John Beard

Stone Oak

Violin, Viola, Piano, Chamber Music

Violin/Viola Levels:  4 to Adult; Beginner to Advanced, ages 4 to Adult
Piano Student Levels: 3 to Adult; Suzuki beginner

Bachelor of Music in Performance, Indiana University, Undergraduate training, New England Conservatory
Master of Music in Performance, University of Maine
Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance with a Minor in Conducting & Music Theory (in training), The Catholic University of America

Teaching Philosophy

The development of my teaching philosophy is influenced by my past violin and viola teachers and coaches: William Primrose, Joseph Fuchs, Henrick Kowolski, Robert Gerle and David Dawson. They gave me the tools, skills and direction to guide me to a professional level of playing and love of music. An ultimate goal of my teaching is to empower the student to work independently, and use the acquired knowledge and skills to essentially teach themselves in preparing solos, chamber music, orchestra literature and problem solving. Respect is the best motivation for students.  Attitudes become more positive and productive when the teacher respects the students efforts, hard work and accomplishments. In general, by your example of respect for people, you encourage professionalism, a sense of caring and an inspiration for the pursuit and love of music. Music is a ongoing career, where your interests and aptitudes are constantly changing and developing. Having the skills and knowledge to work independently to accommodate these changes is essential and a continuous process. I want to instill the importance of beauty and accomplishment to my students, so that they can learn, love and enjoy music for a lifetime.

Biography

John Beard (viola; violin; piano; chamber music), began his advanced performance training at the New England Conservatory, received a BM in performance from Indiana University, a MM at the University of Maine, and did further doctoral work in viola, theory, and conducting at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His major teachers include William Primrose, David Dawson for viola, Robert Gerle, Vidor Nagy, Joseph Fuchs for violin, Harold Faberman and Murray Sidlin for conducting.

Mr. Beard has also studied piano with Henry Fuchs at the University of Rhode Island and Joan Krzywicki, Suzuki Teacher Trainer, at the University of Florida in Coral Gables. John developed a Suzuki piano studio, and has enjoyed working with small children and using the Suzuki method to develop musical skills to the very young (starting at three years old). For the past twenty years John has had a piano studio teaching both traditional and Suzuki piano methods, besides his violin/viola students. He has prepared both string and piano students for solo and ensemble festivals, college entrance auditions and student recitals.

Prior to moving to the San Antonio area, Mr. Beard was an Adjunct Instructor of Upper Strings and Orchestra at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County and in Minnesota, he has been an Artist-in-Residence for the St. Francis Music Center.  Currently, besides being on the faculty at the Musical Arts Center in San Antonio, Inc., Mr. Beard is an Adjunct Instructor for the Alamo colleges where he teaches Music Appreciation at the Northeast Lakeview College and Violin/Viola at the Northwest Vista College.