Are you interested in private (1-on-1) violin lessons with Nathanael?
basic rates for violin lessons:
In Denver at the leavitt home studio
$80 per hour
Over Zoom from anywhere in the world
$60 per hour
I offer a free first-time lesson to talk about your goals and to see if we are a good fit.
Lessons are one hour minimum
Frequently asked questions
about lessons:
is choosing a good teacher important?
yes— a good teacher will be more efficient in helping you ACHIEVE your own goals however great or small. If you choose POORLY, you may learn slowly and waste your own time and money.
*In todays world, anyone can claim to be a music teacher, so the average teacher that you find from a google search will be someone who is somewhat inexperienced and uneducated. If you live in a city, the best teachers will likely be in a local orchestra or at a nearby university.
can nathanael help me get into music school or win an orchestra audition?
yes- nathanael has won many top prizes, orchestra auditions, and has been invited to many top music conservatories. He is also familiar with the current audition requirements and secret strategies in applying for and finding the best teachers.
What is required of me as a student?
- an instrument (violin, bow, shoulder rest)
- a method book to practice from (maybe 2)
- the willingness and ability to practice at home outside of lesson times.
- Payment for the teacher
What will I get out of violin lessons?
Private lessons are the best way to learn an instrument by far. I have found that students learn an average of 3x as slowly in group lessons.
I am a strong believer in “you get what you pay for“. That is why i have carefully selected my lesson rates. my teachers have come from a LINEAGE of the best violinists in history. From me, you will get deeply MEANINGFUL techniques for practicing, performing that also often translate into success in other areas of life, and also the technical skills to play music from the most basic, to the most advanced in the violin repertoire. these techniques will only come from a very small percentage of teachers.
why are lessons so expensive (or inexpensive)?
I spend a lot of my “free“ time practicing and when i am teaching i ask myself “how much money would i pay to be practicing right now?“ and that is how much I will charge. ADDITIONALLY, I sometimes need to turn down other work to keep my commitments to my students.
what if im a beginner?
no problem. I have started many students from a complete beginning stage— whats more important is how interested you are. I may not always take on a student with low interest in violin.
what if i only want to learn violin as a hobby?
No problem. I greatly respect many professionals in other walks of life. i will help you achive your own goals. While most of my students do not persue music in college, If a student refuses to practice at home outside of lesson times for many months, I may propose that the student finds another teacher.
what if i dont have an instrument?
You will need to rent or buy a violin, bow, and shoulder rest. See my list of RECOMMENDED shops below.
is it important that my teacher is a performer?
in short, yes. if a teacher has no significant experience as a soloist, playing in a good orchestra, or performing chamber music, the teacher will not have the knowledge that you need to perform even the most basic music comfortably. The better the teacher you have, the faster you will likely learn.
what if i already have a teacher?
a violin student should only have one private teacher at a time. Choose wisely!
what if i need to cancel a lesson?
I will not charge a lesson fee unless a student CANCELS a lesson within one hour of the agreed uppon lesson time.
what if the teacher needs to cancel a lesson? I rarely cancel or reschedule a lesson, but if i create a difficult situation or cancel multiple times in a row, I may offer a free lesson.
A good luthier makes, sells, and repairs instruments. every violinist needs one. here are my most recommended shops:
Robertsons and sons, albuquerque NM
Luther Strings, Denver CO
Denver Violins, Denver CO
Four Fundamentals
to the Leavitt Violin Method:
Comfort
Agility
Focus
Expression
C.A.F.E.
Violin playing can cause a great deal of discomfort if someone lacks the proper teaching. Further, if you can’t be comfortable when you practice you will never be comfortable when you’re performing. Discomfort with the instrument is the leading cause of serious students quitting their studies. Comfort leads to good form and technique. Good form and technique allows someone to have a mature sound. With every student, I put comfort first.
Agility is not just the ability to move fingers quickly. Fingers must be light but powerful. Building off of comfort, agility also means avoiding tension and developing bad muscular habits. The fingers must be in the proper position to be most effective and the whole body must retain a certain posture for different uses in violin playing. Each posture and frame are very specific and must be learned with patience.
Focus is most important in performance. There is no one greater ally in performance than focus. One must be able to concentrate during a lesson or a class as well. In performance all distractions become multiplied and sometimes they can be debilitating. During a performance the violinist must be mentally focused and physically well. Mental distractions sometimes can hurt the performer the most. For some pieces on the violin, the performer must believe that he/she is the greatest, and that no one else can do better in that moment— otherwise the performance will not be convincing.
Lastly— Expression. Comfort, Agility, and Focus all point toward the violinist learning the ability to show expression to the audience in a meaningful way. If a violinist can play comfortably, and be agile when necessary, and focus when it’s important, then the violinist can begin to show the listener something great. Expression should be an ultimate goal for the violinist and it can help the violinist to learn about themself as well.
“I am the father of a son who plays several instruments and who has autism. NathanAel has been his violin teacher for 3 years, 4-5 times a week. It takes a very gifted and special teacher to be able to understand a student’s unique way of learning. NathanAel took the time to understand my son, getting to know his strengths and challenges. In our case, NathanAel saw past my son’s disability and saw his ability. NathanAel has changed my son’s life. Today, my son travels the country, performing and raising money for noble causes, at the same time giving hope and inspiration to audiences. We are forever grateful to this fine, young, and talented violinist. He is an extraordinary musician and teacher.”
—Carm (father of a student)
Oberlin, Ohio
