I have maintained a home studio in the Twin Cities since 2001. My approach to teaching could be described as an amalgamation of traditional violin pedagogy and the Suzuki philosophy.

I believe strongly in seeing my students twice a week. My weekly fee for beginners is $45.00. This includes a weekly 30 minute lesson, and group class every Saturday at 9:30, monthly performance classes, a solo recital and rehearsals once each semester. In some cases students come for two private lessons weekly. The fee stays the same.

You only pay for the lessons you take. I make every effort to make up missed lessons in the same week in the event of illness, emergency, or inclement weather. Scholarships are available based on need and merit. The fee structure and underlying philosophy are described in more detail in Newsletter Vol.6, No.4. (Jan. 6, 2008 archive)

Younger students need to have a parent observe the private and group classes, and supervise their listening to their tapes. You’ll be their daily practice helper!

Before we’d begin lessons, you and your child would observe others’ lessons. I would teach you from the very beginning how to practice with your child. Tape recorders and video cameras can be useful. I may require reading for those unfamiliar with early childhood learning. As your child progresses and matures, less parental involvement will be needed.

Please feel free to call with any questions. I take my commitment to you as your teacher very seriously, and hope that all applying students, regardless of level, will echo that seriousness.

Contact:

LUCIA P. MAY
1698 Dodd Rd.
 Mendota Hts., MN 55118
651-994-7865

About Lucia P. May

Since 2001, Lucia P. May has maintained an active violin studio in the Twin Cities. Since 2004 she has taught summers at the University of Minnesota’s Bravo! String Chamber Music Program. From 1993-2004 she served on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer String Academy and for five of those years taught year round at the Indiana University String Academy with Mimi Zweig. From 1993 until 2001 she taught the violin and chamber music at the St. Louis Symphony Community Music School. From 1995 to 1999 she was the violinist in the St. Louis based contemporary ensemble Synchronia, with whom she performed extensively. In the late seventies and early eighties Ms. May was actively engaged as an orchestra and chamber musician in the St. Louis area. In 1984 she received her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. She also studied at Case Western Reserve University and Southern Illinois University.

Her teachers included Daniel Majeske, concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, Taras Gabora of the Oberlin Conservatory, and Fryderyk Sadowski of the St. Louis Conservatory. For over ten years she worked with John Kendall, a pioneer of the American Suzuki movement, in several capacities, including teaching, graduate work in pedagogy, and performance.

In addition to her work as a violinist and teacher, Ms. May served for fifteen years on the Board of Directors for the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and chaired its education committee. She also served for ten years on the Board of the St. Louis Conservatory and Schools for the Arts.