Teaching

“My teaching philosophy is to nurture the individual student. This pedagogical concept was first introduced to me when I read Ivan Galamian’s Principles of the Violin: Playing & Teaching. Only through understanding the individual student can I fully develop his or her unique musical voice. There are many sides to each individual musician that I have the responsibility to develop – technical facility, musical voice, collaborative skills, and diverse musical knowledge to name a few. I address the individual by incorporating concepts taught by past pedagogues and by integrating skills that I have learned through my performing experience and time teaching at the University of Colorado, in my own violin studio, and as a faculty member of Opus 1 Chamber Music School.

To begin developing the whole individual, I pull from the philosophies of Shinichi Suzuki, Leopold Auer, and Ivan Galamian. I incorporate Suzuki’s pedagogy to teach strong foundations: proper and relaxed violin and bow hold, and the development of the ear though singing and active listening. I incorporate Leopold Auer’s concept of mindful practice and self-reflection to encourage musical independence. To help my students gain this skill, I have them record their goals, accomplishments, and observations in practice journals. I also encourage them to videotape themselves and review the recordings as if they were their own teacher; what are their objective observations and what tools do they have for improvement? From Ivan Galamian, I conscribe to the idea that the violin must be approached artistically and musically above all else. For students to approach the violin musically, they must learn to view technique in a musical context and must be provided an inclusive studio environment in which to learn and musically experiment.

I believe that teaching artistic communication begins with developing a clear musical idea. When I teach an individual or coach a chamber group, I begin by asking what story, character, or emotion do they want to transmit to the audience? I love hearing my students answer this question, because their responses are personal and sometimes delightfully unexpected. Their answers allow the lesson to be exploratory; I help students discover the appropriate means to achieve their ideas. Through this method, I teach technique musically, reinforce independence of thought and creativity, and prioritize communication as the ultimate goal. Musical authority allows students to cultivate their own unique voice, colored by their experiences, backgrounds, and traditions.

A safe environment is integral for a student to take musical risks and experiment with ideas. I believe that an inclusive studio environment is one in which all students are treated with dignity and respect. I strive to create environments in which students feel comfortable being themselves and expressing their ideas. In Opus 1, I teach students how to offer constructive comments, and how to respect and experiment with all members’ musical ideas. By teaching this type of communication, my students are given a safe musical environment and learn the type of communication expected by musical leaders in the professional world.

Within my individual studio and within Opus 1, my students represent a wealth of diversity – racial, socioeconomic, gender, and age. As their teacher, I have a great responsibility to expose them to music written by diverse composers so that they can see themselves reflected in the music they perform. Through my research and experience performing diverse solo and chamber music works, I have discovered pieces to assign that were previously unknown to myself. The composers of these works include Lili Boulanger, Florence Price, Shelley Washington, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still, Caroline Shaw, Emilie Mayer, and Sulkhan Tsintzadze, and even students themselves. By seeing parts of themselves represented in the music they study, I have noticed that my students become more encouraged to pursue music and realize their part in continuing the diversification of the musical field.   

My goal as a teacher is to nurture individual students and help them become artistically genuine, collaborative, and well-rounded. My experiences have led me to develop multiple techniques that I use to implement my philosophy. Through individualized education, I believe my students will become artistic leaders, thoughtful teachers, and versatile professionals.”

~ Dr. Marisa Ishikawa