Strings

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.

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.

Joseph Lewis began his double bass studies at the age of nine, and holds bachelor of music and master of music with academic honors degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied double bass with Donald Palma and Lawrence Wolfe, and chamber music with Eugene Lehner and John Heiss. Mr. Lewis has had additional training with Stephen Tramontozzi, Cindy Browne, and Curtis Burris. Mr. Lewis has performed across North America and Europe, and has won several competitions in concerto performance, jazz performance, and composition. Mr.

I enjoy working with students of all levels and aspirations. My students range from beginners of all ages, to successful amateurs playing in local orchestras and chamber groups, to full-fledged professionals. Many of my students have gone on to major conservatories and now enjoy artistic lives in major orchestras, ensembles, or as soloists.

I love teaching enthusiastic students of all ages! Many of my students have won prestigious awards and competitions and have been principal cellists in youth orchestras. All gain a thorough appreciation of cello. I have an adult cello ensemble - part chamber music, part "cello therapy" - and a summer workshop for intermediate to advanced level youth. For ten years I was a member of Santa Rosa Symphony, Sacramento Symphony, Women's Philharmonic, and Modesto Symphony, and I have performed with many local orchestras and chamber ensembles.

I have been an international opera singer for over 30 years, having spend 20 years at the Metropolitan Opera. My specialty ranges from Mozart and Strauss to chamber music and recitals.
Additionally I taught 6 years at Shepherd School Rice University, and 6 years at DePaul University. I also was on faculty at Aspen Music Festival and School for 5 years. I give master classes around the country and have guest taught at the Sf Opera Merola program and Castleton Festival.

I have played professionally and taught in the Bay Area and New York (1980 to 1990) over a period of 35 years. I also taught instrumental music in the West Contra Costa School District until I retired in 2010.
I would describe my approach as individualized. That is to say it is geared to the specific individual that I'm working with at any given time. I take into account the person's