Violin Teacher Pei-Shan Shares importance of patience, Tips for Parents, and a Memorable Moment with a Student

 
 

You’ve brought up the connection between your name “Pei-Shan” and the word “patience,” referencing how it’s a core aspect of being a good teacher that is also built into your name. Can you share why you think patience is such an integral part of being a good teacher and what ways you use patience with your own students?

To be patient, a person must realize that the learning process is never a straight line, just like riding a roller coaster full of ups and downs, along with fear, excitement, and happiness. As a teacher, I address the student’s existing problems over and over again without losing patience and giving up because of the importance of establishing a good habit right away. Since each individual is unique, no one ought to follow others’ learning paths, and as a teacher, patience comes from acknowledging that each student is different. I explore a variety of ways to explain different concepts and solutions to help find the ones that work for each student. Simultaneously, I help the student create the ability of critical and independent thinking because they will become their own teachers that way!

Parents, while balancing their professional lives, stressful work meetings, and their love and dedication to their family, will confront moments where patience isn’t easy. When it comes to motivating a stubborn child to practice, what suggestions do you have that will make their parenting job just a little bit easier?

To begin, it’s important to be patient in the very beginning. Getting used to the initial awkwardness of how to hold the violin and bow, as well as playing in tune can be very challenging - even professional violinists continue to work on playing intonation. 

Parent encouragement and support are very important for the learning process. Taking this role helps kids naturally practice and enjoy doing it. For parents, I suggest trying to engage in music-related events as a family. These can include concerts, ballets, theater, and movies. This helps build exposure to music and often when children are inspired by a particular song, they are more willing to practice compared to a sense of being forced as a response to authority. 

Another suggestion is for parents to learn and practice with their child in the beginning stage. Although it takes time, it’s worth it in the long term. Perseverance, having a positive attitude, discipline, problem-solving ability, boldness, and concentration are all acquired and developed through failures, frustrations, and tedious repetitions during each practice session. Having a supportive parent there with them helps children work through these emotions and hurdles. Last but not least, it will always feel easier to give up but it’s important for parents to ensure their child stays committed once they decide to take lessons.

Violin students have to think about and carry out several movements at the same time. One hand needs to decide on the notes, another hand/arm is using a completely different motion to produce the sound, all while trying to avoid the dreaded “screetchy” sound. When it comes to a student’s practice session, what approaches can s/he do that will help mentally and physically balance these simultaneous considerations?

As a rule of thumb, staying relaxed both mentally and physically is the first step. Anxious rushing to achieve a certain goal usually makes things worse. 

Consider the violin to be a delicate scientific product, which sensitively reflects whatever inputs we provide. When a scratchy and harsh sound is the feedback we get from the violin, something must be amiss with our execution, such as somehow“wrong” placement and contact point of the bow with the strings, or the different angle or pressure from the left fingers. To solve the problem, it is always helpful to pause and consider the possible causes of generating an undesired sound. While playing, slow down to examine and feel the changes in each muscle. Imagine the energy and the passion as a flowing from the heart and mind. Don’t be afraid of using your imagination to try out different possibilities. Each failure is the foundation for success to come. Only through immeasurable attempts and perseverance can one expect the arrival of success and enjoy relaxation and the fun while playing the violin someday.


Every teacher has a fun and memorable story from a lesson with a student. What is your most memorable lesson with one of your own students?

I had a student with an expressive language disorder and difficulty with posture because of scoliosis. She was unable to speak during her lessons and I had to rely on body language to communicate. After working with her for almost a year, she, to my surprise, for the first time since we began lessons together, spoke - she asked me whether she could perform in the end-of-semester recital. I quickly followed up with her request to ask what repertoire she had prepared. She slowly began to speak and in a clear slow voice said the piece she was eager to play.

That was my first time hearing her voice, which was so sweet and lovely. In that moment, I truly realized how music is a way of expression and communication. Even though she had difficulties and physical limitations, playing the violin had become a tool for her to speak and express herself to the world and people. On the day of the recital, I was moved and impressed by her confident performance, the satisfaction on her face, and of course, her big charming smile.  

Teacher Mi Shares Benefit of Starting Lessons Early, Impact of the Tech Boom on Music, and Preference for Piano Adventures Books

 
 

Beginning at an early age is one of the best contributors for success in music. The challenge is often managing short attention spans and behavior when kids are so young, though. What recommendations do you have for parents who want to start their child in lessons but aren’t sure the best way to begin?

Very young students are able to benefit so much as they learn to enjoy music at an early age. Their infinite curiosity propels students toward having very fun and engaging lessons. I would recommend first starting kids under the age of 5 with group lessons. These lessons tend to be fun and easy while being around their peers, which can be good motivation toward learning and staying with music. As students over the age of  5 are more mature, I would recommend starting them with private lessons as the teacher is able to guide each student according to their ability and preferences.

You’ve been teaching in San Jose since before the big tech boom. Have you noticed changes in the music community and how have you adapted as a teacher to meet the culture shift?

Having been involved in the music community for such a while, I can really say that music is timeless. In Silicon Valley, parents and students are just as engaged in learning and development through music as they were 20 years ago. Thanks to much of the technology that has come out of Silicon Valley, teachers and students have been able to connect better with learning tools and participate in online lessons. This has meant that even if students are unable to come in person, we’re able to minimize gaps in their education and students can learn with continuity.

At Opus 1 we encourage students to use the Piano Adventures books written by the acclaimed teachers and authors Nancy and Randall Faber. What do you think makes these books an ideal method of learning piano compared to other series?

We recommend the Piano Adventures series as they’re easy to understand and enjoyable textbooks for beginners. Kids can also have fun and build a solid foundation starting with piano Adventures by playing the duets included in the books with their teacher. They are also very culturally inclusive


Cello Teacher Elliot Shares the Importance of Family Support, Dedication to Practicing, and How He Got Into Juilliard

 
 

You graduated in cello performance from Juilliard, considered one of the most internationally prestigious music schools in the world, with an acceptance rate just shy of Stanford and Harvard. What ways did you practice that lead to your acceptance, and what suggestions can you give beginner cellists that will help them on a successful pathway to learning music?

The first thing I would suggest when preparing for any conservatory audition is to start early. It’s a tough and rigorous process, and it takes years of preparation. Luckily, I had the full support of my parents and a teacher who helped me every step of the way. That included meeting important deadlines, and clearly outlining everything I needed to do to fulfill the audition requirements. 

Secondly, I would suggest getting organized. Plan out your preparation time carefully, and make goals. Setting short-term goals can help to learn and memorize the required repertoire feels much less daunting.

Third, I would suggest choosing pieces that highlight your abilities the best. Keep in mind, you don’t have to learn all new repertoire for the audition. If there are pieces you already know that meet the repertoire requirements, then use them. 

Lastly, and most importantly, I made my audition preparation the most important thing in my life at the time. I was practicing 3-4 hours every single day, there is really no other way to do it.  If you want to reach a high level on any instrument, then slow, careful, and consistent practicing is a must. This means practicing slowly, working with a metronome, and recording and listening back critically to yourself. Another aspect of practice that often gets overlooked is performing. For me, learning how to play under pressure was crucial. You have to make sure that along with your day-to-day practicing, you are also getting the opportunity to play in front of people. This can be in recitals, studio class, or simply playing for family and friends. 

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as a beginner cellist and how did you overcome them?

From the beginning, I was a very natural musician. I picked up on the cello quickly and was a very intuitive player. Unfortunately, I  had my own way of doing things, and this led to me picking up a number of bad habits along the way. Early on, I had a lot of tension in my playing, and it eventually started to hinder my progress as I was learning more difficult repertoire. It wasn’t until I got my first serious teacher that I learned the importance of a strong technical foundation. This teacher forced me to rebuild my playing from the ground up, and although it was difficult and often frustrating, it was maybe the important time in my music education. He helped me understand the mechanics of cello playing, and how to play effortlessly with proper technique. These lessons have stuck with me to this day, and I try to pass this on to all of my students. 

It’s fairly established that family support and positive encouragement are fundamental to students’ success - not just the amount of time they spend practicing. This is demonstrated in the standard Suzuki method and approach that nearly all string students use. Can you share ways that your family supported you while learning cello and recommendations for parents of our aspiring Opus 1 music students?

Having the support and encouragement of my parents was absolutely crucial to my development as a musician. This was something I didn’t truly understand until I got older. From the very beginning, my parents saw that I was passionate about playing the cello, and they did everything they could to nurture that and help it grow. This included driving me to lessons, competitions, and summer programs all over the country. Almost every weekend was dedicated to my musical activities.

We were always listening to classical music together when I was young, and they would often take me to concerts that would come through my local area.  Because of them, I had the opportunity to see so many incredible performances. This instilled in me a deep appreciation for the music I was playing and inspired me to keep progressing as a cellist. Even now, I still listen to classical music almost every day. 

Your international performing career includes countless performances, including at prestigious Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center/Alice Tully Hall in New York. What is your most memorable performance and what makes it stand out among others?

Over the years, I’ve had a lot of memorable performances, but one that’s always stood out to me was when I played Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B-flat Major at St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University. It wasn’t necessarily a prestigious performance or anything, it was just a very intimate, and beautiful experience. Beethoven’s B-flat piano trio has always been one of my favorite pieces, and getting the opportunity to perform it with close friends, in such a beautiful setting is something I’ll never forget. Although the entire piece is incredible, the third movement particularly is in my opinion, one of the most beautiful things Beethoven ever wrote. It was just one of those performances where everything kind of fell into place, and I felt like we really did justice to the music we were playing.