"If you can't teach yourself, no one can."

THE METHOD

• Students as autodidacts: In her teaching approach, Mayer strongly emphasizes self-directed learning and problem solving in music. Her innovative teaching concept was recently accepted and published by Music in Society, Vienna. Find the full article “ If You Can’t Teach Yourself, No One Can,” here.

• The Mayer Method: A practice method designed by Timna Mayer for college-level violin students. It is based off of a collection of technique exercises developed by William Henley, integrating a broad spectrum of basic violin technique (scales, double stops, left hand technique, etc.). Timna Mayer uses the Henley Modern Violin School as a tool to develop her students' auditory abilities and get them used to an organized, daily practice schedule.

• Strategic Practice: In her workshop on strategic practice Timna Mayer teaches students how to find solutions to technical, musical, and emotional challanges that may arise during violin practice. The students develop practice methods within numerous categories ranging from physical to preparatory exercises.

• Right Hemispheric Learning: Timna Mayer's focus on right hemispheric learning stems from her research based on the analysis of bilateral cognitive processing. Her paper on Alfred Schnittke's compositional development, pre- and post stroke, has earned her a teaching assistantship at Ithaca College.