If you are looking for a cello teacher in the Venice, FL area or in northern New York, I invite you to contact me.  I have taught cellists of all ages and backgrounds for over two decades. My college and university experience includes serving on the cello and chamber music faculty at Concordia College (MN), State University of New York at Purchase, Manhattan School of Music, Clinton Community College, and Skidmore College. I have also had the pleasure of  teaching highly gifted young cellists at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division and the PreCollege Division of the Juilliard School where I taught for many years.

My students have won major competitions, and have continued their undergraduate or graduate cello study at prestigious conservatories, colleges and universities such as Juilliard, Eastman, the Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin, and the University of Michigan.  They have careers as soloists, chamber musicians, and orchestral players. Others are now cello teachers at colleges and music schools throughout the country.  Most, like me, continue to enjoy teaching private cello lessons.  As a teacher, my greatest gratification comes from knowing that I have fostered a love of music regardless of whether my students become professional cellists.

I have given clinics and master classes throughout the United States and abroad, and have taught cello and chamber music at festivals such as the Killington Festival and the Villars International Festival.  One of my great loves is performing cello ensemble music with my students.  I own a vast collection of music for cello ensembles of different sizes. In 2009, I started the Lake Placid Music Festival, an intensive ten-day festival of solo and ensemble performances by cellists of varying ages and backgrounds. Recently, I have started teaching cello in the Sarasota/Venice area of Florida and the Adirondacks of northern New York State.

Teaching Philosophy

I grew up hearing my mother’s enthusiastic cello lessons in our family’s New York City apartment. She was a renowned teacher and performer  who enjoyed teaching cello to all ages and levels. From her and other wonderful teachers I learned that the key to successful music teaching is to first enjoy the individual you’re working with.  In teaching as in performing, there is great joy in sharing music with others. It can be especially rewarding to work together toward a goal. I’ve been fortunate to learn from many wonderful teachers, and I’m equally lucky to continue to learn from my own students.

Major Cello Teaching Positions

State University of NY at Purchase, Manhattan School Of Music, Skidmore College, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, The Juilliard School PreCollege,
Cello lessons at my studios in Lake Placid, NY and Venice, FL

Training and Credentials

The Juilliard School, BM and MM (cello performance), Manhattan School of Music, DMA
Major cello teachers: Ardyth Alton, Channing Robbins, Bernard Greenhouse, William Pleeth
Chamber music studies with : Joseph Gingold, William Lincer, the Juilliard Quartet, Artur Balsam,
Paul Doktor, Genvieve Martigny, John Browning, Yvonne Loriod

Please fill out my enquiry form if you have any questions.