• Most Respected Classical Music Platform
  • #classicalForever
TOP

Violin Pedagogue Almita Vamos on The Qualities of an Effective Instrumental Teacher

Respected violin pedagogue Almita Vamos shares her thoughts on the technical and interpersonal qualities required to become an effective instrumental teacher

What constitutes an effective instrumental teacher? Should the teacher strive for the student to be copying his or her way of playing, or say play a certain note with the 4th finger even when the student is struggling to reach it? Maybe you feel instead that the student should be taught with their own physical limitations taken into account, and rather than using a 4th, that an alternative fingering be employed.

Violin pedagogue Almita Vamos shares her expert advice on the topic.

 

 

Violin Pedagogue Almita Vamos discusses The Qualities of an Effective Instrumental Teacher

 

To be an effective, professional teacher, you need the same qualities that are required to be a good doctor, a good lawyer, or a good business executive. We have to understand our work thoroughly, be sensitive to the people with whom we are working, and love what we are doing.

Perhaps even more importantly, we need to be passionate about doing the best we can and strive to continuously improve and expand our skills. Even after nearly 55 years of teaching, I am still working on this!

Teaching is easier today than ever before because we have so many sources from which we can learn. We have articles, books, conventions, masterclasses, and YouTube at our disposal! How lucky we are that we are not in a vacuum, but instead have the opportunity to learn from teachers of the past and present. We learn from the great masters who are no longer alive but have left a legacy of fine teaching; we learn from colleagues who have individual strengths and styles; and, MOST of all, we learn from our students.

In teaching, we must make sure that the student is comfortable, relaxed, and knowledgeable about the physics of the instrument. The body should not fight with the intricacies of the technique, and the technique must be applied to make the music speak. It is necessary for the student to try to learn the intent of the composer and then to feel free to express it in their own fashion. Music is both art and entertainment (within the bounds of good taste and intelligence, of course). When I am teaching, I am imparting my own ideas to the student—that is my job—but I remind my students that this is just a springboard. We can encourage students to take our advice but also let them use their own imaginations to develop a unique musical personality. As students mature, they can be given more freedom. If a student does not have the technical or musical maturity yet, the teacher must be more specific, hoping that, through osmosis, they will eventually develop their own personality without being indulgent.

The biggest challenge I have is to understand each student’s physical body and emotional state, as well as knowing how to adapt technique to fit the individual. I am continuously finding that each student I work with responds to criticism in different ways. A teacher’s job is to adapt their teaching style to inspire and instill confidence in every student. We must keep reminding ourselves that we cannot allow our moods or frustrations to interfere with the learning atmosphere. Do I ever make mistakes with this? Of course! But I always try to be more aware of how the student might be feeling. This awareness gives me the impetus to keep improving how I work and connect with students.

–Almita

 

 

Do you have an idea for a blog or news tip? Simply email: [email protected]

 

 

Mrs. Vamos has received many impressive and well-regarded awards throughout her career as a violinist. She has won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching six times, and the ASTA (American String Teachers Association) Distinguished Teacher of the year Award. She has also been featured on  "Sunday Morning" CBS and in the New York Times best-seller, Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom, by Amy Chua. During her summers, Almita is a violin instructor at Roosevelt University, as well as a member of the faculty at the Chautauqua Summer Music Institute. Currently, she teaches at the Music Institute of Chicago where she is co-recipient of the Rachel Barton Pine Violin Chair.

upcoming events

april 2024

01aprAll Day05Vienna Classic Violin Competition(All Day) Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, Johannesgasse 4a 1010 Vienna, AustriaEvent Type :competitions Event TagsClassic Violin Olympus International Competition,violin competitionFOLLOW

23aprAll Day26Lyon International Chamber Music Competition(All Day) Université Lumière Lyon 2, 18 quai Claude Bernard 69365 Lyon, FranceEvent Type :competitions Event Tagschamber music,chamber music competition,Lyon International Chamber Music CompetitionFOLLOW

CONTACT US
x

Get ALL our latest conveniently by EMAIL

Our newsletter is trusted by over 100,000+ industry professionals around the world

We deliver news straight to your inbox and will never share your data.
You'll never miss a beat!

click left click right