Yulia
Berry teaches
private flute and recorder lessons in Boston, MA,
South Shore area, particularly in Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Canton
and Stoughton. She also goes to Wellsley, Needham Heights and Back Bay
in Boston. Other areas could be available. She
is currently accepting new students.
The
lessons are available at the student's home.
Since
1991, Yulia Berry has been a passionate and dedicated teacher,
encouraging
students to do more than just play the notes on the page. Her former
students have been award winners at music competitions.
Yulia
Berry offers private flute instruction to only the most committed
students in the South Shore of Massachusetts area, however coaching is
also available.
Flute
lessons will be flexible, catering to each student’s
needs.
Students must be prepared to work hard and to put into practice the
four major elements of good musicianship: intelligence, integrity,
elegance and emotion.
Additional Information
Payments
Payments are due after every lesson. I accept checks and cash. Also, you can pay for a few lessons in advance.
Consultation
A free 15 minute consultation is required to determine if the match between
student and teacher is appropriate.
First
Lesson
The first lesson will give us a chance to get to know each other. It
will allow me to assess your current skill level, strengths and any
areas that need work. It will also give you a chance to ask questions.
If you have had previous lessons, bring all your books and a prepared
piece to play for me. We will discuss what goals or plans you have in
mind and I may recommend some books/music for you to purchase based on
your skill
level.
Lesson
length may vary depending on student goals/needs. I offer 45 minute lessons to beginners, and 60 minute lessons are
recommended for accelerated learning or for advanced or adult students.
Preparation
For The Lessons
Home
practice is critical to students’ progress.
Lesson preparation should receive as much priority as homework for any
other class. A minimum of thirty minutes a day, six days a
week is generally necessary for beginning-intermediate level
students. A minimum of sixty minutes daily practice is
recommended for intermediate-advanced level students. We will discuss
proper practice techniques and have a clear outline of what the student
needs to focus on.
Students
who consistently refuse to practice or make an effort to
practice week after week may be dropped.
As
students progress, they will periodically be asked to purchase new
music and method books.
Referrals
While my schedule is quite full, I welcome new students. If you refer a
new student to me, make sure he/she mentions
your name and you will receive one free lesson.
Missed
Lessons
Please, contact me at least 24 hours before the lesson.
I also
ask you to please reschedule the
lesson if your child is ill.
Philosophy
The
dedication, enthusiasm, and experience I
bring as a flute teacher allow my students to concentrate
on more than just playing an instrument. Nurturing
responsibility, encouraging patience and kindness, instilling musical
sensitivity, and developing mind and listening skills are some of the
special features of my teaching philosophy.
I focus
on developing strong
fundamental skills, like a diaphragm-based breathing, developing finger
technique, ear training, working on tune, rich tone and
vibrato. I have a lot of different exercises in my arsenal that will
help to build these skills and draw on a variety of methods, depending
on the individual
interests and needs of the student.
Parts of
solfeggio, ear training, world music literature,
music terminology and note literacy are included in the lessons.
Music
from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic,
Impressionistic and Contemporary Periods is incorporated into the
lesson.
Emphasizes
on the importance of
musicianship. Duets, two flute performances, instrumental ensembles are
often implemented in my teaching sessions.
The
other important parts of my lessons
include:
- injury prevention (prevention of pain, tension, fatigue)
- overcoming performance anxiety
Effective
practice strategies to maximize productivity:
-
aesthetic interpretation and musical organization
-
effective use of the musical body
-
guidance through the entire performance preparation process
-
performance feedback through audio and video analysis
Recitals
and Performances
I
expect students to seek out
performance opportunities, such as through church or school, and also
pursue competitions and auditions relevant to their age and skill
level.
I usually prepare a recital for every student's family around
Christmas/New Year time. The recital will be held at your place at
convenient time for you.
At the end of school year all students will participate in a big
recital which is usually held at different churches or concert halls.
All relatives and friends are welcome.
All recitals organized by me (at your place or at any church/concert
hall) are completely free for you. You will not be charged for tickets
and you do not need to pay for my time on that day. I believe that this
is my straight responsibility to show parents the results of my work
and you should not be charged for this.
Young
children
Children as young as five years old are welcome, but the choice to play
the flute should be their desire, not necessarily the
parents’ or he/she will find no motivation to work or pay
attention during lessons. They also should know alphabet and can
count.
At this
age, however, they are too small to
hold and play a regular flute. We will begin instruction on the soprano
recorder, learning musical concepts and developing skills that can
transfer over to the flute when they are big enough.
The
learning experience will be tailored to
the child’s age and grasp of new concepts.
A parent
is required to stay for the lesson
so that behavior can be controlled and so that the parent can see
what/how the child is learning and reinforce that at home. Please keep
in mind that a child this young is not likely to progress as obviously
as an older student on flute-specific skills. We will work a lot on
basic musical concepts while interjecting flute-specific skills at a
pace that won’t overwhelm the child. This will lay the
groundwork for easy transition to, and quick progression on, a regular
flute when the child is big enough.
I
understand that on occasion a young child
will be cranky or restless on any particular day and I will provide
various hands-on activities to redirect their focus, but there are no
refunds if a lesson has to be cut short because the child is no longer
focusing. If this continues regularly, we may need to reassess whether
the child is ready for lessons.
Beginner
Adult/Senior Students
Adult beginner students are always a joy to teach. Please be
considerate, however, If you schedule a time, please try to make it. If
you are no longer interested due to your busy schedule, let me know
ASAP so I can open up that spot for someone else.
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