About Jeffrey
Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Music in Viola and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting and Viola. With fluency in English, French, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish, he offers online instruction in Mandolin, Oboe, Piano, Viola, and Violin. As a former vice-president of the Scandinavian-Nordic Cultural Association and a symphony orchestra member, Jeffrey brings a wealth of experience to his teaching. Book with Jeffrey for a rewarding musical journey.
BOOK AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFFREY NOW
My aim as a teacher is to equip students with the skills for interpreting diverse music while fostering analytical and creative thinking. My training in violin, viola, and the Alexander Technique has enriched my approach to music and life. I strive to guide students in adopting this approach across various disciplines. Additionally, my experience with world-class musicians has deepened my insight, which I eagerly share with enthusiastic learners of all ages and levels. My lessons cover technical mastery, sound production, rhythm, theory, practice strategies, and performance techniques. I'm dedicated to nurturing well-rounded musicians who excel on and off the stage. Topics covered in lessons: - Technical proficiency - Posture and body mechanics - Expressive and versatile sound production - Rhythm and ensemble skills - Essential music theory and ear training - Effective practice strategies - Overcoming stage fright - Audition preparation - Professionalism and career development
Name: Jeffrey (Full name will be provided upon registration)
Age: 30's
Gender: Male
University of British Columbia - Bachelor of Music (viola) Southern Illinois University Carbondale - Master of Music (orchestral conducting & viola) My principal teachers included David Harding, Reginald Quiring, Edward Benyas, and Michael Barta (violin)
Playing music has taught me so much about life that I feel would have been missed had I chosen any other profession. For starters, I have learned the necessity of patience, diligence and creative problem-solving, as music is an art and not an exact science. Playing such a bulky instrument as the viola, which is only marginally larger than a violin, presents unique physical challenges, and the act of performing conjures up inevitable emotional and psychological issues. However, these challenges are not insurmountable - we can only strive to ingrain methods that work, and chip away at habits that get in the way. In the collaborative process that is teaching, I work with students to develop a personalized method for problem-solving, and help them to discover their unique musical identity, help others realize their inner merits and awards, their personal distinctions.
•Served as vice-president of the Scandinavian-Nordic Cultural Association for two years. •Taught English and Music to children in Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China •Singer and violinist with a local mariachi band. •Played in numerous symphony orchestras both locally and abroad. •Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate. • Hot Springs Music Festival •Studied arts administration with Laura Rosenberg and viola with Amadi Azikiwe •Ticino Musica International Classic • Studied conducting with Arturo Tamayo •Conductors’ Academy International Masterclass •Studied orchestral conducting with Jonathan Brett and Maciej Żółtowski •Atlantic Coast International Conducting Academy •Studied orchestral conducting with Colin Metters and Luis Clemente •Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA) •Studied conducting with Maestro Arthur Arnold, Music Director of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and studied viola with Andrew Brown and Susan Gulkis Assadi •SALT New Music Festival and Symposium •Studied conducting with Professor Ajtony Csaba, Asst. Professor at the University of Victoria
English
French
Japanese
Mandarin
Spanish
Rates and Studio Policies
Registration Fee: $25.00 (One-time lifetime registration fee may be used by all family members)
Rates for instruction:
30 minute private lesson: $39.00
45 minute private lesson: $49.00
60 minute private lesson: $59.00
Travel charge: additional $15.00 per visit (for lessons in a client's home as opposed to my studio)
1. Cancellation Policy
Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.
2. Cessation (quitting) Policy
A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.
3. Illness Policy
Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.
BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.
No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.
4. Rescheduling Policy
Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.
Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy
Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.
It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.
5. Evaluation Period
There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).
Online lessons
Jeffrey can provide online instruction. While other platforms are possible BAH strongly recommends the use of the Zoom video conferencing platform as it is optimized for music lessons and audio quality.