Teaching Philosophy
I am a dedicated, conscientious, and experienced teacher, and I bring a high level of energy to every class I teach. I strive to make my teaching studio a safe space for all of my students. My studio is a musical laboratory that allows students to express their musical ideas freely and to develop their artistry, while sharing with them tools to help convey their love of music to others.
I believe that it is crucial to connect with each student, whether they are a beginner who just started playing their instrument, or an advanced student who has been studying for over a decade. One method of teaching will not work for each student, and I constantly fine-tune my approach, tailoring it for each individual. I teach all of my students with an artist model in mind, where I envision what each student might be capable of when they reach their fullest potential. I do not teach with the expectation that all of my students will become professional musicians or music teachers, although many of my students are pursuing that path, but I do teach as though they could, once they share the passion and effort required to do so.
It is crucial that I give my students a solid foundation as a violist or violinist to ground them as they prepare for their musical careers. For college students, regardless of their major— this foundation is imperative whether they are preparing for a career in music education, performance, music therapy, film scoring, arts administration, an academic track or even a non-musical career. For my pre-college students, fostering detail-oriented work, focus, and intellectual curiosity for discovery is necessary regardless of what their long term goals are. It is our responsibility to give our students the skills that they need to have confidence in themselves, to become the next generation of leaders in our society, and to find their unique locus in the world.
Since I returned to the New York metropolitan area almost 15 years ago, I have worked with hundreds of students in various capacities and backgrounds. My students have included private students as young as five and those well into their sixties, with a majority of students in between. Most of my classes and my private teaching studio have been diverse, and have been geared toward welcoming students of all races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds.
I actively work to program diverse repertoires in all my performances— whether I am performing as a soloist, chamber musician, or as an orchestral director. I try to program female and LGBTQIA+ composers, as well as BIPOC and AAPI composers whenever possible, and encourage my students to explore composers outside the perceived classical canon. I make sure to teach my students works by underrepresented composers at all levels, not only to help enlighten my students but also their audiences.
The work that is accomplished with our students has a profound impact on their future. Several of my students have been near the top of their class, while others struggle to get by and endure personal challenges. For some of these students, their weekly lessons are one of the few stable parts of their lives. For some students, private lessons have been a source of continuity, at a time when so much is out of the ordinary. At other times, our lessons serve as a way to foster life skills, including learning how to grapple with jealousy, humility, or gratitude. It is imperative for me to meet the students where they are each week, and to help them find their own inspiration to explore their studies in depth.
Gregory K. Williams 