Sophie + Penelope

Mr. Michael was our girls' first violin teacher and helped them to discover the joys of playing violin from the very first days of pre-twinkle through Suzuki Book 4.  He was always patient, kind and encouraging and made learning violin fun, without being overly strict or critical.  He would always try to incorporate elements of technique and theory in addition to their current pieces.  He taught them elements of performance as well to prepare them for recitals.  And during the covid pandemic, he was flexible and allowed for online lessons so that they could still progress.  My daughters always looked forward to their lessons and were also excited to practice their violin as well.  I would highly recommend him as a teacher.

The Music Settlement Chamber Connect

I wanted to share some glowing feedback about this past week’s chamber camp. Our daughter Ellie had such a wonderful week - learning so much, playing together with her peers, developing some confidence and friendships. Michael was such a wonderful teacher for them. It’s one thing to be a great musician but another thing entirely to be able to teach and guide a group for an entire week! Ellie really enjoyed all the extras like Klask and hide and go seek - and especially the time bonding with fellow music-lovers and kindred spirits. Oh, and their playing was lovely!

I can’t think of anything that gives me more hope for our world than seeing a diverse group of young people come together to make music.

Great job, TMS and Michael! We didn’t know what to expect of this week but it was a beautiful experience.