Violin teacher bow arm with laptop and young girl on the laptop screen playing violin

*Effective Late Fall 2019: I have retired from teaching for health reasons. If you are seeking an instructor, I compiled a helpful list of professional colleagues offering lessons.

As Fiddleheads' owner I provide this list of my symphony and orchestra colleagues who teach violin and viola lessons as a courtesy to my customers seeking teachers. *Note I have not personally studied with any of these teachers and cannot attest for them or their teaching skills.

Be sure to mention you were referred by me, Rhiannon, at Fiddleheads. You may also like to read my article on teaching yourself to play, "Be Your Own Teacher."

 

Rhiannon's Violin Teacher Colleagues Offering Online Lessons (Alphabetical)

 


Antonio in a suit holding his violin and viola

Antonio Bernal-King

Location: Veracruz, Mexico

Time Zone: GTM-6

Payout Currency: Mexican Peso/US dollar

Instrument/s: Violin/Viola

Method/s: Royal Conservatory/ AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board), Suzuki, Traditional Method

Style/s: Classical

Serving Ages: 8 - adult

Levels: Preferably students with at least one year

Teaching Since: coming soon

Antonio completed his undergrad in Music Performance at the prestigious University of Indiana School of Music and a Master’s in Violin/Viola Performance from the University of British Columbia in 1996. He performed as a violinist and violist in several North American orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony and the National Symphony of Mexico.

In Vancouver he worked as conductor of the North Chamber Strings Orchestra and as a violin/viola teacher at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Antonio also worked extensively as a studio musician, and his numerous movie and soundtrack recordings include Grammy-award albums with Simple Plan, Nickelback and Brian Adams. Freelance work involved bands, including Tango Paradiso, which recorded two albums: “Post Nuevo Tango” 2006 and “Tango Paradiso”, which was nominated for a Westcoast Award in 2002. Antonio alsofounded Mariachi del Sol as musical director and toured North America.

After moving to Brisbane in 2007, he joined the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and served as Principal Viola in the Camerata of St. Johns. In 2012 he toured with the Köln Chamber Orchestra (Germany) as principal Viola through Australia. Alongside his performance work, Antonio taught regularly at Villanova, St. Margarets and Clayfield College, as well as undertaking private teaching, studio recording work and travels frequently to Canada to work with many orchestras throughout British Columbia such as Island Symphony Orchestra, Prince George, Kamloops, and Victoria Symphony. His broad musical background has shaped Antonio into a musician who is confident performing and teaching a variety of musical styles to students of all ages.

Web: coming soon

Email: antoniob79@hotmail.com


Serena holding her violin and laughing with her eyes shut

Serena Eades

Location: Sunshine Coast, Vancouver and ONLINE

Time Zone: Pacific Time

Payout Currency: CAD or USD

Instrument/s: Violin/Fiddle, (possibly viola), beginner piano

Method/s: Suzuki (not strictly), Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), Fiddle (often reference Fiddleworks book series)

Style/s: Classical to gr. 9 RCM, Fiddle (Celtic, Old time, Bluegrass, Canadian)

Serving Ages: 3+

Levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

Teaching Since: Myself since 1997, my other Senior instructor since 2000, Junior instructors since 2018

Serena Eades’ unique style reflects a lifetime of studying western classical music and various folk idioms. She has been teaching music for 23 years and believes in the power of an educator to inspire and guide the next generation of musicians towards excellence and fulfillment through music.

With a B.Mus. from the Berklee College of Music and a B. Mus. from Brandon University in addition to many years in the music industry she is at home as a performer, recording artist and educator. She is known as a member of Delhi 2 Dublin, and has performed with many artists around the world. Serena’s distinct sound is rich, full bodied, textured, and animated.

Web: www.serenasmusicacademy.com

Email: info@serenaeades.com


Blythe outside holding her French horn

Blythe Heywood

Location: Halifax, NS

Time Zone: Atlantic Daylight Time

Payout Currency: CAD

Instrument/s: French horn, violin

Method/s: A system I developed is a combination of fun pieces tailored to each student's musical interests, as well as standard classical repertoire. This gives students a solid musical background, as well as keeping the lightheartedness of music alive. Playing music ought to bring one joy, and that is something we must keep nurturing!

Style/s: Classical, Fiddle (violin only), Pop

Serving Ages: violin: 6 and up; French horn: 9 and up

Levels: violin: beginner - Intermediate; French horn: Beginner - Advanced

Teaching Since: 2009 -- Fun Fact: Rhiannon taught Blythe in the early 2000s

Blythe Heywood was born on the edge of the outback in Australia, and grew up in Kingfisher, a small community outside of Enderby, BC. As the youngest in a musical family, she was handed the violin and French horn to play (she had to learn the piano as well). At age 17 she completed a Diploma in Violin Performance from England's Thames Valley University in England. She later attended Brandon University in Manitoba, where she graduated with greatest distinction in Horn Performance, as well as continuing her violin studies on the side.

Blythe currently plays French horn with the Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax, NS and is in constant demand by other Canadian military bands, with significant performances including: the 75th Anniversary of the Dieppe Raid in France, the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice in Belgium, two album recordings, and accompanying Sarah McLachlan at the Invictus Games in 2017. She also plays with Symphony Nova Scotia, The Wind Quintet, and Triton Brass Trio.
 
Even though horn is currently her main focus, she still enjoys playing violin with her pianist mum accompanying, and playing with Nova Sinfonia, a community orchestra in Halifax. For the past 8 years, performing has been her priority, but recently she felt the urge to make teaching a bigger part of her life. She advocates for her students, and teaches in an efficient, lighthearted manner, keeping the joy of music alive.
 
“...excellent role model to younger students; with grace and wit, her leadership style empowers others to do their best work.” - Brandon University Outstanding Women's Week
 
Email: blythee@gmail.com

Elyse holding her violin and smiling on the stage of the Vancouver Jazz Festival

Elyse Jacobson

Location: Vancouver, BC and ONLINE

Time Zone: PST

Payout Currency: CAD

Instrument/s: Violin, Viola

Methods: Combination

Style: Classical

Serving Ages: 5 through adult

Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Teaching Since: 1999

Seattle native Elyse Jacobson began studying the violin at the age of five and completed a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance at the University of British Columbia. An award-winning chamber musician, she has had the privilege of receiving mentorship from members of the Kronos, Penderecki, and St. Lawrence quartets, among many others, and was a two-time semifinalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

She is Assistant Concertmaster of the Kamloops Symphony, Concertmaster of the Plastic Acid Orchestra, and has performed in other symphony orchestras all over BC and Washington state. Elyse enjoys a richly diverse musical career: in addition to regular classical performances, she has also performed and recorded with such artists as Michael Buble, Rod Stewart, Kanye West, Marianas Trench, Father John Misty, Sarah Slean, and numerous others, and tours frequently with classical-crossover group Vivace.

Elyse has been teaching violin lessons to students of all ages and ability levels for over 20 years. She has been a member of the violin faculty at St. James Music Academy, the British Columbia Conservatory of Music, and Beethoven at Home.

Website: www.elysetheviolinist.com

Email: elysetheviolinist at gmail dot com (kindly tell her Fiddleheads referred you)


Joan holding her violin

Joan King

Location: Surrey, BC, Canada

Time Zone: Pacific Time

Payout Currency: US or Canadian dollars

Instrument: Violin

Methods: Suzuki or Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) or a combination of the two

Style: Classical

Serving Ages: 5+ (Younger students MUST have a parent learn as well, and be present …virtually…at the lessons.)

Levels: ALL (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

Teaching Since: I was 11 years old

My passion has been symphonic music. I played in most all of the symphonies in Mexico City, Toluca Estado de Mexico and Xalapa, Veracruz
I spent a year in Washington, DC, freelancing and studying in 1980, and have participated in Master Classes from time to time.
I moved to Canada in 1986 and joined the Victoria Symphony, from which I retired in 2006. Playing in an orchestra, however, remains a passion for me. I play for fun in the New Westminster Symphony and in the West Coast Symphony.

Musical Education: Sidney Humphreys (Victoria Conservatory) - Paul Kling (U. of Victoria) - Ernesto Tarrago, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico - Robert Gerle (Catholic University) - Enrique Espin Yepez (Conservatory of Mexico) - Luis S. Saloma (Concertmaster, OSN Mexico) - Enrique Espin Yepez (Conservatory of Mexico) - Henryk Szeryng (Masterclass) - Vladimir Wulfmann (Conservatory of Mexico) - Albert Gillis (San Jose State, CA) - Foothill College (Los Altos, CA) -Elizabeth Kincade (Palo Alto, CA)

Orchestral Experience: Victoria Symphony (87-04) -&Colorado Music Festival Orchestra (93-96) - Xalapa Symphony (80-87) - Freelance musician, Washington, D.C.; American Camarata, National Symphony, Washington Sinfonia, Beethoven Pops, etc. (79-80) - National Symphony of Mexico (77-79) - Assistant Concertmaster, Mexico State Symphony (75-77) - National Symphony of Mexico (74-75) - Mexico State Symphony (71-74) - Mexico City Opera Orchestra (68-71)

Teaching Experience: Private lessons, Surrey, BC (07-present) - Douglas College, New Westminster, BC (08-12) - Victoria Conservatory of Music, BC (87-07) - Private lessons, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico (80-87) - Academy Do-Re-Mi, Mexico City (77-79)

Email: jking2005@shaw.ca


Tatiana outside in the garden holding her violin and tuning it

Tatiana Kostour

Location: Victoria, BC and ONLINE

Time zone: pacific time

Payout: Canadian dollars

Instrument: violin

Method: traditional, Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM)

Style: classical

Ages: 8-80

Levels: all

Teaching since: 1984

Violinist Ms. Tatiana Kostour is a graduate of the Kiev Conservatory of Music. Believing in life-long learning, Tatiana has continued to polish her teaching techniques over the years, and has achieved a very high level of success. Many of her students have won Gold and Silver medals from The Royal Conservatory of Music and placed first in The National Canadian Music Competitions.

Her love of music together with her warm personality, her unique interpretations of music, and her attention to detailed work on the techniques of violin playing, is reflected through the high quality performances of her students.

In 1993 Tatiana immigrated from the Ukraine to Canada, and in 1999 she completed a 3-year Diploma in Performance from Wilfred Laurier University. She has performed with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Brantford Symphony, London Symphony, Thunder Bay Symphony, Niagara Symphony, Kiev National Radio and Television Symphony, and also with many chamber ensembles.

In 2007 she produced a series of six CD’s under the title “Royal Sequence” for violin students preparing for Royal Conservatory violin exams.

Email: royalsequence@gmail.com
 
Websites: vcm.bc.ca/faculty-members/tatiana-kostour - www.tatianakostour.com

Joanna Lee holding a violin

Joanna Lee

Location: Vancouver, BC and ONLINE

Time Zone: Pacific Time

Payout Currency: CAD

Instrument/s: Violin

Method/s: Suzuki, Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) , standard audition repertoire, orchestral excerpts

Style/s: Classical

Serving Ages: 5+

Levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

Teaching Since: 2005

Korean-Canadian Violinist, Joanna Lee has been involved in music since the age of three with piano lessons. At five, she started the violin. She has worked with several world-class artists, competed internationally, and is a winner of several grants and awards.

Currently, she is finishing up a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree at UBC school of Music. Miss Lee performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and an orchestral member. She is also an active member in the teaching community where her students are award-winners at local festivals and top medal-winners of RCM Exams.

Her educational accomplishments include a Bachelor of Music at the prestigious McGill University and a Master of Musical Arts at the New Zealand School of Music. She has attended several internationally-renowned music festivals such as Banff Centre for the Arts and Summit Music Festival. Music Critic Lindis Taylor has praised her performance as confident, polished, with an intuitive instinct.

Email: violinist.jo@gmail.com

Website: www.music4seasons.com


Erin Macdonald standing at the waterfront with bridge in background

Erin Macdonald

Location: North Vancouver, BC

Time Zone: PST

Payout Currency: CND

Instrument/s: violin/fiddle and viola

Method/s: Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) & Suzuki

Style/s: Classical and Scottish fiddle

Serving Ages: 5 and up. Adult beginners welcome.

Levels: All levels. Beginner through advanced violin. Beginner through collegiate viola.

Teaching Since: 2002

Violist Erin Macdonald enjoys an active freelance and teaching career in Vancouver, performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and other regional ensembles, and is a faculty member of the Vancouver Academy of Music. A native of the Sunshine Coast, Erin recently returned to the West Coast after completing her Masters of Music at the University of Ottawa with Rennie Regehr and her Alexander Technique Teacher Certification with Brigitte Caron.

While in Ottawa, Erin served as Senior String Director of OrKidstra, an El Sistema inspired program promoting music as a means to empower youth and create social change. Ms. Macdonald has been a member of the Ottawa and Gatineau Symphonies and had an active violin and viola studio with Ottawa Suzuki Strings.

Ms. Macdonald holds additional degrees from The Royal Conservatory of Music (Art. Dip), where she studied with Steven Dann, and the University of Victoria (B.Mus), where she studied with Joanna Hood and the Lafayette String Quartet.

Email: erinmacd at icloud dot com (kindly tell her Fiddleheads referred you)


Jessie holding her violin with many colourful lights in the background

Jessica Tseng, MMus

Principal of North Shore School of Talent Education

Location: Vancouver, Canada (can also travel)

Time Zone: PST

Payout Currency: NTD (New Taiwan Dollar), American, and Canadian

Instrument/s: violin, viola, cello, piano, er hu, zhon hu, mandolin, mandola

Method/s: Suzuki and mix of other books

Style/s: Classical, bits of Fiddle, Jazz/Swing, Klezmer, Chinese

Serving Ages: Age 3 and up or group lessons

Levels: All levels

Teaching Since: 2005

Jessica Tseng is a violinist, performer, and educator in Canada. She has received her Masters from the University of British Columbia in the Spring of 2015, Music Together certificate, and a registered Suzuki teacher specializing in Violin Performance and chamber music. She offers expert instruction in violin, viola, cello, piano, along with a full array of musical experiences designed to provide an extraordinary musical education, preparing students for a lifetime of music making at the highest level, regardless of professional aspirations.

During her many summers, she has participated in many festivals including NAO (National Academy Orchestra), North Orchestra, AMF (Atlantic Music Fest), and more. In 2015, she furthered her study by studying pedagogy and Suzuki philosophy under Charles Krigbuam. She has been profoundly influenced and inspired by her principle mentors : Emily Pan, Charles Krigbuam, Terence Tam, Gwen Thompson, Andrew Dawes and members of Borealis String Quartet.

"My goal is to create a nurturing music community; where everyone respects and communicates in all directions. Each party (Child, Parent, Teacher) has an equal amount of importance. I want to create a community where parents and kids can learn together and from other families."

Email: MusicTalentEducation@gmail.com

School Number: 778-382-9090

Website: www.facebook.com/eveychildistalented - www.nsste-violin.wixsite.com/everychildcan/our-teacher-c1yws


James holding his violin in a large concert hall

James Watson

Location: Kamloops, BC and ONLINE

Time Zone: Pacific Time

Payout Currency: CAD

Instrument: Violin

Method: Simon Fischer

Styles: Classical, Jazz, Fiddle

Serving Ages: anyone who is willing to learn

Levels: beginner-intermediate

Teaching Since: 2016

James Watson is a Kamloops born violinist and a former student of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster Cvetozar Vutev. He is now studying at the University of Calgary with Joan Barrett where he is entering into the final year of his Bachelor of Music program with a Minor in Linguistics.

James has performed with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, Calgary-based Timepoint Ensemble, and with the University Orchestra as principal second violin. He has also taken part in recordings with the University of Calgary Jazz Orchestra and L’Orchestre de pa Francophonie under the direction of Jean-Phillipe Tremblay.

Email: james-watson@shaw.ca


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Website: www.yourlessonsnow.com