Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Text
Violin Maintenance!
As we all start back at school and head back to youth orchestra and regular private lessons, it seems an ideal time to remind everyone about the importance of instrument maintenance. Today I changed a few of my strings and all of Ava's strings and gave both violins a good clean with a microfiber cloth. I wiped off some grime at the frog of the bow and carefully cleaned our chin rests. Then I packaged up the old strings that still looked usable and labeled them with dates, throwing out the old packs that were sitting in the cases. I do these things every few months in addition to regular cleaning of instrument and strings because I know a well kept instrument is a violinist's best friend. It might seem too much to schedule an appointment at the violin shop with everything else on your plates but then once you do, the sound is clearer, the pitch is cleaner, the bow grabs the strings, and before you know it, you realize that trip to the shop was worth more than the practice session you were about to do! True Story! So do yourself a favor and make sure you are on a schedule for changing strings, sound post adjustments, bow repairs, and make a basic commitment to see your shop every 6 months at least for a general checkup. Seams come loose (mine did!), fingerboards need to be planed, pegs refit, and posts need adjustment. If you are competing regularly, see the shop 10 days before every competition or audition to check if it needs adjustment. Do not wait to schedule bow repairs or changes to the instrument until the week of an event. That last week is already stressful with rehearsals and extra practice or lessons. Adjustments to violins, bows, and strings can be very difficult for young players even if they are ones which will make playing easier in the long run. Teach your child early on to clean their instrument and their strings with separate cloths. Cleaning strings will make them last so much longer and the sound will be clearer and brighter. Use a separate cloth to remove dust and rosin from the surface of the instrument. These are violin care basics that will serve your child for years to come!
0 notes
Text
Featured on Violinist.com!
My latest blog on mindset, grit, and disposition was featured and shared more than 200 times on Violinist.com last week. This could be my most comprehensive piece yet detailing my feelings about teaching talented young people over twenty years now.
Click here to read this latest blog! I hope it gives some of you some new things to think about starting a new school year and competition season!
0 notes
Text
Congratulations to Ava!
Heartfelt congratulations to 7 year old Ava Pakiam for being accepted to the San Francisco Conservatory Pre College Program starting next week. We are so proud of this little girl!
0 notes
Text
HVS Memory Lane Day 4
For our fourth day down HVS East Memory Lane, I have selected the evening 13 of my students performed at Carnegie Hall making their debuts as both soloists and chamber musicians. This was such a special evening for so many reasons. First, having this many students place in the Protege International Competition and get offered their debuts was obviously something we were all very proud of in the studio. When the students found out they had received prizes together, they were elated to know we could place them on the same concert so they could experience their debuts together. We planned the trip as a studio and managed to bring not only mothers but also grandmothers with us to enjoy our time in NYC on Mothers Day weekend. With the debuts falling on Mothers Day we were fortunate enough to reserve a small restaurant just for us. I was able to make a champagne toast for the moms and grandmothers in the studio. Without our studio moms, our students wouldn't be where they are are today! This will be one of my favorite memories of HVS East because it reminded me of the beauty of community, family, and the empowerment you can feel in a group of talented young people!
Here are some pics from both the dinner and after the event at Carnegie Hall!
0 notes
Text
HVS Memory Lane Day 3
For our third day down HVS East Memory Lane, I have selected our awesome experience giving two benefits for the organization Food and Friends. Food and Friends serves meals and delivers nutritional counseling to the less fortunate through illness or circumstance in the Metropolitan Area and is an organization close to my heart. When my own loved one was ill years ago, friends and community came together and delivered meals and it was such a blessing to us. I don't know how we would have fared without it! I am still awestruck by what this company does for people even in what we all know to be near impossible winter weather months!
I remember as a young violinist getting to know my own teacher Jody Gatwood, who was a trailblazer fighting against world hunger giving benefit concerts all over town. The message was clear. Music is a service first and it is easy to forget with competitions, awards, and auditions every month.
I hope having the kids participate in a benefit recital sent them a strong message of community and how powerful and far reaching their talent and music making can be. When we discovered how many donations we had received, it was truly touching to me to see how proud they were of this achievement and the impact it would have on people in need in their communities.
Please visit foodandfriends.org and read more about this wonderful organization and what they do every day.
0 notes
Text
HVS Memory Lane Day 2
For our second day down HVS East Memory Lane I have selected our event with violinist, Judy Kang at Strathmore Hall. For those who don't remember, in 2013 The Menuhin Competition added an improv round to its competition. With some of our students entering to be considered, we turned to the amazing Judy Kang and invited her to do an All Improv Class.
I selected students from our studio and MCYO who were willing to try something new and put themselves out there with Improv in front of a live audience. They then each selected a melody and worked with us on improv techniques. As a reward, I transcribed Saint Saen's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for them to accompany Miss Kang in an Orpheus style performance at the end of the event.
It was such a wonderful experience for all of us, full of getting out of our boxes, completely stretching our artistic ears and abilities. Hearing where the students' ears took them in front of a live audiences and watching their techniques implement ideas in real time was so exciting. I hope it helped all of us feel more brave with our music making and closer to our unique voices on violin! It was a night I will never forget complete with a beautiful reception hosted by studio parents and family.
0 notes
Text
HVS Memory Lane!
For our first day down HVS East Memory Lane, I have selected our wonderful memories from the master classes HVS has been honored to have with Juilliard pedagogue, Shirley Givens.
Not only has Ms. Givens offered us invaluable support and advice, she has been a constant source of inspiration to all of us over the past 5 years. Every June for four years in a row, we have planned a trip with exemplary students and their parents to visit the home of Ms. Givens. Eventually, over the years, our classes extended to two marvelous days in a row with ten students receiving coaching and mentoring. Along the way, we got to know each other more, celebrated brunches together, and watched students experience something we hope they will never forget.
This is my favorite picture of all time from all of our classes with Shirley Givens. It was taken at the first class we ever had with her. This shot was captured during a performance of the Mendelssohn Concerto first movement cadenza arpeggios. Featured is our former student Lily Honigberg who has since graduated and is now attending New England Conservatory.
0 notes
Text
HVS is officially in San Francisco!
STUDIO ANNOUNCEMENT:
We had a summer full of transitions for everyone at HVS and are now officially relocated in San Francisco! We want to take a moment to wish all of our East coast students our very best and thank them for their support as we headed out West. We will be re opening the studio in August here in San Francisco and hope this will be the beginning of an exciting new chapter!
If you are living in the San Francisco area and are interested in the studio, please contact us at [email protected] for more info or visit our studio website for more information about previous studio accomplishments, testimonials, and events. We look forward to meeting you!
We will be spending the next week on our Facebook page taking a trip down HVS “Memory Lane” to reminisce on our journeys together on the East Coast.
0 notes
Text
Happy Birthday Stravinsky!
Happy Birthday Stravinsky! I remember learning this concerto in Paris and being so fascinated by it - stunning!
youtube
0 notes
Text
Good news for our student Sabrina!
So excited to hear the good news that our student Sabrina Shuster was placed in the studio of renowned pedagogue, Mimi Zweig at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music String Academy this summer! Congrats Sabrina and best wishes for an amazing summer of learning!
Learn more about this festival and their terrific program for young musicians by clicking here!
0 notes
Text
Brava Michelle!
Huge congrats to our wonderful student Michelle Li for being accepted into the NSO Youth Fellowship Program! Brava Michelle! We are incredibly proud of your hard work!
Read more about this program by clicking here!
0 notes
Text
Congratulations to Ryan on his Carnegie Hall debut!
Huge congrats to our wonderful student Ryan Chou for making what I heard was a beautiful debut at Carnegie Hall at 13 years old! Bravo! Special thanks to beautiful pianist Priscilla Ko for supporting him in this milestone event. Ryan marks our 28th student to make their debut in the past 4 years for HVS!
0 notes
Text
Some Beethoven to round off our week!
Sharing one of my favorite performances from a few years back! About 7 months pregnant here, performing the Beethoven Concerto with the Ars Nova, a conductor-less chamber orchestra in our area. Always such an immense pleasure to perform this work and I still remember the baby kicking at the start of the 3rd movement when the tutti woke her up from the calm of movement two....:)
youtube
0 notes
Text
Beautiful Dvorak!
Grateful to our Senior student Manya Aronin this week for introducing these lovely Romantic Pieces by Dvorak to me in the studio. She will be playing the first two with pianist, Priscilla Ko in June.
Stay tuned for details!
youtube
0 notes
Text
New HVS blog on the front page of Violinist.com today!
Absolutely thrilled to be on the front page of Violinist.com today! This is a topic that is very close to my heart and at the center of why I do what I do here in the studio.
I hope it is helpful to all of us striving to increase and maintain joy in learning. Enjoy!
Access this new blog “Finding Joy in Practice” by clicking here.
0 notes
Text
Article on the Importance of Scales!
Today I am sharing a great article on the importance of scales in your practice. Frequently, I hear from parents and students that scales get overlooked or glossed over for harder literature or competition repertoire.
Don't fall into the trap of minimizing the importance of daily fundamental work on your scales! Enjoy this article and the great tips on how to maximize your time on scales every day!
Click here to read all about it!
0 notes
Text
Awesome article about instrument placement in a symphony orchestra!
Sharing this awesome article on why the instruments are placed where they are in an orchestra!
Click here to access this fascinating article!
0 notes