Ask an Expert

What kind of gear do I need (audio-video and online platform) to teach/coach virtually? Are there publications, either for purchase or open source, on the subject, or any podcasts and videos I should check out? Thank you very much for your time and expertise.

– Submitted by Vitalem Alriche

Answered by Carrie Salisbury

Congratulations on having the courage to expand your skill set for teaching online! Paired with technical fluency, your pedagogical artistry can reach even more students. 

Here are the tools I prefer for online teaching:

• A computer or laptop. An iMac at home, a MacBook when away. 
• A video conferencing platform. I find Zoom successful for music transmission and fun for other specialty features. With any platform, make sure to disable any default programming for noise cancellation and prioritize fidelity of the original audio. 
• 1–2 Cameras. One front-facing (might be built-in to your computer), another external display at a different angle. Switch as needed.
• External microphone. A must-have! Don’t use your computer’s built-in mic. The easiest one to set up is a USB condenser mic. Adjust your gain staging to get the clearest sound of your instrument out to your student. 
• Lighting. Set up your light source to illuminate your face from behind the camera. 
• A Tablet with a stylus. I use an iPad and pencil with the ForScore app to screen share music PDFs. I mark and email real-time annotations to the page for the student to copy into their parts. 
• A wired internet connection. Trust me on this: WiFi connections can be glitchy and disconnect randomly. A wired connection into your machine is more stable. 

Two pieces of advice I offer: Master your own technology, and practice the user experience. Check your camera angles, microphone placement and gain staging, screen sharing, and build fluency in the special features of your chosen platform. Then log in to your meeting as a student, notice what they see and hear, and use YouTube to learn how to troubleshoot problems they might encounter on their home device.

Check out my video session at the 2025 We Are Suzuki Webinar, “Best Practices for Online Teaching” or my articles on violinist.com for more details. You got this!

Caroline Salisbury is a Suzuki kid, teacher, and parent in Los Angeles, California. She is the creator of StringsPop!, an approach to music literacy and composition using pop and folk music. Carrie currently serves on the board of Suzuki Music Association of California as director of the LA Branch. 

I recently started teaching a couple of very young students, age three and four, along with their mothers, and it is clear to me that this is a very different dynamic than even five or six-year-olds. I realize that expectations will be lower than for older students, but I’m not sure exactly what that looks like. Do you have some strategies for teaching very young children?

– Submitted by Pam Hunt

Answered by Françoise Pierredon

This is a wonderful question! I organized my thoughts into different categories.

Attention
With young children ages three and four, we can expect to have to be more playful and help parents be playful with them because their attention is shorter. They might need more “entertaining” parents, need us as teachers to use puppets, visual aids, and quick transitions to maintain their interest. Some recommend talking with parents be kept to the “after children’s lesson” time.

Acceptance and Refusal
There often is more refusal to practice or to do something asked of them. At that age, we can do at the lesson something parents just cannot do at home. Part of our work with parents is to help them give acceptable choices to their children.

Similarities and Differences Between Children
As they get older, the children’s behaviors become more similar as they learn what is acceptable and expected of them. Younger children tend to be more different from each other, and group lesson behavior can be challenging. Observing other teachers’ group lessons in particular can be quite helpful.

Listening
It is even more important for young children than older ones, and it is something we can emphasize when parents struggle to establish or maintain practice. Playing the recordings can go a long way in helping young children learn and helping parents feel that the learning is real.

Masterclass Format
Many teachers recommend it whenever possible for individual lessons, and having two/three children for one hour, alternating who goes first, and having them play together with educational games/toys while parents are getting instruction is a helpful tool. Their lessons can be quite short when they are struggling and this keeps the teaching time structured and meaningful while giving them opportunities to build their instrument-related friendships.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Françoise Pierredon, MM, MA, LPCC-S, is a Suzuki piano teacher and teacher trainer and a professional clinical counselor specializing in the treatment of child trauma. She is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute where she studied with Dr Suzuki and Dr Kataoka. She tries to live the beliefs that “every child can learn” and “every parent can help”.

How can I deal with parents who are constantly on cell phones? It does no good to ask that they turn them off. Thanks for any advice!

– Submitted anonymously 

Answered by Alicia Casey

We know how important the parent’s role is for the success of the Suzuki philosophy, so I try to consider how a parent is using their phone during lessons. Some genuinely use their devices in helpful ways—taking notes, videos, or photos—which can actually support effective home practice. In those cases, the phone is an asset, not a problem.

However, when phone use becomes a distraction, I shift the focus to active participation rather than directly asking them to put it away. A parent who is meaningfully involved doesn’t have time to scroll social media. If I notice a parent zoning out, I might invite them to come closer to observe a technique or take a photo of the student’s bow hold. For younger children, I might ask the parent to “be the bow” or “be the fingers.” With older students, I’ll ask them to dictate their own practice notes while the parent writes, keeping both engaged.

Sometimes phone use is just a habit or due to unclear expectations. A proactive strategy is to clearly outline the parent’s role and your device policy before lessons begin.

If phone use continues, I observe whether it’s actually affecting the child’s focus or the quality of home practice. Some parents can multitask without disrupting the learning environment. But if it’s clearly having a negative effect, I address it with empathy. For example: “I’ve noticed when your phone is out, your child seems to lose focus. Can we work together on this to support their learning?” This frames the issue around the child’s experience, not the parent’s behavior.

Ultimately, it’s about creating a culture of presence and participation—fostering connection rather than policing behavior.

Violinist and Suzuki educator Alicia Casey has been the Suzuki Program Coordinator at the Upper Valley Music Center located in Lebanon, NH since 2010, and has taught and performed across the USA, Australia, and Europe. Alicia holds degrees from the Queensland Conservatorium and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has been published in the American Suzuki Journal, presented at national conferences and received the SAA Certificate of Achievement in 2018.

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