Music Lessons with Performance Coaching and Technique Focus at Boston University

I am Larisa Kholodnaya, a native of Moscow, Russia, where I received my bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Moscow State Institute of Music in the class of Natalia Pustovaya, a premier soloist of the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow. In 1996 I moved to the United States, where I continued my music career, performing with various opera companies and concert venues. In 2009 I received my Master Degree in Music Education from Boston University. From 2009 to 2016 I resided in Vienna, Austria, where I sang multiple solos recitals, regularly appeared in the Akademietheather, and participated in the concerts on the famous stage of Goldener Saal in Musikverein. I also worked as a Visiting Professor of Voice at the Wiener Musikakademie in Vienna, Austria. I have over 25 years of teaching experience, and currently teach piano, voice, and violin classes in Houston, the United States, and virtually.

My educational philosophy is based on the belief that music is much more than just making sounds come out of an instrument or a voice. Music experience benefits overall human development, enhances reading and mathematical skills, supports language development, and nurtures higher level of reasoning skills. The primary goal of a teacher is to make music a joyful experience that nurtures and supports the development of healthy, happy human beings who grow into lifelong music makers. The variety of music experiences and learning modes used in music curriculum should provide opportunities for every student to gain confidence and a sense of self-esteem. I believe that music lessons l should become a departure point for developing creativity. The teacher as a creator should become a model for students to function more creatively on their own. It is my overall goal to incorporate music into students' lives as a part of the well-rounded growth as a human being and to impact every student’s life in a positive way with music!