Christopher Broyles
Violist, Educator, Lifelong Student
Teaching
Experience
Chris is currently on faculty at Virtu.Academy & Dustin Kaufman Music Lessons, working for the Thornton Community Engagement Program in addition to maintaining his own private Los Angeles based and online studio. Teaching has always been second nature as he began teaching almost at the same time has he began playing and living the philosophy that if he knows two notes, he can teach someone who only knows one.
In addition to Chris's private teaching, he has been grateful to hold various roles in programs for young artists such as ChamberMusicLab at the Rivers School Conservatory, Greenwood Junior Camp, Northern Ohio Youth Orchestras, Trala School of Music and the Franklin String School. Chris has worn many hats in the music education world including assistant conductor, teaching assistant, chamber music coach and sectionals coach.
One of Chris’s most treasured teaching positions has been working at the Grafton Correctional Institution as a volunteer music teacher, alongside Renovare Music, in the Unmuted Strings program. Volunteering with the men behind bars on a weekly basis has reaffirmed and strengthened his beliefs that music education should be accessible to everyone and that the skills we learn in the practice room(e.g. commitment, connection, creativity, problem solving, vulnerability etc.) are transferable and will enhance our everyday lives.
My Teaching Philosophies & Goals
1.
Students becoming their own best teacher
In order to become a great music student, I think the most important thing is to become your own best teacher. My role as a teacher is to guide you through that process so you can become your own artist, thinker and player.
2.
"There is always more beauty to be found" -Christian Tetzlaff
As I was watching this legend teach masterclasses, he kept coming back to this phrase which has stuck with me and become a major part of mine and my students practicing. The idea that our work is never complete and that's the beauty of what we do as musicians. We should always be curious about finding ways, big or small, to make our music a little more beautiful.
3.
How Fascinating!
Perhaps my students least favorite part of my teaching is this "How Fascinating" mindset. Mistakes will happen and when they do we have a choice: we could get embarrassed, angry or disappointed with ourselves which results in tension, misery and more mistakes OR we can choose to acknowledge the mistake, decide if it was a fluke or a real trouble spot, then we proceed with humor and curiosity.