Violin Lessons 
Photo courtesy of Angela Lattanzio

Violin Lessons

Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith has been an actively engaged violin teacher, coach and program developer for more than fifteen years.  She was the director of the strings program at the Kingsway Conservatory of Music in Toronto since 2007 and is the founder of the KCM orchestral program.  She is also a certified Suzuki teacher and has prepared students for every level of RCM exam from beginner to university prep.

As a student Elyssa was presented with many valuable collaborative opportunities under the tutelage of Heilwig von Konigslow and as a music teacher has an avid passion for creating unique concerts and collaborative opportunities for her students. In 2010 Elyssa started the first string orchestra group. The orchestra is now a full program with three levels that extends to RCM grade 10. The senior orchestra has appeared in annual concerts alongside professional musicians in the Aradia Baroque Ensemble as well as in several projects with the VIVA Youth Choir and the Holy Family Youth Choir including a presentation of Britten's "Noah's Flood". They also appear regularly alongside the KCM faculty and the students are all given opportunities to appear as concerto soloists with the orchestra.

Elyssa remains on the faculty of the Kingsway Conservatory of Music and will continue teaching her long term students with distance Skype lessons. She also has trips planned each season to participate on the faculty at the chamber music summer workshop and host masterclasses during the year.

Weekly violin lessons run from September through June and are either 30, 45 or 60 minutes in length depending on your child's age, attention span and skill level. Parents are expected to attend private lessons, take notes and act as the "home teacher" in daily practice sessions. A camera (phone) is also helpful in recording photos or videos of correct set up, violin hold, bow hold and posture to refer to at home.

You will need a violin that is the correct size for your child, a bow, a case, rosin, a lesson book and a pencil! You will also be assigned sheet music of the appropriate level as you progress. Violins are available to rent or purchase.