Stephanie Chen's Cello Studio
Teaching Method:
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My teaching style is uniquely tailored to each student because everyone has a different way of learning and musical growth. I structure my lessons to match my students’ personality, learning style, as well as emphasizing on solid technical foundation using the Suzuki Method.​
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I believe that a fun and educational environment can foster a special relationship between the student and their instrument, thus allowing students to find joy in learning! The most important aspect of a one-on-one lesson is the teacher and student relationship and I believe in encouragement and positivity in my teaching studio. My students have gained great success in Junior & Senior Districts, school orchestra evaluations, New England Conservatory's Preparatory School, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, among others. Private lessons in Manteca, CA, or via Zoom.
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Lessons may be taught in both English or Mandarin Chinese in Moutain House or Manteca, California.
Steps to Getting Started:
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Read through The Suzuki Method (below)
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Review my Studio Policies
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Schedule a brief phone call
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Schedule an in-person or online observation
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What does a typical cello lesson look like?
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Scale/ Arpeggio/ Warm-ups
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Technical Exercises/ Etude (Vibrato/Shifting/Thumb Position)
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Solo Piece (and/or additional district pieces)
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Review
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Recap of the lesson by writing in your notebook or filling out a mutual google doc/ notebook on what to focus on for the week.
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Lessons:
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30 Mins= Pre-Twinkle - Book 1
45 Mins= Book 2- 3
60 Mins= Book 4 +
Adult learners can begin with 45-minute lessons.
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MOUNTAIN HOUSE LOCATION: TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY ​MANTECA LOCATION: MONDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAY
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​What is the Suzuki Method?
The Suzuki Method was conceived by Japanese violinist, Shinichi Suzuki in the mid-20th century. Suzuki believed that Every Child Can, if properly taught, is capable of high musical achievement. Our goal is to create a positive environment, emphasize positive reinforcement, and nurture with love (and laughter). ​​
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Suzuki Philosophy:
Parent Involvement
Think of it as a Triangle — parent, child, and teacher. The teacher is just there once a week, so as parents it’s essential to make sure you are supervising your child to practice his/her instrument every day and take notes during the lessons.
​Starting Young
​Starting children at a young age (between ages 3-5) BUT it is never too late to start a musical instrument!
Mother Tongue Method
The Suzuki method is all about following the mother tongue method— which means listening first, reading later, and creating an environment for learning music that is similar to learning your native language.
Listening
Listening to Suzuki recording at home is essential, even if it's just in the background.
Group Class
Group Classes are also important to the Suzuki method because the common repertoire helps students to participate together and fostering a local community.
TESTIMONIALS
"Stephanie is a fantastic teacher and has already helped me so much with the cello. She uses every minute of our lesson time well. She is very patient, kind and understanding. She was also very aware of an arm injury, and gave me a lot of feedback on how to fix it, and how to adjust my playing so that my progress wasn't slowed. I love how many different approaches she has to all aspects of the cello. She's fantastic, highly recommend!"
- Kimberly, Adult Student
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"Stephanie is an amazing Cello teacher. She teaches me in a fun way! I enjoy every lesson! She is my first cello teacher and I think she will be my last cello teacher, too."
- Joy, Age 9
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"Stephanie Chen is a very patient and capable cello instructor. I am 66 and she has been a wonderful inspiration with her teaching style. Every lesson seems to be just what I need at the time.”
- David, Adult Student, Age 66
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I started weekly lessons with Stephanie in August 2019. She is the quintessential teacher. She cares about her students’ success. She instills good habits and technique from day one. She caters to her students’ needs and interests through a variety of learning material and exercises. In less than a year, I’ve learned scales, solfeggio, and repertoire. I highly recommend any student at any age looking for a high quality teacher to check out Stephanie’s studio.
- Cynthia, Adult Student
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"Stephanie is kind and patient with all her students. She is creative with her teaching styles and her passion for cello inspires me to be the best player I can be!”
- Sherry, Age 17
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"Stephanie is an amazing cello teacher. Her teaching style is the best I've seen and her lessons are always enjoyable."
- Tianna, Age 17
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