Hope Hoffman

Fiddle/Violin Teacher, for ages 3-adult

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"Hope shares her love of music and dance with focused attention and a gentle spirit."
~ Pat Cannon, music educator

I often teach people brand new to music, including many adults, as well as coaching experienced students. I can accompany students on guitar for the experience of playing as a duet.

My early training was classical violin, and since moving to Maine nine years ago, I have learned a variety of techniques and tunes by listening to and playing with local traditional musicians.

I frequently perform violin/fiddle music for festivals, dances, weddings and other events, including concerts of my original compositions.

I teach private lessons (ages 3-5 with parents; ages 6 and up; and adult students at all levels including beginners), and small group classes (2-3 students, scheduled/organized by those students).

I teach twice monthly, year-round at Free Grange Music Studios in downtown Bowdoinham and Portland, Maine. I also offer a series of monthly or twice-monthly teaching sessions in Rockland and Farmington. [link to studio locations & directions]

Monthly lessons are ideal for very young children practicing at home with parents between lessons, and for intermediate/advanced students seeking coaching in technique and phrasing.

Twice-monthly lessons work well for students of all ages who like to have a good amount of homework and time between lessons.

Each studio location is in a downtown area, and has its own parking lot or is near a public parking lot.

To make an appointment for a lesson, you can call (207) 332-3459 or, for quicker replies, e-mail via www.hopehoffman.org.

You can link here to contact me about fiddle lessons and other types of music events.

Please read on for more details ...

Enjoy!

Musical History

As a child I had private lessons in piano, clarinet and violin. I'm familiar with the Suzuki method as that was part of my early training, and sometimes incorporate aspects of it into my teaching. Through high school, I continued to play in the public school orchestra and had serious weekly private violin lessons with Dr. Joseph Conte of Brown University. I began performing in vocal and string ensembles in 1987, and read lots of sheet music but meanwhile became more and more interested in folk music. In 1998 I received my Bachelor of Arts degree with honors, majoring in creative writing and journalism and also earning minors in cultural studies and dance. It was fun and enriching to be working closely with professors on my honors thesis and on many extracurricular projects. In the summer of 2001, I began teaching myself to play fiddle tunes by ear. I now perform regularly, leading several concert and dance bands and composing. I attended Maine Fiddle Camp for the past four summers, and have taught myself guitar accompaniment, viola, and some basic tunes on cello and accordion.

Teaching Experience

I've been self-employed since 1999 as a performing artist, dance teacher, writer, editor and musician. I studied and performed dance continuously since 1980, and have taught ballet, modern dance and creative movement since 1998. I also performed many original theater shows featuring live music at the Bowdoinham Town Hall. Highlights of my work include assistant teaching at a Montessori preschool, and directing a modern dance company and a children's dance camp. I've worked with children often, in academic and in artistic settings, including teaching children's theater and movement classes which feature musicians as part of the teaching staff. Building on all this experience as a teacher, and as a music student, I began teaching fiddle music in 2002, and look forward to assisting many more students in their musical adventures!

Teaching Style

The technical aspects of playing the violin I learned as a child are important to pass on to students, and my wealth of experience as a performer and performing arts teacher have expanded my teaching methods. My proficiency as a fiddler, including improvisation and subtle and rhythmic bowing techniques, is an ever-growing study in style, artistry and practical methods inspired by playing with and closely observing master fiddlers in Maine. Years of teaching ballet and modern dance, and studying yoga and theraputic stretches, has given me lots of insight into how to explain the positioning of hands and arms and helps me coach students on maintaining a healthy technique.

I read and write music fluently, and teach mostly by ear, unless the student prefers otherwise. I play basic rhythm guitar to accompany students as they play the melody, and to help them learn to play chords and rhythm parts on the fiddle.

My nurturing, encouraging teaching style incorporates ideas learned as a writer, dance teacher and theater director.

I strongly encourage students to explore their own ideas and follow their own style of creative expression; and I guide them in developing a practical and sophisticated technique, balanced repertoire, and perpetual excitement about learning more on their instrument.

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Link to a résumé of previous music performances

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Link to resources including instrument rentals and sales

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P.O. Box 171, Bowdoinham, Maine 04008

(207) 332-3459

$30 per half-hour for private lessons

$15 per student to share a half-hour lesson with one other student

Private/semi-private lessons can be half-hour, 45 minutes, or one hour

Groups of three students:
$18 per student per hour-long group lesson

Trio Discount:

If three friends would like to combine group and private lessons, a discounted rate is available with advance reservation for an hour and a half block of lesson time, which the trio can divide among themselves in a way that best fits their schedules.