Testimonials

“Kyle has been studying the violin under Carmen's guidance for over seven years, starting at the age of nine with a ¾ size violin. Under Carmen's expert instruction, Kyle has progressed from a novice to becoming a valuable member of his high school orchestra. In spring 2024, he had the honor of performing with his orchestra at the esteemed Berliner Philharmoniker in Germany.

Carmen's compassionate teaching and high standards have been instrumental in Kyle's development. Her meticulous attention to detail ensured he established a strong technical foundation early on.

Kyle consistently achieves excellent marks from the RCM for his technical skills and musical presentations. Carmen's support and dedication was particularly invaluable during the pandemic, when in-person classes were impossible. Despite the challenges, Kyle continued to progress under Carmen's mentoring through online lessons over Zoom for over a year.

Currently preparing for his RCM Level 10 exam, Kyle is confident in achieving outstanding results with Carmen's ongoing support. We are deeply grateful that Kyle has had the privilege of learning from Carmen for more than seven years and eagerly anticipate his future accomplishments in music under her mentorship.”

— Jerry Wang, parent

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“I spent many years searching for a teacher who resonated with my passion for playing the violin; when I met Carmen, it all fell into place. Carmen challenged my violin skills in manners which were engaging and foundational to the performing I participated in outside of her studio, and with the biannual recitals she hosted.

I was able to thrive and fall in love with playing all over again, and it was thanks to Carmen's encouragement and evident love for music. I recommend her to anyone who's considering taking lessons at any level: She creates an inspiring environment, which allows you to satisfyingly improve and gain confidence in your performance.

— Moineau Shin Binon, student

I am writing to express my gratitude for the incredible progress my daughter, Jasmine Sun, has made in her violin learning under your guidance.

Jasmine began learning the violin with you in December 2022. In just a year and a half, she has not only developed her technical skills but also gained a deep appreciation for music. Your patience and encouragement have been key to her success. You have created a supportive environment where students feel comfortable exploring their potential and embracing the learning process. Your emphasis on not being afraid to make mistakes has been particularly valuable, fostering confidence and resilience in her.

Moreover, you have provided many opportunities for your students to learn and shine. The Masterclasses, Spring Recitals, and Winter Recitals you organized have been wonderful platforms for Jasmine to showcase her progress, gain performance experience, and learn from her peers. These events have been instrumental in building Jasmine’s confidence and enthusiasm for playing the violin.

You go above and beyond to ensure that each child receives personalized attention and guidance, tailoring your teaching approach to meet their individual needs. Your commitment has made a significant difference in my daughter’s musical development and has instilled in her a love for music that I am sure will last a lifetime.

Thank you for being such an inspiring and supportive teacher. We look forward to many more years of musical growth and learning with you.

— Sharon Wu, parent

“When we first arrived to Toronto I was looking for the best teacher for my 9 years old daughter, someone who I can trust that will continue her musical education and violin playing techniques while giving a role model to look upon. Luckly we found Carmen – she was exactly the one I was looking for!

From the first moment you and Yara had a click! Yara barely knew English, she just arrived from a different continent, but yet she felt secure and enthusiastic in the lessons. She went home and wanted actually to practice the violin! I never reminded her to do her practice, she was happy and ready on time for Carmen's classes, and very quickly the [Yara’s] communication improved along with her playing and musical capabilities, after every lesson I could notice advancement in Yara's playing. Yara was so proud of herself and made me a very happy and proud mom! I really thank you for this wonderful year, Yara advanced and flourished and most importantly in music she enjoyed it.

For a musical teacher especially for such a hard instrument you need exactly Carmen – talented, smart, experienced, fun, gentle and yet firm on musical rules – I say it with all my heart – She is the best!”

— Waffa Bellan, parent

“My daughter is in her ninth year of violin, with the last three years with the amazing Ms. Carmen. She [Carmen] is detail-oriented, wanting to bring out the best in my daughter, but manages to balance this with exceptional patience. Ms. Carmen focuses on the individual student's needs and desires and is flexible in her teaching to achieve this. She is exceptional at soliciting student feedback throughout the lesson and encouraging student responsibility and ownership.

When an opportunity to purchase a new violin for my daughter arose, Ms. Carmen took the time with my daughter teaching her how to evaluate and choose the best instrument for her. This was an invaluable experience.

Ms. Carmen['s] positive energy and love of music is contagious. We feel very fortunate to have her as a violin teacher.”

— Barbara L., parent

“Carmen has created a very fun and supportive environment for learning violin. Our daughter looks forward to going each week. Carmen's recitals are warm community events that provide a great introduction to rehearsal and performance. I would recommend the Cavatina Violin Studio to learners of all ages and skill levels.”

— Evan Clarke, parent

“After my first lesson with Carmen I knew I had found a respectable, wonderful and competent teacher. Carmen's passion, positive energy and outlook on music comes through with every lesson. I have never learnt this much about music and about myself in such a short period of time.

Carmen has helped me come out of my shell, and play with confidence and gusto. In just a few short months, Carmen has completely changed my perspective and experience about music from a negative to a highly positive one. I look forward to an amazing year!”

— Natasha Soda, student

“Carmen's fastidious ear for music allows her to observe your performance flaws as you begin playing the first few notes. It might be possible for many instructors to spot the weaknesses of a performer; however, Carmen's capability to point to the root cause and propose an exercise to address the weakness is what makes her an excellent mentor.”

— Arshan Naji, student

“Being an adult learner I was nervous to go and start having lessons with no musical background, but Carmen was very encouraging and great at setting the pace of lessons, giving me relevant feedback, and allowing me to make choices regarding many aspects of my lessons.

She is amazing at identifying my learning style, and takes the time to explain difficult concepts until I am able to understand them. I always look forward to my lessons with her.”

— Sandra Flanigan, student

“We feel incredibly lucky to have met Ms. Carmen three years ago. Thanks to her creative and engaging teaching style, my daughter has truly enjoyed her violin lessons and developed a genuine love for the instrument. Ms. Carmen’s calm and patient personality made each lesson a positive experience, and she always supported my child with warmth and encouragement.

As a parent, I really appreciated how she kept us informed about progress and recital preparation. She is a wonderfully talented and thoughtful teacher who truly inspires her students.”

— Kumiko Tsuda, parent