Brent S.

My name is Brent and I have loved playing music from an early age. The instrument I chose was the violin after hearing Itzak Pearlman play the Tchiachopsky violin concerto when I was 9. I was encouraged early on by my father to be an instrumentalist he being now a retired cello player in the National Symphony Orchestra. My father always encouraged me to practice. For the first years I practiced no more than half an hour to an hour a day. A few years later between the ages of 15 and 17 I made an attempt to be better at the violin. Some days I would practice every day for 2 to 3 hours. To improve my skills I concentrated on playing the fiddle. If practice never becomes easier and you never enjoy the violin then maybe you shouldn't be playing the violin. I eventually advanced on to major violin concerto's like the Bruch the Mendelson, Lalo and the Saint Sean Intro And Rhondo one of the hardest pieces in the list of pieces you can play.  At one point in college I went back to the violin for three years. in my musical history I played in the first violin section in middle school in high school Mr. Rupert made me the principal second violinist. In college I played in the college symphony orchestra and for part of the time in the college Philharmonia. All of my three teachers in elementary, middle school and high school had connections to the National Symphony Orchestra due to my father's influence. Two of those instructors Murray Labman and Edwin Johanet were actual members of the National Symphony Orchestra. I studied with Jon Chatelin and John England in college. Jon Chatelin is a member of a smaller more local orchestra and John England played either for the major Boston or New York Symphonies. Other than that I encourage scales and etudes just as much as I do major concerto's so you can train your fingers, bow and intonation. If you select me as a teacher I look forward to hearing from you soon. With friendship, Brent.