Treble Cierpke
Lesson Feesfrom $30.00 / 30 Minutes
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About
From a family of musicians, I've been singing and playing piano since I was 4 years old. I started violin at 10 and switched to 'cello at 12. I taught my first 'cello lesson while still in high school and have been teaching ever since. In college I started voice lessons and switched my major to vocal performance, while maintaining 'cello playing and teaching throughout. I've played in many orchestras and small ensembles, the most exciting being the National High School Honors Orchestra, as well as singing in large and small choirs since elementary school. I've also had the privilege to conduct many of the groups I've performed with, both orchestral and choral, and received an invitation to audition for graduate school in conducting at the Royal College of Music and Drama in London, England. While my career has taken different turns since then, my love for singing and playing has remained, and I have been fortunate to play and sing in professional choirs and orchestras since 1988, in Nashville, TN, Chicago, IL, and Redding and Chico, CA.
I firmly believe that learning should be fun, should be about discovery, as well as hard work and solid technique. I enjoy working with beginners and establishing a firm foundation so a good sound can quickly be produced, promoting confidence and excitement in the student. For 'cellists and string players that means several weeks without a text, working on position hands separately, with repetitive exercises that produce a strong and pleasing tone, with a focus on healthy body position that can be maintained throughout the student's career. After that, I like the text, 170 Foundation Studies by Alwin Schroeder, because it applies the already established movements with easily ear-catching melodies. For piano, I like the Palmer series for beginning children, I use Suzuki books for the other string instruments, and I follow the Estill vocal method for voice students. For repertoire, I begin with 24 Italian Songs and Arias and move on to American art songs. For non-beginners, I like to start with whatever music/books the student already has, so they don't have to spend extra money right off the bat, and I can get a feel for their level.