Turning Students into Artists
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I believe helping students think for themselves and listen critically to every aspect of their playing, improves their performance in ways that didactic methods cannot achieve.
My decades of experience refining my craft and passing on my knowledge turns students into professional artists.
Private Lessons
Lessons are customized to your learning abilities and goals.
Together, we'll identify your strengths and weaknesses and build a strong foundation that will help bring out your unique voice as a musician.
45 MINUTES
Treyford Mercer
Mr. Kumi is an amazing teacher who is always there to help bring out the best in his students. He helped inspire me . . . and helped me realize my love for music. I highly recommend Mr. Kumi for any aspiring violinist!
Emmaline Mercer
When I first started learning from Mr Kumi, I couldn’t even read music. He made learning the violin exciting and rewarding. Mr. Kumi is always patient and has inspired me to truly want to become a better musician. It is such a joy to be able to pick up my violin and play music.
My Teaching Philosophy
I TURN VIOLIN STUDENTS INTO ARTISTS
I am a passionate educator motivated by the desire to help students tell the story behind
the music they perform. Music is a spiritual language that has the power to touch the
heart of men. Music can help us make sense of our emotions and can help us as a
society to put our emotions into words, or understand things with our hearts when we
can’t with our minds.
As a teacher, I help students learn how to convey the musical story by equipping them with the technical mastery that will allow them to fully express themselves on the violin.
As a performer, I bring fresh perspective into my teaching by using lessons I have learned through the many years I have spent on stage. I firmly believe a good teacher should be a good performer. I have spent decades working hard on refining my craft as a violinist and passing that knowledge unto my students.
My teaching philosophy is based on the upheld knowledge of the masters of the craft of
teaching violin, which believe that engaging students and helping them think for
themselves and listen critically to every aspect of their playing, improves their
performance in ways that didactic methods cannot achieve.
I am passionate about using music as a source of healing and inspiring joy of playing in my students. I was trained and influenced by the traditions of Ivan Galamian, Dorothy DeLay, Yehudi Menuhin and Paul Rolland, which taught me to listen and follow the sound of my violin and work like a craftsman to polish it from within my own person before it reaches the audience.
I help students to find their musical voice by shaping their sound. I think of sound as a work of art that has the ability to inspire the listener. Likewise, a great sound makes one unforgettable in the ears of the audience and enables them to capture and express the full emotional range of the music.
In my career as educator, I have worked with students of all ages and levels. My students have been accepted at prestigious universities and conservatories, including Indiana University, New England Conservatory, and Cleveland Institute. They include prizewinners of international competitions, chamber musicians, and members of some of the most prestigious orchestras in the United States.
If you study with me you will learn more than just playing the violin. You will learn how to appreciate the beauty of music and enjoy the journey toward becoming an artist.