Elementary

Bios of our teachers www.stepupmusicvallejo.com

Full bio and statement available at Community School of Music and Arts (www.arts4all.org). I have taught piano, accompanying, chamber music, theory, history, and been active as recitalist, chamber musician and conductor for 45 years. I supervised the development of all curriculum at CSMA from 1985-2010. I teach beginning through professional levels, using ABRSM syllabus as an excellent guide to standards and milestones.

I am a cellist and a cello teacher, performing frequently with the Oakland Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet, the New Century Chamber Orchestra, in San Francisco productions of Broadway musicals, and on tour with singer/songwriter Van Morrison.

Using a curriculum ranging from the baroque/early classical era and fiddle tunes for beginners to a more advanced and diverse repertoire for intermediate and advanced students, I aim to give each student a solid foundation on the violin or viola. This prepares my students to be able to read music and to play by ear and take the violin in whatever direction they choose later on. Using a combination of scales, exercises, rhythm games, I teach my students how to be comfortable and facile on their instruments and to be over all well rounded musicians.

I am a freelance violist and experienced teacher in the bay area. I offer lessons at my home in Alameda and in Mountain View. I am principal violist for the Susanville Symphony and I often play with many groups in the bay area- including Berkeley, Monterey, Sacramento, Modesto and Merced Symphonies.
I received my BM from the San Francisco Conservatory, working with Jodi Levitz and my MM from the University of Nevada-Reno as a graduate teaching assistant to Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio.

A Bay Area native, Nicola Gruen performed for several years as a violinist in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and freelanced with the Halle Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony and English National Ballet. She is recorded on numerous film soundtracks, including "Moulin Rouge," and she played regularly in the award winning musical "Martin Guerre." An alumna of The Crowden School, Nicola's mentors have been Anne Crowden, Colin Hampton, Virginia Baker and Emanuel Hurwitz.

My goals as a teacher are twofold: to instill and support a love of making music in each student, and to successfully teach every student while honoring each individual's learning style. My many years as a journeyman singer, a piano player, a choir director and as a parent uniquely qualify me to teach. I teach beginning pianists of any age over 5 years, and singers at any level from the age of 10. My teaching style is warm and unintimidating but my standards are high and I am very serious about what I do.

I have played in professional orchestras and jazz combos for the last fifteen years. For the past six years I have been living in Germany, playing in the Bass section of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (German State Opera.) Since my return to the Bay Area I have been performing with Opera San Jose, the Modesto, Berkeley, and Pacific Symphonies, the Stockton Chorale, as well as the Sacramento Philharmonic and San Jose Chamber Orchestra, among others. I am enthusiastic about working with students of all levels and ages. The initial lesson is free to see if the chemistry is right.