The teachers listed below are not necessarily members of the SCVS or AVS.

Karen Elaine Bakunin
Levels of students accepted: All levels, Viola and Violin, private lessons, chamber music coaching
Contact: (310) 578-9637: karenelainebakunin@hotmail.com
Where: (Home) 918 California Ave., Venice CA 90201-3414
Background/Special areas of expertise: Former students have distinguished themselves as scholarship recipients at the New England Conservatory, Peabody Music Conservatory, Harod School, UCLA, SDSU, Northwestern University (Nachitoches, Louisiana), and various chamber music and solo competitions nationwide. • Adjunct Professor of Viola at San Diego State University • Viola & Violin Instructor, Pasadena Symphony Mentor Program • Principal Viola, California Philharmonic Orchestra • Solo recitalist nationwide

Robert L. Becker
Levels of students accepted: Violists of all abilities
Contact: beckervla@prodigy.net or (949) 675-8690
Where: at home or at Chapman College
Background/Special areas of expertise: I am the Principal Viola of the Pacific Symphony, Opera Pacific, etc. As a Juilliard graduate with interest in chamber music, I take violists of all abilities. In addition, I am adjunct professor of Viola at Chapman University in Orange, california. My strengths are technical training, overall viola repertoire through advanced, and the solving of physical technical problems.

Kira A. Blumberg
Levels of students accepted: All levels: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced and Adult Beginners.
Contact: (909) 621-3878 or kiravla@flashcom.net.
Where: Claremont area, and through the Claremont Community School of Music.
Background/Special areas of expertise: B. Music Boston University, M. Music The Juilliard School.

Barry Brisk
Levels of students accepted: Beginning/intermed. Viola/violin/piano/orchestra conducting
Contact: barry_brisk@hotmail.com; www.BeachCitiesSymphony.org
Where: West San Fernando Valley
Special areas of expertise: Music Director/Conductor of the Beach Cities Symphony. Graduate University of Music (formerly Academy), Vienna, Austria

Louise Brown
Levels of students accepted: Beginning/intermed. Viola/violin.
Contact: (661) 255-6251; 1fb1@earthlink.net.
Where: Home (Santa Clarita Vly) and Metzler's violin shop (Glendale).

John Hungerford Cox
Levels of students accepted: Advanced only.
Contact: (760) 941-3304
Where: (Studio) 5174 Alamosa Park Drive, Oceanside, CA.
Background/Special areas of expertise: Viola solo, chamber music; orchestral repertoire; teach the Max Aronoff school of viola performance, and the Griller Quartet approach to ensemble playing; was Principal Viola in Baltimore symphony, Nashville Symphony, Kansas City Philharmonic, Dallas Summer Orchestra, Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra, and played with many other well-known orchestras both here and internationally; toured on Community Concert series; performed in faculty string quartets of several prestigeous institutions.

Dana Freeman
Levels of students accepted: All levels and ages of students.
Contact: (714) 761-5025 (studio); Danamusic@aol.com.
Where: Orange County. At my studio (anaheim) and Concordia University (Irvine).
Background/Special areas of expertise: I teach violin and viola. My latest videos on violin and viola. My latest videos on violin and viola instruction have just been released by Warner Brothers Publishing as part of the "Ultimate Beginner" Series. I am also working on a book for Mel Bay, entitled "Better Violin Playing in Ten Minutes a Day," with my co-author Daryl Silberman.

Lynn Lusher Grants
Levels of students accepted: Viola, all levels including adult; Violin beginning-intermediate
Contact: (818) 505-9654 home and (323) 856-7223 service
Where: Studio City
Background/Special areas of expertise: Contemporary music, symphonic, opera and ballet studies, chamber music; Adult beginners. Mentoring programs for elementary and middle schools. Usc and Cal Arts: BFA and MFA degrees.

Peter Hatch
Levels of students accepted: Viola/violin: All levels
Contact: home/studio (323) 665-2332 • ph@prodigitalrecords.com
Where: Los Feliz
Background/Special areas of expertise: Juilliard Graduate (BS & MS degrees), former member of Seattle Symphony, former first violist in Caracas, (Venezueala), Valladolid, (Spain), Festival Tibor Varga, (Switzerland), etc. Recitalist (The Magic of the Viola) in Los Angeles and in Spain and visiting Professor in Benidorm and Murcia, Spain. A professional studio player in Los Angeles for 20 years with several solo recordings, Peter Hatch offers many valuable insights about music and viola playing for students at every level. Especially good results with very young beginners.

John Hayhurst (member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Levels of students accepted: Advanced through intermediate.
Contact: (818) 957-3016: HeyJEH@aol.com
Where: Cal State Long Beach and at mone in La Crescenta, Glendale.
Special areas of expertise: Preparing advanced students or professionals for auditions. Also setting up bow arm and left hand (I was trained by Robert Vernon) using especially Bach, Kreutzer and Rode.

Piotr (Peter) Jandula
Levels of students accepted: All levels viola, beginners violin.
Contact: (818) 988-9833 or peter@piotrjandula.com (www.piotrjandula.com)
Where: At home in San Fernando Valley.
Background/Special areas of expertise: Chamber music coaching, stage fright. I am a seasoned player with experience in solo and chamber music repertoire. I have been a member of many orchestras in the US and Europe. In my teaching I use European violin school and visualization and imagination as necessary tools.

Donald McInnes
Levels of students accepted:
Contact:
Where:
Background/Special areas of expertise:

Victoria Miskolczy
Levels of students accepted: Intermed/adv, ages 10 and up.
Contact: (626) 798-8280.
Where: At home in Altadena.
Background/Special areas of expertise: Building foundations of technique. I am a former student of Donald McInnes and Karen Tuttle.

Andrew Picken
Levels of students accepted: All levels, primarily viola but also violin.
Contact: (818) 833-6887; or aepswrr@aol.com
Where: I am on the faculty of Loyola Marymount University.
Background/Special areas of expertise: I play with many of the local ensembles including the Glendale Symphony (Principal Viola) and the LA Opera orchestra (Assoc. Principal Viola).

John Scanlon
Levels of students accepted: All levels, prefer High School age and up. I have taught adult beginners and rather enjoy that.
Contact: (562) 498-8193; J32063@aol.com
Where: I do all of my teaching at my home in Long Beach.
Background/Special areas of expertise: I specialize in preparing students for auditions. I have taught Orchestra Excerpts and Audition Preparation for nine years at the Max Aronoff Institute in Seattle. I have also done quite a bit of coaching of college level students and chamber ensembles.

Daryl Silberman
Levels of students accepted: All.
Contact: (310) 838-2801; DarylDS2@aol.com.
Where: West LA/Palms, at my apartment, although I will travel for special cases on the west side.
Special areas of expertise: Working with students who play in an orchestra at school who need some lessons on the side. I'm happy to work with students who are only interested in occasional lessons. I enjoy working with students who are switching from violin to viola, and like to work with adult students to prepare them to play in chamber ensembles.

Hannah Skupen
Levels of students accepted: All levels.
Contact: (714) 572-1755; fax (714) 524-3785; hskupen@home.net; 123 Orange Grove Ave, Placentia, CA 92870-4848
Where: North Orange County (Placentia, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, Brea, Diamond bar, Anaheim).
Special areas of expertise: I specialize in very young students. I will take them as young as 4 and 5 years old.

David W. Smith
Levels of students accepted: Beginners-Intermed-Adult beginners; Viola and Violin
Contact: (562) 422-8625
Where: I travel to homes in all geographical areas.
Background/Special areas of expertise: I am a graduate of the Eastman School. I enjoy very much working with adult beginners, using a variety of materials in a relaxed, creative and stimulating atmosphere. I love to introduce adults to the joy of making music, proving that is is never too late to learn to play and instrument.

Anita Thomason
Levels of students accepted: Beginners, Intermediate and High School (no adult beginners).
Contact: (310) 837-7596 (answering machine); ixelles@sbcglobal.net or altviool@sbcglobal.net
Where: In my home studio in Culver City.
Special areas of expertise: Laying a very thorough foundation. analysis of the technical problems and remedial work. 33 years of private teaching experience have made me extremely familiar with the school music programs from which the students come, their strengths and weaknesses and expectations. I have terrific rapport with kids, elementary through high school.