Valerie: Greenwich tutor

Certified Tutor

I began my love for music at a young age, when my mother enrolled me in violin lessons. The search for a voice that fit my inner music was long, but worthy. I dabbled in other string and woodwind instruments throughout my adolescence, but settled on the bassoon upon beginning high school. I taught myself how to play the bassoon initially, but thrived under the direction of Valentin Martchev at San Diego State University, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Bassoon Performance. I am currently in my final year of my master's degree at Boston University, studying with Valentin's former teacher, Nancy Goeres. I am comfortable teaching all age ranges and beginner to intermediate experience levels, and have had significant experience doing so throughout the years with high schoolers, colleagues in college, and most recently grade schoolers. Though my passion is bassoon pedagogy, I am also fascinated by music theory, and have taken several extra years of it throughout my education. I offer a sensitive but motivated approach, and emphasize quality instruction and rehearsal over quantity. I look forward to connecting with new students, whether they be bassoonists or theorists!