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4802 Monona Drive, Monona, WI 53716Monday to Thursday: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. · Saturday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. · Friday and Sunday: ClosedMonday to Thursday: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.(608) 555-0111
Vibrato String SchoolMonona, WI
Book a placement visit
Book a placement visit

Cello and viola school

Cello and viola, one steady step at a time

Vibrato is a small string school with five teachers. Lessons are private, on weekday afternoons and evenings, and on Saturday mornings students play together in ensembles grouped by level.

Book a placement visitSee the Saturday ensemble
  • Ages 8 and up
  • Lessons of 30, 45 or 60 minutes
  • Saturday ensembles by level
Hands on a cello fingerboard drawing a bow across the strings

Levels

From first position to a seat in the ensemble

Five steps for cello and viola. Every student moves at their own pace, and your teacher decides each step with you.

  1. 01

    First position

    Ages 8 and up, and adults
    Skills

    • Sitting with the instrument at the right size and height

    • Open strings and a relaxed bow hold

    • The first finger patterns on two strings

    Moving up

    Your teacher moves you on when the bow and the left hand work together on a simple tune.

  2. 02

    Bow and rhythm

    After first position
    Skills

    • Long and short bow strokes

    • Reading notes and simple rhythms in first position

    • Playing a duet with your teacher

    Moving up

    You move on when you can read a short piece and keep a steady beat.

  3. 03

    Wider keys

    After bow and rhythm
    Skills

    • Extended finger patterns and more keys

    • Louder and softer playing, and phrasing

    • The first move up the neck

    Moving up

    You move on when the keys and the first shift are comfortable in a piece.

  4. 04

    Moving around

    After wider keys
    Skills

    • Shifting between positions

    • Scales across two octaves

    • A first look at vibrato

    Moving up

    You move on when shifting is steady and you can learn a part on your own.

  5. 05

    Ready for ensemble

    After moving around
    Skills

    • Playing your own part inside a section

    • Tuning with others and counting rests

    • Following a conductor

    Moving up

    Players at this level take a seat in Ensemble B on Saturdays.

Where to startBook a placement visit

Sample levels.

Saturday ensemble

Saturday mornings, by level

Cellists and violists rehearse together, with a teacher at the front and a piano part, in the group that fits their level.

See the Saturday ensemble
  • Saturdays, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

    Ensemble A

    Levels 2 and 3. Players learn to read together and keep one beat.

  • Saturdays, 9:45 to 11 a.m.

    Ensemble B

    Levels 4 and 5. Cello and viola parts, rehearsed in sections.

  • Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

    Adult strings

    Any level. Adults rehearse at an unhurried pace.

Our teachers

Five teachers, one string room

The days beside each name are the days that teacher is in the studio.

  • Edmund Sanborn, director and cello teacher, seated with a cello and bow in a lesson room

    Edmund Sanborn

    Director · Cello · Mon, Tue, Sat

    Edmund opened Vibrato to teach cello the way he wished he had been taught: one clear step at a time. He teaches cellists of every age and conducts Ensemble B on Saturdays.

  • Samira Hammad, cello teacher, seated with a cello in a lesson room

    Samira Hammad

    Cello · Tue, Wed, Thu

    Samira teaches cello to school orchestra students and leads Ensemble A on Saturdays. She likes a first lesson that ends with a tune you can hum on the way home.

  • Crispin Echavarria, viola teacher, seated with a viola on his knee

    Crispin Echavarria

    Viola · Mon, Wed, Thu

    Crispin teaches viola, and cello to adults who come back to it. His lessons start with sound and posture, and move to music the student picks.

  • Avis Radcliffe, viola and cello teacher, playing a viola in a quiet lesson room

    Avis Radcliffe

    Viola and cello · Tue, Thu, Sat

    Avis teaches adult students on weekday evenings and leads the Saturday adult strings group. A student who has not played in years is a favorite first lesson of hers.

  • Sayaka Mizuno, collaborative pianist, seated at an upright piano in a lesson room

    Sayaka Mizuno

    Collaborative pianist · Wed, Sat

    Sayaka plays the piano part for every Saturday group and for the concerts. She also helps students learn to listen across a section.

The year

Concerts and the year at a glance

Families and friends are always welcome to listen.

This school year

  • Open rehearsal

    Late August · Sit in on a Saturday rehearsal, meet the teachers and hold an instrument.

  • Fall term begins

    Early September · Weekly lessons and Saturday ensembles start.

  • Studio sharing

    Late October · Ensembles play for each other and for families in the studio.

  • Winter ensemble concert

    Mid December · All three Saturday groups play, with piano.

  • Winter break

    Late December · The studio is closed for lessons and ensembles.

  • Winter term begins

    Early January · Lessons and ensembles start again.

  • Studio recital

    April · Solos and duets for cello and viola. Playing is each student's choice.

  • Spring ensemble concert

    May · The last Saturday of the year, with all three groups.

Sample dates.

Questions

What families ask us first

All questions

What age can a student start?

We teach students from age eight, and adults of any age. For a younger child, ask us about a placement visit and we will talk it through with you.

How long is a lesson?

Lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Length depends on the student's age and level and what the week's work needs, and your teacher will suggest one.

Do I need my own instrument?

Not at first. Cellos and violas come in sizes, and a student outgrows a size. Ask your teacher before you buy or rent. We rent cellos and violas in the sizes students need.

How are teachers matched?

At a placement visit a teacher listens to you play, or to you say what you hope to learn, and we match you by instrument, level and the days you can come.

Can a parent sit in?

Yes. A parent is welcome to sit in on any lesson, and many do for the first few weeks. There is a bench for waiting outside every lesson room.

What is a placement visit?

A short first meeting. You play or talk, we listen, and a teacher suggests a level and a weekly time. You do not need to prepare a piece.