Matthew Davies

I began playing the violin when I was 3 years old, and switched full-time to viola at the age of 12. Since then, I have completed 3 post-secondary performance degrees at the San Francisco Conservatory, New England Conservatory, and Lynn University, studying primarily with Jodi Levitz, Kim Kashkashian, and Ralph Fielding. I also have 12 years of professional playing experience with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. I am familiar and proficient with all major viola repertoire, including Bach, Bartok, Walton, and Hindemith. 

I will be able to teach you to play the violin or viola at an advanced degree of technical proficiency, so you can achieve your desired goals, whether those goals are getting into music school, winning competitions, taking orchestral auditions - or simply being the best player you can be. 

Our primary focus will be on learning how to practice efficiently. The key here will be setting up a systematic, detailed practice schedule. As an example - we start with technique, move to etudes, and end with repertoire, in about a 33/33/33 ratio. Both technique and etudes can be separated into left-hand and right-hand focus for additional clarity and efficiency. This ratio should be adhered to no matter how short or long your practice session will be. You can choose your own repertoire, and I will provide the necessary technical supplements to make your practicing as effective and efficient as possible. 

Focused attention on technique is crucial for progressing on any instrument, and having a solid technical base on which to draw will make all repertoire fluid and easy to execute. Once we get to repertoire, we will focus on the musical, historical, and conceptual components necessary to create a cohesive and expressive interpretation. A solid self-conscious understanding of the phrasing and formal structures that one is executing will bridge the gap between technical work and musical fluency. 

Remember - if you don't have a metronome on, you're not really practicing!