Book Professional Development!

My passion is helping string teachers succeed.

Why book me?

1.

If you lack string teacher resources or expertise in your district I can help you virtually or in-person.

2.

Your teachers will come away with a wealth of practical ideas that they can immediately put to use in the classroom.

3.

My hands-on and easy-to-understand content is very friendly for non-string players teaching strings.

PD to help solve students’ string-playing problems.

My clinics will introduce teachers to many new and simple ideas that will help solve many of the challenges they encounter in the classroom. It will make teaching string technique faster and more effective.

Teachers will be able to apply what they learn the next day and see immediate results in their students.

I am happy to present any of my popular topics below, or work with you to provide a clinic that is customized to your teachers’ needs.

Book me now for your next virtual or in-person professional development session or conference!

All my clinics are hands-on, practical, and fun!

Feedback From Participants & Event Organizers!

Invaluable masterclasses!

Grace comes from a perspective of a caring teacher teaching teachers. I have learned many new strategies. Her innovative ways of explaining old techniques in a new way has really helped me and my students. You will not be disappointed!
D. G.
Band Teacher, U.S.

Totally amazing!

Every time I watch you I learn something new and I find it totally amazing. I wish I had had access to this kind of information when I first started teaching strings 40 years ago.
Lorri Wittenkeller
Michigan, US

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Grace’s clinic was a wonderful experience. Even in a virtual environment Grace was able to present in a clear and accessible manner. Her pedagogical ideas are not only easy for string teachers to understand but are also easy for students to pick up and use immediately.
Nathan Jacklin
Strings Clinic Coordinator, BCMEA

Easy to grasp concepts.

Thank you very much for your finger pattern workshop to our third year music education students. Your approach is very logical and efficient; the students caught on very quickly and your systematic method is easy to grasp for teaching intermediate and high school students, and younger students as well. We enjoyed your visit very much.
Jeff Reynolds
Instructor, Faculty of Music, U of Toronto

Non-string player friendly.

Loved the way the techniques were broken down and explained for us non-string teachers!
Michelle Hartley
Vancouver, BC

Practical solutions.

Fantastic instruction making some difficult positioning problems very accessible to fix.
Michelle Dyler
Music Director, Monterey Middle School

Easy-to implement!

Grace had a lot of easy to implement ideas! The online interactive format was very helpful. I’m sure I will be able to apply my new knowledge once school reopens to improve my student’s playing positions.
Karen McKenna
New York

Hands-on!

I loved all the detail and the hands-on activities.
Jennifer Fisher

Clear & concise.

Clear, concise, and applicable practical knowledge. Grace was clear on her explanations. Also her pictures & diagrams will be very helpful teaching tools in the classroom.
Annabelle Ip
Point Grey Secondary

New strategies.

I now have the proper vocabulary and techniques to demonstrate what I want from the students. I feel much more comfortable and am eager to put into practice what I have learned.
Mahendra Morales
Freeport, NY

Popular Clinic Topics

Don’t have a step-by-step method for introducing bow hold and left hand that works quickly, consistently and successfully?

Spend every fall ever-so-slowly setting up your students to play properly?

Worry as your students wait in boredom for their turn as you are fixing too many hands and then… the bell rings?

Learn my quick and easy way to get beginners off to the right start and prevent common problems.  You don’t need an instrument.  You don’t need to know how to play.  Just bring a nice long pencil and come and have some fun!

Did you know that:

  • Wrist problems aren’t really wrist problems?
  • Elbow problems aren’t really elbow problems? And guess what?
  • Incorrectly bent thumbs can’t be fixed by simply bending the thumb the other way.

There is more to fixing string technique than meets the eye.  If you didn’t know any of the above, you are probably trying to solve technique problems with games and methods that don’t work. 

If you find yourself unsuccessfully trying to fix the same problems over and over again, you are probably not addressing the source of the problem.  I will show you what to look for so you can easily solve the 12 most common string-playing problems.

Bring your pencil or a violin and come learn the solutions that every string teacher should know!

Are you struggling with playing a secondary instrument? Are there aspects of string technique that challenge you? Perhaps you are a non-strings major teaching strings? Bring your instrument and I will do some hands-on troubleshooting, as well as answer all your questions!

Are you frustrated with giving constant reminders to play high 2 and low 2?

Struggling with intonation problems because students can’t remember where to put their fingers?

Are you looking for a better way to teach fingering that saves time and effort?

The practice of using high and low terminology has been around for a long time.  But many teachers find that it doesn’t really work that well.

Bring a secondary instrument and I will show you how using my six finger patterns every string student should know will simplify and transform how you teach fingering!

There are so many things the bow can do, which means that there are so many different aspects of bowing to teach and be aware of.

For example, where in the bow should I play?  How much bow should I use?  How much pressure?  How fast or slow?  Up-bow or down-bow?

If you aren’t a string player, it can be overwhelming.  If you are a string player, it can be overwhelming.

Bring your instrument and I will show you everything that you need to know to teach string students the bowing basics and beyond!

You might not realize it, but most of us do and say things in our music classes that could actually be reinforcing poor practicing habits.

How your students practice is key to their success on an instrument, especially a stringed instrument!  And ultimately, it influences the success of your entire program.

Come learn about the many misconceptions your students may have about practicing, and how their brain keeps them from doing what it is they want.  Then discover some ‘magic’ practicing tips that you can easily implement in your classroom.

Transform practicing from a chore into an activity that is rewarding and fulfilling for your students!

Book me for your next PD now.

Your teachers will thank you for it!

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