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Cello Teaching
As a professional cellist and teacher, I specialize in building the foundation young cellists need to thrive as expressive, thoughtful, and collaborative artists in the professional music world. A strong technical setup is paramount and yet also only the beginning—my teaching empowers students to become confident musical storytellers and imaginative performers, capable of shaping sound with intention and freedom. When students are set up well from the start, their musical path becomes not only more sustainable, but also more joyful and inspired.
My approach integrates my certification and deep study of the Alexander Technique, which informs every aspect of my teaching. I help students develop a strong sense of self-use—how they coordinate their bodies and minds while playing—so that tension and injury are prevented rather than treated later. It’s a guiding principle in my studio: playing the cello should feel easy. It should be enjoyable, expressive, and never painful.
My own journey as a musician has shaped this philosophy. I entered Juilliard at age 13, full of musical instinct but lacking a strong technical foundation. My pre-college teacher had to rebuild my playing from the ground up, and even then, I carried a great deal of tension through my college years. It wasn’t until I trained in the Alexander Technique that I truly understood what ease in playing felt like. This transformation in my own playing is what drives my mission as a teacher.
A major focus in my studio is how to practice creatively and intentionally. I help students develop the awareness and artistic sensibility to notice what’s working, what’s not, and how to proceed. This kind of reflective practice strengthens not only their technique but also their ability to interpret, shape, and communicate music meaningfully.
Learning to play the cello is like doing a jigsaw puzzle. Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away, reset, and return with fresh eyes—and suddenly, the pieces begin to come together. I encourage my students to approach their practice this way: with patience, imagination, and a toolkit of strategies for self-observation.
Here is a recent video of one of my current students:
I work with private students both in person and online. Based in the Netherlands, I teach students internationally and maintain a strong connection with the New York music community. Several of my current online students in the NY area are preparing to apply to the Juilliard Pre-College Division. I travel to the U.S. three times a year to work with these students in person, which allows for a deep and continuous relationship in their development.
Most importantly, I lead by example, because we learn by example. I continue to practice, perform, and refine my own craft—staying curious, experimenting, and taking artistic risks. Whether I’m exploring new repertoire or revisiting familiar works, I activate the same creative process I guide my students through: listening with imagination, using technique in service of expression, and telling a compelling musical story.
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