Who am I writing for?
Why do I show up here twice a week? What is the purpose of this “writing” tab on my website? Why do I commit to writing every single day?

I write every day for myself. Writing clarifies my thoughts, prompts me to wrestle with deep questions, prepares me to speak effectively and gives me the opportunity to document the work I am doing. I feel that I am a better musician, a better teacher, and a better human because I sit down every morning with a cup of coffee and a keyboard to let my thoughts flow.

But that is not the reason I post here.

If writing were purely for me, I would keep it to myself. But on this website, available to the public, to you, my writing has a function. In publishing my experiences in my journey from student to teacher I hope to be a resource for you making your journey. I hope that by engaging with my successes, challenges, insights, decisions, and blunders your transition from student to teacher will be more informed, more rich, even if just slightly.

Dr. Suzuki was committed to the concept of giving. His students would attend hours long weekday lessons with their peers. They would learn together, and though one student might only have a minute of instruction and another would stretch for hours, Dr. Suzuki knew that every child was sharing in the learning experience.

Suzuki teachers maintain that ethic of giving. Tim Washecka and Kristi Manno, Shana Guidi, Dr. Laurie Scott, Rachel Ringeisen,  Danny Gee, teachers at string project, acquaintances at institutes, and many others have graciously given and continue to give me the tools and wisdom to establish myself as a teacher. It is their sustained guidance and willingness to give that inspires me to be a part of the teaching community.

Teachers share their ideas. So I share my ideas. Teachers tell stories. So I tell stories. Teachers continue to learn. So I continue to learn. Teachers reflect. So I reflect.

By capturing my ideas, stories, learning process, inspirations, and reflections here I have an enduring home for my work. It is to here that I can point teachers I can help. It is here that you can engage with my work.

One of the first hesitations I had when I started publishing was my inexperience. I have only been teaching for two years. I have privately worked with a total of 34 students. I’ve only taken three higher education courses on pedagogy.

But what I have done is start teaching. Because I was graciously given the tools to begin my journey, I am just around the corner from you. I’m not an expert, not even close, but that means you are hearing from me in real time. I remember what it felt like to have my first parent conference, to not know what to do when a student refuses to play in a lesson, to wonder how to prioritize posture over notes, to question if inspiring and motivating a student is even possible. I am learning at every step of the way. I will be inconsistent, I will misunderstand, I will develop bad habits that I’ll need to change. But you will hear about those, and my paths taken to course correct.

I’ve just begun learning about assessment, sequencing, and effecting change through rehearsal frames. I’ve just begun to understand how my core values are made present in my teaching. I’m still trying to choose which teaching tools to carry around with me. I’m still realizing how I’ve been influenced by the classes and festivals I’ve participated in. My learning has just begun.

If you want to see a real journey from student to teacher unfolding in real time, then come here. My passion is in guiding people to understand their capabilities. Please know that I believe every reader, every person who visits this site, YOU, are capable of incredible things. And even if you, just one person, are able to realize and envision a fraction of your potential in your time here then my work to post was worth doing.