Leah Celeste Nelson STUDIO

Whether you are a new student, returning student or parent of a student, I welcome you to my studio! Mentorship with a skilled musician is crucial to getting the most out of playing a string instrument. I specialize in performance and instruction on viola as my primary instrument and violin as my secondary instrument.

Below is a brief description of what to expect from viola/violin lessons. I ask all students to approach each lesson with an open mind and a willingness to practice. You can count on me to be prepared, bring some fun to the lessons and to help you develop and maintain your musical goals. 

During lessons we will focus on:

  • Identifying goals and areas for improvement 

  • Learning how to practice effectively

  • Improving technique with exercises, scales and etudes

  • Bringing awareness to posture and set-up which includes finding the right chin rest and shoulder rest. I believe in pain free playing. We will discuss injuries or issues that are coming up in your daily and weekly practice.

  • Learning a variety of repertoire, including solo pieces, orchestral music, audition material, chamber music, etudes and foundational exercises.

2022 marks my 31st year of playing the viola. Learning to play a string instrument and the experiences and connections that it has brought me has been such a wonderful journey in my life. As I have been teaching professionally for over a decade now, it is my hope to continue to spread the love and joy of playing the viola and violin throughout my community and beyond.  My philosophy of music learning is built on building skill and confidence through improving technique, posture, quality of sound, note reading and carefully sequenced repertoire choices.  My approach is tailored to address each student on an individual needs basis and help them create strong foundational skills that foster success.   

My home studio is located in Austin, TX. I teach both in-person at multiple locations and online over Zoom. Please email me for more information leahceleste@gmail.com