Hope Hoffman

Fiddle/Violin Teacher

"Hope shares her love of music and dance with focused attention and a gentle spirit." ~ Pat Cannon, music educator

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I often teach people brand new to music, including many adults, as well as coaching experienced students. I can accompany students on guitar for the experience of playing as a duet. I have studied some cello at Maine Fiddle Camp and can teach viola and cello players as well.

My early training was classical violin, and since moving to Maine have learned lots of style and tunes from local musicians.

I perform for festivals, dances, weddings and other gatherings, including concerts of my original tunes on fiddle and viola.

For group lesson details, please click here.

Lessons are currently held in Topsham, Rockland, Richmond and Farmington, Maine.

Group Music Lessons: Introduction to Fiddle Music will be offered in Richmond two Wednesdays each month. For children 6:15-6:45 p.m; for adults/teens 7-7:45 p.m. [download printable poster here]

Please read on for more details, and click here to contact me about fiddle lessons and other types of music instruction.

Musical History

As a child I had private lessons in piano, clarinet and violin. I'm familiar with the Suzuki method as that was part of my early traning, and incorporate aspects of it into my teaching. Through high school, I continued to play in the public school orchestra and had serious weekly private violin lessons with Dr. Joseph Conte of Brown University. I began performing in vocal and string ensembles in 1987, and read lots of sheet music but meanwhile became more and more interested in folk music. In the summer of 2001 I began teaching myself to play fiddle tunes by ear. I now perform regularly, leading several concert and dance bands. I attended Maine Fiddle Camp for the past four summers, and have taught myself guitar accompaniment, viola, and some basic tunes on cello and accordion.

Teaching Experience

After earning a B.A. in creative writing in 1998, I've been self-employed since 1999 as a performing artist, dance teacher, writer, editor and musician. I studied and performed dance continuously since 1980, and have taught ballet, modern dance and creative movement since 1998. I also performed many original theater shows featuring live music at the Bowdoinham Town Hall. Highlights of my work include assistant teaching at a Montessori preschool, and directing a modern dance company and a children's dance camp. I've worked with children often, in academic and in artistic settings, including teaching children's theater and movement classes which feature musicians as part of the teaching staff. With all this experience as a teacher, and as a music student, I started "putting the two together" as a fiddle teacher in 2002, and look forward to assisting many more students in their musical adventures!

Teaching Style

The technical aspects of playing the violin/fiddle I learned as a child are important to pass on to students, and my recent experience as a performer and performing arts teacher have expanded my teaching methods. Years of teaching ballet and modern dance has given lots of insight into how to explain the positioning of hands and arms to students. Also, my experience with yoga and physical therapy helps me coach students on maintaining a healthy technique.

I read and write music fluently, and teach mostly by ear, unless the student prefers otherwise.

I play basic rhythm guitar to accompany students as they play the melody, and to help them learn to play chords and rhythm parts on the fiddle.

My nurturing, encouraging teaching style incorporates ideas learned as a writer, dance teacher and theater director.

I strongly encourage students to explore their own ideas and follow their own style of creative expression; and I guide them in developing healthy technique, balanced repertoire, and perpetual excitement about learning more on their instrument.