Michael D. Fizzell

As early as elementary school, my teachers recognized my musical talent and my ability to teach. I was given opportunity to lead class rehearsals and I started teaching lessons to individuals when I was 16. I have over 40 years of experience teaching students of all ages in public and private schools, the homeschool community, and in a private studio setting. I teach all levels from beginning to advanced, ages 10 - adult, with special consideration for students under age 10 on a case-by-case basis. I am both encouraging and methodical, able to build student confidence and provide the structure necessary to make satisfying improvement on the instrument. I use various combinations of scales, etudes, concentrated technical exercises, classical repertoire, and some things just for fun like fiddle tunes and movie theme music. Some areas of specialty include helping school students to overcome bad habits, starting adults, helping those returning to the instrument after leaving it for a period of time, and addressing the needs of those from the Christian faith-based community. I have taught students who have gone on to win scholarships and study music at the university level. I have also guided students who have gone into other professional areas and retained their music for enjoyment. Music inspires me and I am enthusiastic about imparting skills and confidence to others.

In college, I taught in the University of Texas String Project and learned techniques of pedagogy under Phyllis Young. She was particularly inspired and enthusiastic as a teacher, taking personal interest in each student whose teaching skills she worked at developing. She was never intimidating, always encouraging, and advocated the highest standards in teaching. Since then, I have developed the philosophy that students must be given every opportunity to enjoy learning to play their respective instrument, and being encouraged by their teacher is paramount in this. In addition to encouragement, students must be taught structure so they can noticeably progress. It is always more fun to play better! I look for those things that may provide barriers to student progress and work to remove them. I am aware that teaching a student to play the violin involves skills that may be transferred to all other areas of life, so the stories and illustrations I give to help understanding of aspects of violin playing have this in mind. I am not just developing a violin player; I am helping to develop a human being. The student should not think that violin playing is just some isolated interest, but that it contributes richness to the human community. Students should grow, not only in their skill and their love and enjoyment of the craft, but in their understanding of what they may contribute to others through it and through the character they develop while gaining the skills. This is my philosophy in developing young students. Adults have already taken their place in the human community, and I work to help them make violin playing what they wish for it to be in their lives, whether a private endeavor, or a public one.