Our approach to teaching came out of a deep desire to replace the conservatory “break-you-until-you-make it” culture that
If you know, you know.
(And if you don’t know, just look at how conservatory life is portrayed in movies and TV– it romanticizes abusive and predatory behavior “for the sake of art.”)
This is fucked up.
The fact is, in order to grow into your own as a musician, you need three things:
That’s why as an organization, we’re committed to creating new pathways for learning that provide you with the resources, tools, and community you need to succeed in your cello playing…and learn to enjoy the journey.
Our Values
Diversity
We prioritize sharing artists whose work represents the full range of musical possibilities for the cello and who represent a wide range of personal journeys to the cello and lived experiences as musicians.
Music making has been a sacred and necessary practice in every single culture in history, and we value and respect all forms and genres of musical expression.
In our monthly playlists, we share music that reflects the full diversity of the potential for the cello. (You might hear a Faure Sonata next to some Kelsey Lu, followed up by Zoe Keating, or Okkyung Lee).
Additionally, we’re actively working on a big goal of having 50% of our beginning through intermediate repertoires be by women and BIPOC composers.
We’re committed to providing high-quality cello lessons…but we’re just not interested in replicating the typical music program model– a model that either perpetuates elitist attitudes and/or leaves faculty severely underpaid.
That’s not cool. Let’s build something different.
Trust
Ultimately, musical expression is about cultivating self-trust.
We developed our education model as a response to observing needs that were not being met in standard cello pedagogy. In our education model, our goal is to help you learn to trust yourself as a musician, a learner, and as a person.
This is a skill that will flood into every area of your life, from parenting to business growth.
Equity
We pay our teachers and staff an above-market wage, in an industry where working for free and exploitation are the norm. We are committed to continually updating and revisiting what pay equity in the arts and within our organization looks like.
Our program exists to serve the desires and needs of adult students who value, appreciate, and are passionate about musical expression while also balancing the very real demands of career, family, and life outside cello playing.
At least 50% of our monthly operating budget is invested in supporting Black-owned and women-owned businesses, contractors, continuing education, and products and services that support our business.
As part of our effort to end white supremacy and create a just world for all, Brooklyn Cello Studio makes monthly donations to organizations who work directly at the intersection of social and racial justice, with a goal of allocating 2% of our monthly revenue to social and racial justice organizations by the end of 2021.
Listening
Listening is the primary skill for all music making. Listening is both a means of sonic orientation as well as the impetus for the development of self-trust and musical expression.
Our foundational program, “Learn To Listen Like A Musician” lays the groundwork for you to develop a listening practice that will support you in your work at the cello and in your daily life, but we aim to further cultivate and strengthen listening skills in our monthly playlists, presentations/workshops, concerts, and discussions.
Agency
We believe that the student-teacher relationship is a collaborative partnership where both parties bring valuable knowledge and observations to the table.
We reject outdated models of string pedagogy where you’re asked to give up your power in order to learn and progress.
We aim to create space for you to have full permission to experiment, to explore, to be curious, and to ask questions. (Let your freak flag fly.)