Orchestra Program

Improving Shifting, Intonation and Vibrato by Reducing Tension in the Left Thumb
Many of the difficulties students and professionals face with advanced left hand technique are rooted in the relationship between the thumb and fingers. Attendees will learn methods for setting up the hand where the fingers and the thumb work together in an active and balanced relationship. Burrell will address elbow position, finger angle, and thumb and fingertip placement on the string as individual components of the hand-frame. She will also review several troubleshooting methods.
Presenter: Lisa Burrell, Sam Houston State University

Integrating Orchestral Excerpts into Lessons
Many violin students graduate college without becoming familiar with orchestral audition repertoire.  This session will examine how standard orchestral violin audition excerpts can be worked into the regular routine of lessons, roughly taking up the time of a major etude book, yielding positive results in the student’s musical and technical development.
Presenter: J P Rafferty, University of Louisville

Is the Viola Merely an Oversized Violin? 
Is the viola merely an oversized violin? Teaching, recruiting and switchingstudents to viola is challenging. Bring a viola and learn the secrets no one has ever revealed to you before!
Presenter: Mimi Butler, private studio teacher

Lights, Camera...AUDITION!
Our students learn to play concertos long before they will stand up in front of an orchestra, but they don’t learn audition-taking techniques, despite the fact that they take auditions of one kind or another from a very young age. This session will dissect the audition process into its core elements and discuss specific practice techniques and teaching strategies that will enable your students--at all levels of ability--to play successful auditions.
Presenter: Daniel Levitov, Gettysburg College

Making the Transition - From Private Studio or Performing to Public School Teaching
Former clinician performer Daryl Silberman made the transition 2 years ago from self employment to being a full-time high school orchestra director. For anyone interested in making this transition or for those who have recently taken this step, Daryl will talk about the benefits, detractions, tricks and essential knowledge needed during this transition.
Presenter: Daryl Silberman, West Salem High School

Nothing to Fear, They are Only 2 Feet Tall:
Effective Strategies and Pedagogical Techniques for Teaching Preschool Aged Children
Preschool aged children can seem intimidating and challenging when it comes to teaching advanced musical concepts and skills. But in reality, preschool aged children are capable of a high standard of performance of basic fundamentals within a nurturing environment. This session will offer insight into the preschool child’s capabilities, parental involvement, the inclusion of children with disabilities as well as strategies and activities that can be applied to private and group lessons.
Presenter: Yvonne Davila, The University of Texas-Austin

Otakar Sevcik, Opus 3, the 40 variations.   How Sevcik taught them at the Chicago Conservatory
(The many things you may not know that are not in the book!). Also, his out of print works.  A look at his opus 10 through opus 26 material. This session is an exploration of Sevcik's opus 3, 40 variations. I will take you through the book of variations in the order that Sevcik actually taught them, according to Scott Willitz, his personal assistant in the USA. Sevcik wrote this material to teach anyone from intermediate to advanced level, right hand finger flexibility and motion, to complete mastery of the bow. We will also explore the unknown later opus numbers - 10 through 26.
Presenter: David Neely, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Pedagogy of Yuri Yankelevich and the Moscow  Violin  School
Demystifying the “Russian Violin School” and discovering a psycho-physiological approach to learning stringed instruments. The session will explore characteristics of the Moscow Violin School – a tradition quite distinct from the Russian School of Leopold Auer and his disciples. Contrary to popular stereotypes of the “Russian” system, Yankelevich and teachers of the Moscow Violin School will be shown to illustrate a pedagogical philosophy that is surprisingly modern and based on a psychological and physiological analysis of each individual student.
Presenter: Masha Lankovsky, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

Playing and Teaching the Viola: The Book!
Put this guide to the central clef instrument and its music to use in the practice room. studio and orchestra rehearsal. Topics include intermediate and advanced playing, repertoire, practicing, pedagogy and much more by Michael Kimber, Jeffrey Irvine, Patricia McCarty, Tom Heimberg and others.
Presenter: Gregory Barnes, University of South Carolina

Practice Methods That Integrate Aural, Visual, and Kinesthetic Input of Information
Pre-practice techniques from Brain Gym exercises that optimize the student's productivity and concentration during practice.
This session will explore some useful practice techniques that support the current scientific research on the brain and how it learns. Before practice begins, Brain Gym exercises can be used to warm up the brain for optimal learning. Also, the direction of the eyes can be focused to increase the kinesthetic, aural, and visual consciousness to more effectively learn and recall information.
Presenter: Ruth Meints, Omaha Conservatory of Music

Ready, Aim....Darn!
Every day we encounter intermediate and even advanced students with intonation problems ranging from mild to severe. How many of them are primarily shifting problems? Establishing confidence, consistency, and accuracy when shifting can improve intonation markedly. Practice techniques and materials presented will improve interval/position recognition, aural targeting, muscle-memory, and knowledge of the fingerboard.
Presenter: Georgia Hornbacker, Millikin University

Release!
Arizona State University cello professor Thomas Landschoot will present a hands-on session focusing on the balance between tension and release and how it affects the teaching of vibrato, shifting, and left and right hand articulation. This knowledge and approach will promote a healthy and relaxed style of cello playing and create greater artistic freedom.
Presenter: Thomas Landschoot, Arizona State University

The Secret of the Universe Bow Stroke: or How I Learned to Love the Crooked Bow Stroke
The action of the bow direction, or bow steering, determines the trajectory of the bow and control of the sounding point. This lecture and demonstration will examine the how the Crescent or 'C' stroke can help your students have more control over their bowing and how various angles can be used to change the sounding point for a more beautiful tone. The bowing techniques and strategies of Gruenburg, Galamian, Rolland and others will be examined.
Presenter: William Wassum, Thornburg Middle School

Sevcik Seminar- The Art of Practicing
Twenty first century interpretation of Sevcik's  pioneering works
Presenter: Endre Granat, University of Southern California

A Sequential Approach to Teaching Intermediate Cello Technique
The intermediate level teacher needs to set high technical and musical standards for the young musician. This session will present a syllabus for the intermediate cellist, with particular emphasis on a sequential approach to etudes and exercises. It will also include a discussion of the different learning styles of our right- and left-brains, and will explore the importance of the left-brain in teaching and learning at the intermediate level.
Presenter: Robert Jesselson, University of South Carolina

Solos That Your Bass Students Will Love!
Are you searching for music for your bass students? Dr. Swaim and his students will present music for young bassists which is appropriate for recitals, regional and state contests, and for competitions. The majority of the selections will be repertoire from the Suzuki Bass School, Volumes I-VI. The audience will be introduced to appropriate literature for various levels of technique and musical sophistication.
Presenter: S. Daneil Swaim, private studio teacher

Springs, Planes, and Levers:   Shifting Balance for Optimal Performance
A healthy and flexible cello technique requires organizing the elements of movement and balance. Understanding how to  navigate planes on the cello is of key importance to establishing balance. Proper application of leverage and spring action in the bow, hands, and fingers enables performers to optimize power and control with minimal effort.  The presenter will lead attendees through hands-on exercises to most effectively understand and internalize planes, healthy leverage and supple spring action.
Presenter: Elizabeth Morrow, University of Texas at Arlington

Systematic Implementation of Rolland Pedagogy: Using a Checklist to Teach Vibrato
Rolland students Nancy Kredel and Lynne Denig walk session participants through the use of a checklist they developed to ensure that the teaching of Rolland vibrato concepts can be easily taught in your studio.
Presenters: Lynne Denig, private studio teacher; Nancy Kredel, Fairfax County Public Schools

Teaching Adult Beginners
Many adults seek out a private studio teacher to start lessons on a string instrument for a variety of reasons.This session examines what motivates adults to learn, the difficulties specific to mature learners and what works with adults that you wouldn’t dream of trying with children.A discussion/demonstration of methods, activities and observations is enhanced by a brief overview of some of the research in adult learning and brain health.
Presenter: Laurie Meeder, private studio teacher

Teaching Gem: Our Multi-Faceted Role in Students’ Lives
Students develop from musical inspiration, technique, and an organized approach. But they thrive from our support: a pat on the back, words of wisdom, a push from behind, a non-parental voice of reason, and a safe place to express themselves, musically and otherwise. Drawing on the presenter’s significant relationships with her own teacher and her students—while acknowledging important boundaries—this session looks at the significant role a teacher can play in students’ lives.
Presenter: Cornelia Watkins, Rice University

Turning Hours into Accomplishments: Successful Mental and Physical Practice
This session will provide strategies and methods to guide your students towards success in the practice room and ultimately on the concert stage. Learn ways to incorporate new research results regarding athletic and musical training with the time-honored practice strategies that work for the professional musician. Success is limited by imagination; teach your student to imagine and practice his or her way to success.
Presenter: Martha Walvoord, University of Texas at Arlington

Using Sophisticated Bow Speed Patterns for Phrasing and Expression in Classical Violin Sonatas by Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert  
Prof. Sassmannshaus will show the use of bow speed patterns to achieve optimal results in following the composer's dynamics, deciding on phrasing and supporting musical expression. The session will start with the explanation of the physical effect of the bow on a vibrating string and move from there to employing this knowledge to make musical decisions. Demonstration by advanced students, both live and through video examples.
Presenter:   Kurt Sassmannshaus, University of Cincinnati College

Viola Vocalization: Finding and Expressing your Inner Voice
"Viola Vocalization" will explore the unique role of the viola in ensemble performance and the qualities and skills necessary to be successful in this role. Dr. Juliet White-Smith and Dr. William Hinkie will discuss such topics as color, timbre, articulation, balance, and communication. These areas will be explored and demonstrated using standard solo, chamber and orchestral works. In addition, the personality of the violist as the “great connector” and communicator will be addressed.
Presenters: William Hinkie, The University of Northern Colorado; Juliet White-Smith, The University of Northern Colorado