Violin Teaching Artist Harriet Vorona is a new addition to our faculty for Fall 2016. In addition to teaching, Harriet also performs extensively in the Washington DC metro area with numerous groups including the National Symphony Orchestra, the Fairfax Symphony, and the National Gallery Orchestra. Harriet also works with bowmaker Donald Cohen to rehair and repair bows. Faculty Coordinator Claire Allen interviewed Harriet to find out more.
CAllen: How did you first fall in love with music?
HVorona: My parents, especially my mom, loved music and exposed my siblings and me to music from an early age on. As a little kid I started going to symphony concerts, and I saw my first opera when I was five. I still absolutely love opera and musical theatre. My older sister was a serious trumpet player, my brother played piano so it was a natural step for me to pick up an instrument. I started playing the recorder in preschool, at the age of two. My preschool teacher recognized that I was really musical. My hometown happened to have a very well known violin pedagogue so my mom took me to a trial lesson when I was six. The rest is history…
CAllen: Tell us about a memorable teaching experience you’ve had.
HVorona: There is not just one experience I can single out. Generally, I just love it when a student “gets” something. When we have been working hard on something, musical or technical, and all of a sudden it happens. It’s such a rewarding moment for the student and the teacher. That lightbulb moment. Practicing an instrument is quite the lonely activity, it’s just you and your instrument working for hours and hours to achieve those moments of beautiful music making. Nothing feels better than when your discipline and determination has paid off.
CAllen: What is a unique thing you do when you teach?
HVornona: I was blessed studying with some incredible violin teachers. I’m continuing that lineage of the German violin school by passing on what I learned from them. One thing I’m teaching my students from the very beginning is how to practice. To develop a thorough and thought out way on how to get the most out of your practice time. I’m also quite hung up on composers and musical terminology. I have noticed how little students seem to know about the composers of the pieces they play. My students always have to read up on them and tell me a few fun facts about them.
CAllen: Do you have any pets?
HVornona: Oh my…You will be sorry to have asked! [Laughs] My three kids and I have a zoo: a puggle named Bella [pictured above], a guinea pig named Super, a dwarf hamster named Henry, a gerbil named Charlie, a goldhamster named Leo, a gecko named Skittles (he’s on loan for a year) and five goldfish named Michael, Nigel, Razzle Dazzle, Bubi and Gwen.
VISIT HARRIET’S PERSONAL WEBSITE