One of my greatest joys as a violinist is sharing my love and passion for violin playing with others! I love working with children as a mentor and teacher in helping them develop their critical thinking and creative awareness and expression, and guiding them in building the discipline and focus it takes to learn a challenging instrument.
My biggest goal with my students is to cultivate joy in playing and a love for music, at all levels from beginners to advanced. I value a solid foundation in technique and in music theory, as this will not only deepen their appreciation and understanding but will also allow them to express themselves freely and musically beyond the violin if they choose. I enjoy working with adult students as well, whether they are beginners or are returning to the violin after many years, in helping them achieve their own unique violin goals!
My violin teaching philosophy incorporates a somatic and holistic approach in order to build a stronger mind-body connection, combat playing injuries, and explore ways to help each individual build their awareness and freedom in finding their own musical voice. Performance opportunities and chamber ensemble experience is offered for all students with our twice yearly recitals!
“Michelle is positive, resourceful and professional with a cheerful disposition. Apart from being a virtuosic violinist, one of her greatest strengths is her ability to encourage students and sustain their interests in violin playing.”
— kau n.
“Michelle Kim has been an outstanding violin teacher to my 2 sons, for about 8 years. We found her after trying 3 other teachers, and immediately recognized her as a real gem. She combines excellent technical training (both theory and practice), ability to convey a love for music and musicianship, and an incredibly encouraging approach. She is just great at engaging her students at whatever levels they're at. One of my sons has been more excited by and ambitious about violin than the other, and it is a testament to her approach that the less-musical of the two never asked to quit, all the way through senior year of high school! She helped prepare my younger son for auditions with the LA Youth Orchestra, where he now plays 1st violin, thanks to her!”
— catherine b.
“I'm an adult student and learning a new instrument, especially violin, is challenging, and Michelle was inspiring, patient and so much fun to learn from. She brought so much joy to my lessons, gave really specific/constructive and helpful feedback, and always came prepared with a variety of pieces and exercises to supplement my learning.”
— JOSH S.
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