Evergreen Conservatory is a proud member of the Suzuki International and Colorado Chapter of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Colorado ASTA is a vibrant community of string and orchestra educators, including private instructors, public school teachers, university professors, college music majors, and professional performers, dedicated to advancing excellence in string education.
Our string program is aligned with ASTA’s mission and curriculum, which emphasize the highest artistic and pedagogical standards in teaching string instruments across all educational levels—from foundational training through Level 10.
The Suzuki repertoire is included in the ASTA curriculum, and ASTA shares its annual conference with the Suzuki Association due to their overlapping goals. At Evergreen Conservatory, string faculty are either certified in the Suzuki method or have studied the Mimi Zweig String Pedagogy. Mimi Zweig, professor and director of the string program at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, has developed an award-winning approach to teaching string fundamentals based on the Suzuki method. Her pedagogy has helped shape internationally renowned violinists, including Joshua Bell. String teachers at Evergreen Conservatory proudly incorporate her proven and time-tested method into their teaching.
Students at Evergreen Conservatory have the opportunity to participate in ASTA’s Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP). Through recorded or in-person evaluations, students receive expert feedback from respected adjudicators. This process offers external validation of their progress and ensures a comprehensive, well-rounded music education. Students who engage in ASTACAP consistently demonstrate exceptional growth and achievement.
Our string faculty also benefit from ongoing professional development and collaboration with colleagues through our affiliation with ASTA, ensuring that our teaching remains innovative, inspired, and grounded in best practices.
Beginner lessons focus on proper technique, arm position, and form to set good posture habits from the start. Lessons progress to include double stops, hand articulation, shifting, trills, and vibrato.
Our string teachers incorporate a variety of string pedagogy methods including Paul Rolland and Suzuki methods.
Weekly lessons include: ear training, note reading, scales, etudes/technique, repertoire, recital/performance preparation.
Students receive positive encouragement during weekly lessons and custom practice assignments to build skills between lessons at home. When all the hard work pays off, there’s no better feeling.
We are a certified Suzuki School offering engaging early childhood music education!
In our Suzuki Method, all students follow a common path of learning through various forms of instruction. The early childhood private lessons focus mainly on instruction through motions and playing, while private lessons for students 6+ incorporate more verbal instruction alongside these elements. Every student begins with the same repertoire, starting in Suzuki Cello Book 1, and progresses at their own pace. Parents are required to attend the lessons and will be encouraged to take notes to support practice at home.
Why choose the Suzuki Method? Developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, this method believes that musical ability can be nurtured in every child. It emphasizes a supportive environment, parental involvement, listening, and repetition. Dr. Suzuki discovered that learning music could mirror the process of acquiring one's native language—through natural learning. Students learn to play before they learn to read, just as they do when speaking. This approach underscores the importance of producing a good sound in a balanced and natural manner.
Involvement from parents during lessons is essential in the Suzuki Method. Before this approach, students would attend lessons alone, leading to unclear and unproductive home practice. Parental involvement equips parents with a basic understanding and notes to aid in home practice, resulting in significant improvements in students' playing.
Dr. Suzuki’s method has empowered children to achieve a higher standard of music performance. However, his ultimate goal was not merely to create professional players; instead, he aimed to develop fine human beings. In Dr. Suzuki’s words, he aspired to help children become 'happy people of superior ability,' believing that every child is born with this potential (International Suzuki Association).
Upright Bass
We use F. Rabbath’s Progressive Repertoire for the Double Bass. The student will be taught how to hold the instrument correctly, how to hold the bow, different styles of pizzicato, different names for the parts of the instrument, how to tune, how to produce a good tone, and much more. We incorporate improvisational, music theory and basics of music harmony.
Electric Bass
We use Roger Filiberto‘s Electric Bass Method
The most widely-used introductory bass method available! Both Volumes I and II present a standard notation approach to reading solo and arpeggio studies for four string bass. Included in Volume I are the rudiments of playing, plus handy charts of arpeggios featuring major, minor, augmented, diminished, and seventh chords, plus upper harmonic extensions.
Volume II continues with studies, scales, walking bass patterns, and more. Presents note reading, solo playing, and chord arpeggio studies. Included are handy charts of arpeggios featuring major, minor, augmented, diminished, seventh chords, and even upper harmonic extensions.
Applicable to any style of music, this method has gained acceptance as the foundational text for electric bass study world-wide.
We partner with Luther String for all rental and repair needs.
Luther Strings (LutherStrings.com) is your first and last stop for everything violin, viola, cello, and bass.
2902 Evergreen pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439, US
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