Jordana Greenberg

Teaching Philosophy

My goal as a teacher is to help each student develop a healthy, ease-based setup, a flexible and reliable technique, and a distinct artistic point of view. Technique exists to create freedom: freedom of expression, movement, interpretation, and personal identity.

My teaching is rooted in the pedagogical lineage of Miriam Fried and Mimi Zweig and shaped by a career that includes composition, improvisation, chamber music, and cross-genre collaboration.

Improvisation is built into the work from the beginning, not as a separate skill but as a way to strengthen technical fluency, listening, and confidence under pressure.

I work equally with pre-professional students and those who play for personal fulfillment. My studio includes players ages five to eighty-five, and I especially enjoy working with adults who are returning to the violin or who want to expand their skills. Many of my students perform in local amateur orchestras, and I tailor my teaching to each person’s goals, experience, and musical life.

Approach

What we work on in the studio.

Technique

Technique as freedom

An ease based, body aware approach to setup and mechanics, informed by the pedagogical lineage of Fried and Zweig. The focus is on coordination, balance, and sound rather than tension and force. Students learn to recognize and release excess effort so that technique becomes a platform for expressive, sustainable playing.

Improvisation

Improvisation as a core skill

Improvisation is integrated directly into technical work to build left hand fluency, rhythmic grounding, and creative responsiveness. Scales, harmony, and ear training are tied to real time musical decision making so that students can move easily between notated and improvised music.

Ensemble

Chamber instincts and collaboration

Deep listening, communication, and ensemble responsiveness are central. Whether in orchestral, chamber, or cross genre settings, students develop the skills to lead, support, and co create. These skills carry into every kind of professional work, from string quartets to studio sessions.

Artistic Identity

Point of view and career paths

Students are encouraged to explore their own artistic point of view, what they care about, how they want to sound, and who they want to reach. The aim is to build careers that integrate performance, collaboration, teaching, and creative projects in ways that feel authentic and sustainable. The goal is not to fit a single template but to develop the skills and perspective to design a life in music.