Valerie Thompson

Cello
Valerie Thompson

Valerie Thompson

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that educating a student in music is not just about learning an instrument but that it creates a space for students to more deeply access their own creativity and creative problem solving skills. I strive to tailor my lessons to the individual needs of my students (whether they are young or young at heart, beginning or quite experienced) while helping them develop confidence in their strengths and a fearless perspective on their weaknesses.
I enjoy taking a broad musical approach to the cello and my students, that is grounded in a foundation of classical music and enhanced by my performance experience in folk, jazz, rock & world music.

Teaching Biography

Valerie began teaching private and small group cello lessons in the greater Boston area in 2002. She has been on faculty at the Illinois Wesleyan Cello Camp (Bloomington, IL); Miles of Music Camp (Lake Winnipesaukee, NH); CCE Music and Dance Week (Bethesda, MD); CelloChan Woods (Ann Arbor, MI.) In addition to teaching in the “Meet the Instruments” summer program and private lessons at Brookline Music School, Valerie teaches Songwriting in the Preparatory Department at New England Conservatory. Valerie has supplemented her teaching experience with studies in string pedagogy with Magdalena Richter and Music-in-Education at the New England Conservatory and teaching artist inclusion workshops through the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshir

Performance Biography

Valerie has enjoyed an active freelance career in the Boston area with chamber performances, recording session work, and sharing the stage with such notable artists as jazz pianist, Fred Hirsch; rock-icon, Amanda Palmer; multi- media artist, Christopher Janney; and with pop-chamber ensemble, Vitamin String Quartet (including a television appearance on Warner Brothers’ Gossip Girl.) She has toured nationally and internationally with ensembles that range from art-rock to chamber folk such as Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards, Long Time Courting, Fluttr Effect, and Goli. In the winter of 2014, Valerie performed and taught on a cultural diplomacy tour of India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh sponsored in part by the U.S. State Department and American Music Abroad.

Education

B.M., Performance, Summa Cum Laude, Berklee College of Music; M.M., Contemporary Improvisation, with Academic Honors, New England Conservatory of Music

Contact Us

Brookline Music School is a nonprofit organization that has provided excellence in music education to the Greater Boston community since 1924. We rely on the generous support of our donors to benefit the community through music.

Brookline Music School welcomes students of all ages. Enrollment is open year-round so students may begin private lesson study at any time. Join us!


Regular Hours

Monday to Friday: 9 am to 9 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8 am to 7 pm

See the Lessons & Classes or Early Childhood calendars for holiday schedules including flex days, make-up days and closures.