As a teacher, my goal is to help each student discover their own unique and authentic musical voice. I hope to foster the curiosity, creativity, and inventiveness that will allow my students to become leaders and innovators in the field of music and beyond.
I currently offer private lessons for all ages at my home in Riverdale, MD and at-home lessons in the Maryland/DC area. Virtual lessons are also available. My current lesson offerings include:
Violin lessons
Piano lessons
Guitar lessons
Music Theory
Ear Training
Composition and Improvisation
Songwriting
Feel free to reach out with any questions.
I look forward to working with you!
Chris
Testimonials
"My child just started working with Chris, and I find him to be enthusiastic, positive and fun in addition to teaching violin technique in a clear and organized way. He is a professional musician who offers both high quality training and inspiration." - Catherine M. (Berkeley, CA)
“I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our coachings with you this past semester. Your advice was very practical, but you managed to carefully construct it around concepts that we can take with us throughout our chamber music "careers" (hopefully...). What's more is that we had a blast!” - Matthew Musachio, undergraduate student (College Park, MD)
Educational Projects
Below you’ll find a variety of original educational content and teaching materials.
Creepy Carrots (2021)
In 2021, the Thalea String Quartet was invited to create a musical adaptation of Aaron Reynolds’s Caldecott Award-winning book Creepy Carrots. The show was premiered as part of TSQ’s 2021 Ann Divine Educator Award residency in South Bend, IN. This trailer was used to promote the production prior to our residency activities.
Bringing Music to Life! (2021)
Bringing Music to Life! was created in collaboration with Chamber Music Tulsa and the Any Given Child program. This series of videos was shared with every fourth grader in Tulsa, OK in the spring of 2021. This virtual series specifically focuses on works by Black composers. I wrote and directed this series in collaboration with my colleagues in the Thalea String Quartet.
Zero to Jazz! (2020)
Interested in improvisation but not sure where to start? Zero to Jazz will get you from "zero to jazz" in just five steps! This video was created as a final project for the University of Maryland doctoral pedagogy seminar.
Hello Haydn! (2020)
Hello Haydn! was created by the Thalea String Quartet as part of a virtual educational residency presented by the Caramoor Center for Music and Arts. I wrote and edited this series in collaboration with my colleagues in the Thalea String Quartet.
CHAMPS Virtual Chamber Music Seminar (2020-2021)
The CHAMPS Virtual Chamber Music Seminar was launched in the fall of 2020. Over the course of eight weeks, the Thalea String Quartet examines two masterpieces of string quartet repertoire, while introducing a group of middle and high school string students to essential chamber music skills. I coordinated this class in partnership with CHAMPS and my colleagues in the Thalea String Quartet.