Shakeh Ghoukasian
Violinist, Teacher & Pedagogue
I have been teaching pre-college and college students for the past 35 years. My high-achieving students, who have gone on to prestigious music schools and academic institutions, have taught me the value of time management and how music becomes their path to successful academic achievements. While traditional approaches focus on technique, repertoire, and upcoming audition pieces, I have discovered the need to spend more personal quality time with each student at the end of each lesson. I have also observed that the time between lessons often didn’t always allow students enough practice to internalize or execute what we had covered before their next lesson.
I acknowledge the competing challenges students face in terms of balancing school work with their music studies. While my younger students love the challenge of finishing and polishing a Suzuki Book, performing in a home concert, and having family members celebrate their achievement, advanced students need different kinds of challenges and outlets. The ultimate aim is to maximize the best use of their time. Today’s innovative online platforms now allow us to explore supplemental, fresh approaches to learning and time management.
My students have gone on to attend schools such as the Cincinnati Conservatory, MIT, Juilliard, Boston Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Carnegie Mellon, Boston University, Vanderbilt, Harvard, Princeton, Boston University, and many other prestigious institutions.
As an audition adjudicator and former Executive and Artistic Director of the Nevada School of Music, a preparatory music school, I am acutely aware what music schools and faculty members desire and require. I am equally up to the task of preparing students to not only qualify, but also to stand out. I have had the privilege of working with many guest artists during my leadership at the school and have built strong connections with extraordinary artists and conservatory teachers throughout the world.
Last summer I presented a week-long violin and cello intensive program. It underscored that students are starved to work with world-class artists and truly enjoy the online camaraderie with other students from other locales and back- grounds. I’m so excited to offer The String Journey as a new model to today’s aspiring musicians – one that offers a more holistic approach to curriculum and performance – an exciting approach that truly prepares them for a bright and successful future in today’s music industry and academic world.
My teaching approach and structured lessons will help you . . .
• Build and improve your technique in the practice room to deliver on stage
• Help you plan your time and develop habits that will serve you throughout your life
• Gain confidence in your presenting and performing your musical ideas
• Achieve a comfort level while performing for auditions, performances and competitions
• Explore ways to balance your music and academic schedule
• Navigate school and career decisions with experienced guidance
Achieve your goals and take your playing to an everelevated level, whether you are …
• a high school student who is a high achiever and looking to balance your academic load with preparing themselves for music school auditions or submitting a recording of your high level playing for major academic institutions
• dreaming of a future career in music and wanting to take your violin playing level to new achievements
looking for a sense of community and wanting to be a part of an exciting and motivated group of like-minded peers
• a recent college grad who wants to keep improving while you wait out the year between schools
The String Journey rewards you if you are interested in . . .
• Learning how to practice better and more efficiently
• Tackling more frequent performance opportunities
• Meeting and collaborating with teachers from the top music schools in the world
• Improving your technique so that you can accomplish any piece with ease
• Being a part of a group of supportive and like-minded peers
• Enjoying expert and dedicated support in all areas of your musical and personal growth