Violin studies form an integral part of The European Academy of Arts music program. Many students begin their musical journey learning how to play the violin, one of the most versatile musical instruments.

Lessons are conducted individually. Teaching faculty is chosen to best suit the needs and abilities of a new student.

All violin lessons also involve music theory, and other related activities such as sightreading and ear training. Additional courses are offered to help strengthen a student’s grasp of those subjects.

All individual violin lessons are taught in clean and modern classrooms with acoustic pianos that are regularly tuned and maintained - something many competitors are unable to provide. Our faculty is highly professional and dedicated to sharing as much of their knowledge as possible with their students.

Our Faculty

Featured

Ko Sugiyama, violin, (visiting faculty)

Violinist Ko Sugiyama is Assistant Concertmaster of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra/Washington National Opera Orchestra, appointed by music director Philippe Auguin. In addition, he is one of the violinist for the King St. Quartet (an NSO Education Department In-School-Ensemble), faculty member for both the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and NSO Summer Music Institute, and also maintains a very inspiring private studio.

As soloist or chamber musician, Ko has performed in North America, Europe, Asia and has performed at major US venues such as Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd St. Y's Kauffman Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center’s Opera Hall, Severance Hall, Phillips Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum's McEvoy Theater, and the National Gallery of Art. He has collaborated with members of the Tokyo String Quartet, the Keller String Quartet, the 21st Century Consort, Phillips Camerata, Paul Katz, Nicholas McGegan, Jeremy Denk, Daniel Blumenthal, Ole Akahoshi, and with his fellow members of the KCOHO/WNOO.

Ko received his Bachelors degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music while studying under Paul Kantor. During his time in Cleveland he was also a member of the CIM Intensive Quartet Seminar where he received coachings from Peter Salaff and the Cavani String Quartet. He continued on with his studies at the Juilliard School as a recipient of the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship and subsequently received his Master of Music degree studying under Masao Kawasaki. At Juilliard, his chamber music coaches included Fred Sherry, Sylvia Rosenberg, and Darrett Adkins. Previous to his appointment as Assistant Concertmaster of KCOHO/WNOO, Ko spent four years as a fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL. As a fellow, he gave multiple subscription concerts as soloist with NWS, chamber music performances, world premiere performances, recital performances, and lecture/educational recitals.

August ‘19

Photo Credit: Ronald Ji Photography

Gersh Chervinsky, Violin

Gersh Chervinsky is a professional concert violinist and violin teacher. Gersh is the second-award winner of the Cremona Festival and
Competition (Italy, 2012), and was a participant in the London Purcell School Music Festival
(England, 2013), and the Keshet Eilon Festival (Israel, 2019).

He has performed with star musicians such as Joshua Bell, Norman Kreeger, Sarah
Daneshpour, Amit Peled and others.
Gersh collaborates with the Washington Bach Consort, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra,
and the Apollo Orchestra as the associate concertmaster. Trained at the Moscow Conservatory, Jacobs School of Music, and Peabody Institute of Music, he exhibits the finest traditions of modern and baroque violin playing.

Gersh is an enthusiastic educator. He has extensive teaching experience. He taught college students at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as an associate instructor of violin. He also taught exceptionally gifted pre-college students at the IU Summer String Academy.

Michael Munayer

Mr. Munayer graduated from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Instrumental Music, emphasis in Violin and Music Education. He has done one year of graduate studies in violin performance at George Mason University and received a Performance Certificate for violin from the Siena Institute of Music in Italy. Mr. Munayer has played in numerous orchestras and solo recitals in the Northern Virginia area. He has performed with the World Civic Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, and Alice Tully Hall. Mr. Munayer played in Switzerland & Italy, chamber, solo, and orchestral music.

Mr. Munayer has twenty years of private lesson experience and works as an orchestra director in the public schools. In 2008, he was featured in the "Prince William News and Messenger" for his solo performance in the Prince William County faculty recital. In 2010, he was interviewed in the Bull Run Observer about the importance of teaching young children to learn a string instrument.

Mr. Munayer has served as violin Judge for All-State Senior Orchestra Auditions and as an adjudicator for Solo & Ensemble Festival in Maryland and Virginia. He is a member of (ASTA) American Strings Teachers Association, (NAME) Music education organization for music teachers.

His goal is to encourage students to have a passion of learning and performing music to the best of their ability.

Earle Perez, Cello

Earle Perez, cello, grew up in the Northern Virginia area and began his studies at the Prince William County Schools String program. He completed a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from West Virginia University as a student of William Skidmore and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from University of Notre Dame as a student of Karen Buranskas. After graduate school he chose to remain in South Bend, IN, where he established a freelance career, as Principal Cellist with the Southwest Michigan Symphony for 18 years, and performing regularly with South Bend Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and Ft Wayne Philharmonic. While freelancing, he also maintained “day jobs,” which included the Director of Operations for the South Bend Symphony, in charge of Concert Production, Orchestra Personnel and Guest Artist Relations. In 2015 Earle relocated back to the East coast, and spent a year with the Hartford (CT) Symphony as their Production Manager before moving to back to home to Northern VA.