For beginners I usually start with Suzuki books but I use other books too. I like them to listen to the pieces they are learning on CD' s or on youtube and learn to play along. I teach scales and some good exercises for technique too, depending on the student. they may vary slightly. When chamber music or group classes are possible that is great
I got my Bachelors degree in music performance at Boston University in 1981 I've been freelancing and teaching ever since I've had many students and some of them have pursued careers in music too. Others kept playing music in college even if they didn't major in music.
JACOB LITOFF (violinist/violist/cellist/conductor)
58 Union Street
Millis, MA 02054 (concealed information)
PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:
Violinist/Violist
ORCHESTRAS
Hillyer Festival Orchestra New Bedford Symphony Hanover Chamber Orchestra(NH) Reagle Players Charles River Sinfonietta Portsmouth Symphony
Bel Canto Opera Assabet Valley Mastersingers(principle 2nd vln)
Theatre Kapow Star Players of Bristol(concertmaster)
Opera Providence(concertmaster). Chaminade Opera Group--concertmaster Chaminade Oratorio Singers-1st chair
Pilgrim Church of Duxbury Choir Orchestra(concertmaster) Maine State Ballet Orch.
Fine Arts Chorale Springfield Symphony Orchestra Symphony by the Sea Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra Vermont Symphony
North Shore Philharmonic Cape Ann Symphony Cape Cod Symphony
Norton Singers—concertmaster & principle viola Lexington Sinfonietta Orchestra Virginia Opera Association
CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLES
Violin/piano duos Arlington Street Chamber Players
Lenox Chamber Players Plymouth String Quartet
Bound Brook Chamber Players JaganNath & Friends ensemble chamber players from Charles River Sinfonietta
VIOLIN/VIOLA/CELLO -TEACHER & CONDUCTOR
Medway Public Schools String Instructor 05-06
Conductor of Charles River Sinfonietta Youth Orchestra(CRYSO) ‘03-
(originally NYSO for Northborough Youth String Orchestra)
Bound Brook Music School--(also the Director/President) ‘93-
Boston Conservatory Extension Program ‘85-’93
Personnel Manager:
Charles River Sinfonietta 2002-
Jamaica Plain Symphony Orchestra 1993-96
North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra 1991-1992
EDUCATION:
Private Study With Suzuki 1990 Matzumoto, Japan
Suzuki Teacher’s Certificate 1988 at Haart School of Music
Bachelor of Music Degree 1981
Boston University School for the Arts
TEACHERS
Roman Totenberg, Kenneth Sarch, Mary Hess Arturo Delmoni, George Neikrug, Burton Kaplan
My daughter is 6 and has been learning violin with Jacob for exactly a year. She has made great progress. She's on Suzuki book 2 now. In addition to Suzuki, Jacob teaches her from other books too. We have one lesson every week. Jacob is always patient with my little one, which is not an easy thing to do. He teaches new techniques with each song, and just the right amount of music theory to help her learn. Only 2 months after we started, things became challenging with COVID and the lesson moved to Skype. I had to get more involved to keep my kid in front of the screen. Jacob is still patient, and would slow down and wait for us when the little one gets frustrated. He does not let the lesson quality get compromised by the challenges of remote learning. Every lesson he would make sure my kid understand his instructions and practices the new techniques. In the end he would tell me how to help her practice every day before the next lesson. We are grateful to have Jacob as our teacher. We would not have been able to continue the learning in the current situation if it wasn't for him. I highly recommend Jacob to other parents.
When I started to look for violin teacher, my friend recommended Jacob to me. Since then Jacob has been my daughter’s violin teacher for 4.5 years. He is passionate and very dedicated. He pays attention to both techniques and learning the music. Jacob is a very good teacher!
Jacob Litoff is a great teacher with personalized curriculum, easy going personality, caring heart, and sense of humor. I am confident that he can best employ this fund to assist his effort to teaching young generation how music can broaden their life interests and quality.
Jacob started teaching violin to my older daughter since 2016, when she was 6 and just wanted to try several music instruments before deciding which one to start. With a lot of smiles and great patience, he eased the nervousness of my daughter and her parents (who know nothing about violin!), and confirmed with my daughter, without any langue, that she can start this journey. Now my younger daughter learns violin with Jacob. Both of them like him so much! I refer my friends to him and some of them also invited him to teach their kids. I believe that this fact itself indicates much about him. Teacher kids music is not a job to him; it is a career to him. That is the only explanation that I can get to describe how good he is as a teacher, and how much he devotes into teaching.
Apparently Jacob has advanced skills in violin. But he does not just teach violin. He teaches that we should have a compassionate heart to others, and importance to engage in community. He organized his students almost once a quarter to perform music — in various local long term care facilities! Seeing how enjoyable the old adults are in the music is really touching to me! At first I thought he may have some personal connections; later I found out that he has made all this happen — with perseverance. He kept calling each long term care facility multiple times, leaving messages, explaining how music may help entertaining the older adults. He never gives up if he doesn’t receive feedback, and always tries various opportunities. It is important to kids. For example, my daughters told me that when they grow older, they want start a program to get more kids to play music and games regularly in local LTC facilities, and said that we should not forget about how much those older adults contyto fame and communities. What should I say? I feel very appreciated that Jackie such a great teacher and mentor to help kids to grow into curio with love and compassion.
When Jacob told me that he is applying for this opportunity, I once more feel appreciated that how he thinks about his teaching and how much he cares about kids. I believe he is a great teacher. I wish him the best luck, and look forward to continue to work with him during my kids music training. Had you had any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (312-852-8818).
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