For beginners to expert players in K-8.

Violin with Mikhail will meet on Mondays & Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 in the Seminar-Recital room. Students will use their own violin or a rental violin (Contact Mikhail to learn more: mikhailborisovsky@gmail.com. Note: student who already play other string instruments– cello, viola– are welcome). Lessons will be held in small-groups (divided
by ability–see below the jump for Notes on Advantages of Group Music Lessons).
Violin with Mikhail will be the model for a future Old Town Academy strings program (designed to begin in 4th grade, during our 2nd year of operation, to build on the basic Piano and note-reading skills students develop in the Kiwanis Music Lab in grades K-3) and will eventually allow OTA students to start working with the Mainly Mozart Festival teaching artists. First class is Thursday, Feb 23. Click here to download: VIOLIN Q3 After-school Signup Form.

Mr. Borisovsky is an accomplished pianist and violinist from Kharkov, Ukraine. His background encompasses both folk and classical music. You can hear a clip of his music (on violin with Kora- a 21-string bridge-harp from West Africa) here.

Questions About the Program? Please send email to <mikhailborisovsky@gmail.com>

Notes on Group Music Lessons:

Advantages:

• Less expensive – The more people in the class, the less each student needs to pay. This can be a large determining factor for some families, especially given the current economic environment.
• Peer competition can be healthy – If a student knows that they will be performing in front of their peers, they may be more likely to practice their assigned pieces to avoid making mistakes in front of others. Also, they may have more incentive to do their homework if they do not wish to be the only student who didn’t finish their homework.
• Social time – Given the peer interaction of group classes, group lessons offer social time for the students. With multiple students, teachers have more flexibility to play games and hence, students may think lessons are more fun.
• Can learn from others – When students see other students their age and level play the piano, they can learn from observation, instead of a teacher verbally telling them. Many of the world’s top schools (Tennis, Music-link to The Talent Code) do not have private lessons.
• Ensemble skills – Playing in a group means that students are forced to listen more to their peers. This can develop their ensemble and ear training skills.
• Longer class time – Group classes are longer than private lessons (group lessons are typically an hour vs. 30 minute lessons for young children beginners).