Stringschool

Totally worth it.

I first encounter string school about two years ago by researching violin lessons and classes online. I had already had a few months of lessons with a private teacher so I wasn’t sure what level I should signed up for. I emailed Ed and based on my description he placed me on 1b, which I was a great fit for my ability at the time. I was unable to continue with the classes then and it wasn’t until this year that i was able to picked up the classes again and have been with him for the past 8 months. during this time I have learned and much more than the first year with a private instructor. Ed’s classes have a structure that is easy to follow. He is very patient and even if he seems shy and quiet he actually has a great sense of humor that make the classes fun and very enjoyable. The classes are small enough that there’s a lot of individual attention. He is always open to questions and addresses whatever issues you are having. I highly recommend his school to anyone who loves and wants to play violin.

My desire to pursue violin lessons came in a rather sudden urge. It was during Hurricane Sandy when the city was under lockdown. When I say lockdown, it means the trains stopped running, hence we were stuck at home. After suffering for cabin fever for, about 2 days, I remembered a distant desire to learn violin when I was a child. Never did get to learn it (lack of parental support, unfortunately).
So, the after effects of cabin fever was to find a tutor who teaches beginner adult violin. I googled something along the lines of violin + beginner + adult and found Ed’s website at the very top of the page. I checked out his website which truthfully, isn’t the best website out there but it has all the information I needed. It has detailed description of the areas of practice, a little FAQ, what you’ll need, rental/​purchase info, prices and dates of classes. Ed offers 2 types of lessons: group lessons — less pressure and you feel better because your friends are equally terrible and private lessons — one to one, more focused on technique etc. The group lessons come with one private lesson, a bonus!
Two years later, presently, I am still taking Ed’s classes. We have progressed from Suzuki book 1 to book 3, all with the help of Ed. I know some students there who either had prior violin exposure, or is learning something else (fiddle etc). I’ve only had Ed as my tutor and thanks to him, I can achieve my childhood dream of playing the violin.
Ed, as a tutor is very patient, kind and encouraging. He works well with adults which I know can be very different from teaching children. He understands we are all working adults with busy schedules. As a group, he makes sure the timing for each new level is suitable for all of us. The timing on the private lesson he offers can be tricky as they run either before the group lessons or after, meaning before 6pm or after 9pm. With my busy work schedule, I’ve always had trouble finding a suitable time for a private lesson with Ed, but he is very willing to work with me on scheduling. You will find Ed cracking jokes in class, whether it’s violin jokes or regular jokes. He also plays the violin very, very well (DOH!) I rather like his style and approach on the Suzuki pieces compared to other players on YouTube whose style strictly follows the book. He hold recitals 2 – 3 times a year where advanced students can perform solo and the group perform the Suzuki pieces from the highest book to the lowest, ending with the classic Twinkle.

I have been attending Stringschool since the spring of 2011. I thought it would be fun to learn so I could someday perform at the Renaissance Faire I work for. I had no prior violin experience, so I didn’t know what to expect. The group lessons are great, and Ed is very patient and knowledgeable. While I am still a few years away from being able to wow an audience solo, I can now play simple medieval tunes on my violin and will be playing with a group called Danse Macabre later this season. Just make sure your expectations are realistic — violin can take many years to learn and you need to schedule adequate time to practice. Happy playing!

I am in the Adult Advanced Violin group for about 3 months now, and am still currently enrolled. I am picking up my violin again after about a 10 – 15 years without an orchestra or lessons, and figured StringSchool’s group classes was a good place to brush up on material I’ve learned previously.
Ed is super nice, funny and a caring teacher. Always can joke around with him and we always have a laugh in class. He was really accommodating to me when I first joined — I missed the first 3 classes of the semester I joined and instead of paying for the whole semester — we divided the amount and paid for only the classes I attended. With each semester, each student also gets one private lesson. :) I plan on continuing classes, and would recommend others to join up too if you’re interested in learning!

Three years ago, my interest in the violin led me to the StringSchool. Being an adult beginner with no prior violin experience, I was quite apprehensive and doubtful that I would be a capable player. However, Ed showed me that it’s never too late to pick up the instrument that you love! He keeps his class sizes relatively small in order to adequately teach the basics of violin. In addition, he includes a private lesson for each session in which you receive personalized instruction on any aspect of violin that you choose.
What makes Ed so invaluable is his expertise and zeal for violin music. He is an amazing player himself, so you can be fully confident that he is capable of producing great music. He is also very patient and understanding of busy schedules; thus, he does not get indignant when you haven’t had time to practice due to work, kids, or other facets of daily life. Ed always injects a dose of humor within his classes, so class is always lively and full of laughs despite the sometimes rigorous violin lesson.
Now, I’ve gained much more confidence as a fiddler and I love to play as much as I can. I continue going to Ed’s classes and will only cease when I physically leave NYC. I’m so glad that I joined the StringSchool and I honestly believe that it was one of the best decisions that I ever made. If you’re looking to pick up the violin, regardless of age, you should definitely see Ed! He will truly revolutionize the way you see a violin.

When I found Stringschool on-​line it seemed like just what I was looking for. As instructed on the website I emailed the director Ed. My email stated that I had studied violin for many years in my youth so I did not want to start at the basic beginner level. He replied that the best way to begin was to schedule an evaluation with him. I was to consult the on-​line schedule, pick an open lesson time, and email him with the time and date and that he would respond via email as confirmation. Well, I did that and did not receive any confirmation. Days went by and I contacted him again. He said, once again, to check the on-​line schedule, chose a time, and email him with my request. I emailed him with my preference of three different time slots. This time he responded quickly confirming the first-​choice time for my evaluation. I «double confirmed» by looking at the on-​line schedule and saw that my name had been put on the desired appointment. On the morning of our meeting he emailed me asking if he could reschedule for the following day. I had already re-​arranged my work responsibilities to be there that day. I replied saying that I was not able to reschedule for another day but was willing to come in earlier or later if that worked better for him. He never responded back to me so I assumed that my designated time was still confirmed. As I left work I sent him a text saying that I was on my way. He texted back saying that he was not available and that I could choose another time later in the week. He did apologize saying that he had errands to run. I guess picking up his dry cleaning or groceries is more important than keeping an appointment. Needless to say his business skills are less than professional and his communication skills are worse. What made it even worse was when I expressed my irritation over his canceling at the last minute he tried to justify it saying that he «did send me an email this morning.» My response was that his email ASKED if I could reschedule. It did not say that HE HAD TO reschedule. As far as I can discern I did nothing wrong other than to assume that when the director of this school sets up an appointment with a potential student that he would at least be interested in generating future clients.
He will not be getting my business. NYC has many talented music teachers and I am looking forward to studying with one who appreciates my money and my efforts.

Just finished the Adult Beginner’s group class, and I couldn’t be happier. Ed is a very patient, thorough and kind teacher, and this made the entire experience very enjoyable. The groups are small enough to receive proper attention and yet playing with others makes a huge difference in confidence when just starting an otherwise intimidating instrument. I immediately signed up for the next level of classes — couldn’t recommend them more for anyone wanting to learn violin.

I’ve been going to Ed’s class for about 3 months now. I played for a few years when I was younger in middle school and a little in high school (about 10 – 15 years ago!!) and so wanted to pick it up again without the pressure to practice daily (which i’d feel like i would have to do if I paid for full private lessons). The class is very fun and Ed’s very patient with the newer players. He never singles anyone out and you can tell really enjoys teaching. I just signed up to for another 2 month session this summer and look forward to playing every week.

I’ve be in Ed’s group classes for six months now and even though I don’t always feel like I have the time (or courage! neighbors are EVERYwhere) to practice, here I am six months later, reading music and knowing where the notes are more or less supposed to be and looking more or less how a proper violin player should look (I practice in front of a mirror because violins make people sexy. Confidence!) That, to me, is a wonderful thing, and I doubt I would have got so far with just any teacher.
(Note: It is fair to say that just walking around with a violin case is an unequivocal Good Thing for a single lady. Bouncers, dudes in elevators, rabbis… everyone’s like, «Vat’s in da case??» and I’m like, «Guns.» Okay, so I suck at romance. And getting into clubs. And Judaism. LE SIGH.)
Sex aside, here are the reasons to go (and keep going!) to Ed’s StringSchool:
1) You’re in a group but you get a private lesson with each go-​around, so you don’t feel self-​conscious and you get to make friends, but you definitely get the individual attention you need to improve.
2) It’s a great deal per class (for Manhattan anyway… and it’s also cheaper than the Brooklyn Music School for sure), and the cost of the violin rental can’t be beat.
3) MOST of the class will, like you, have trouble making time to practice (we WORK for godsakes), which means you won’t feel so bad about yourself when you don’t practice, and you won’t feel so much like quitting. And the amazing thing is, even if you only practice once a week at class, YOU’RE STILL LEARNING TO PLAY THE VIOLIN. Ergo: you’re sightreading, note-​learning, looking-​like-​a-​sex-​machine.
4) Ed is just a really sweet funny guy. He’s a big ol’ violin nerd from Portland with a bizarre, wry sense of humor that always makes me laugh. And he’s never mean to you because you squeak badly or haven’t practiced or you’re desperately off-​key. He never loses heart or puts on airs. He’s just a friendly goofy guy who really deeply knows his stuff, and loves his stuff. And he cares most of all about making sure you keep learning.
I’m really happy I found String School. It’s always the highlight of my week and it gives me something to be proud of, even if I’m still very very squeaky. I hope if you’ve been putting off your dream of learning the violin, you’ll quit that right now and give group classes a shot. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Expect to learn.

I took a violin class here, for beginners. There were not that many students in my class so I felt I could ask a lot of things to the teacher. He’s very nice and patient. At the end we had a recital, it was fun. I learn the basics and I am thinking to go on taking classes here.