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Dennis
- Rate R820
- Response 1h
-
Students12
Number of students Dennis has accompanied since joining Superprof
Number of students Dennis has accompanied since joining Superprof

R820/h
1st lesson free
- Violin
Experienced tutor in Violin in Mechanicsville, Dennis offers private lessons tailored to your needs.
- Violin
Lesson location
Recommended
Dennis is a respected tutor in our community. He is highly recommended for his commitment and the quality of his lessons. A trusted partner on your learning journey.
About Dennis
From over 20 years of experience, my lessons are fun, full of variety, and productive. I enjoy teaching children as young as 4 years of age, as well as teaching adults. I am a certified Suzuki teacher. The Suzuki method is recognized world-wide.
I enjoy seeing my pupils cultivate a love and appreciation for the violin. Their increasing confidence in themselves is gratifying.
I lived in South America for 20 years, teaching theological seminary courses, helping to start local churches, and giving musical presentations with my family. When we returned to the U.S., I decided to teach others what I had always enjoyed--the unique music of the violin. I explored different methods of teaching and eventually chose the Suzuki method for its clear and well-organized program. After studying for a summer with a recognized Suzuki teacher, I began my teaching career. I continued to pursue further training through the excellent Teacher Certification program of the Suzuki of the Americas organization. For the last 27 years, I have continued to teach with this program.
I began my violin studies at the age of 7 and continued private studies through college under the expert tutelage of Dr. Frederick Neumann. My graduate studies and 20 years of experience were in the area of church leadership and pastoring. I continued violin studies while living abroad, as well as Suzuki Teacher Certification courses in the U.S. I am computer-literate, having created software for music studios and other areas. I utilize computer-aided tools in my teaching. I have been teaching violin since 1993.
About the lesson
- All levels
- English
Languages in which the lesson is available :
English
The new student learns a couple of songs in the very first lesson. They continue to learn from listening to recordings and watching videos, watching the teacher and repeating what they have learned. We use games and visuals to reinforce learning. I use graded materials that help the student to progress at highly-graduated steps.
I have taught children as young as 3 years of age (I prefer at least 4 years of age) through the teens. I also enjoy teaching adults. My pupils have come from all types of background, race, ethnicity and gender. Each one has come with their unique personality--some very shy and cautious, others wide open and adventurous. Some have had learning challenges; some have been musically gifted. All have learned to appreciate and to play the violin.
If the pupil is a child, preference should be given to finding a teacher who knows how to relate to and motivate a child. The teacher should be proficient on the violin and able to communicate its essence. The lessons should be fun, variable and age-appropriate. The bulk of the learning takes place during practice; thus, the parent of a young pupil should be an observer in the lessons and supervisor in the practice. The ideal situation could be for the parent to learn along with the child.
A few things worth thinking about before reaching out
1. Am I captivated by sounds of this instrument?
2. Am I willing to dedicate a part of every day to practicing, with perhaps one day off each week? (In the case of a young child, the parent must also be willing to dedicate time.) To learn to play the violin beautifully, a commitment of several years is needed.
Reviews
All the reviews collected from students are verified by our team. They are therefore reliable and correspond to a real experience with Dennis.
Perfect! Dennis is a great teacher. He has a ton of experience and is very patient with my development. I also work full time and Dennis has been accommodating with the amount of practice I get each week.
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Recommendations
Recommendations are written by the tutor's friends, family, and acquaintances.
Dennis is patient and very kind. He has a great understanding of the learning materials and it really enhances my lessons. His instruction has made learning the violin a very rewarding experience.
Mr. McEntire was my daughter’s first violin teacher. He is a kind, patient, and knowledgeable instructor. He was especially patient when my daughter asked about advanced skills she had seen others perform but was not quite ready to do herself. He taught her proper playing techniques and gave her a solid foundation on which to grow her abilities.
Dennis is a great teacher. He has taught my daughter from when she first started into middle school. She excels in her Strings class. She is comfortable playing solo, in duets, and within the orchestra. He is patient in his teaching. He expects his students to practice and teaches them best ways to practice. I recommend him for lessons for all levels.
Mr McEntire is the kindest, most patient man on the planet!
He launched my daughter's violin career when she was only 5 years old and guided her through five of the Suzuki Violin Books. She always looked forward to her time with Mr McEntire and we were both sad when he suggested that we find a teacher to "take her to the next level".
She is now 19 and has an impressive resume of performances and accomplishments (including Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts, Virginia South Central Senior Regional Orchestra, and the Hanover All-County Orchestra Concertmaster.)
We were so fortunate to have had Mr McEntire as her teacher and champion to build such a great foundation for her music as well as her personal development through those formative years.
THANK YOU!!!!!I enjoyed learning beginner violin with Mr. McEntire. He taught me to play the violin using the Suzuki method and the lessons were thoroughly organized. I can’t wait to learn more! He’s very patient and is extremely knowledgeable in violin playing. I am very pleased!
Dennis McEntire has been teaching our daughter for 7 years. His patience and guidance have encouraged her and inspired her to play songs that she felt were too difficult. He lets her work on a piece of music at her own pace and reviews the parts that give her trouble. He has recitals ,which are not only a great opportunity for family to see how much the students have learned, but also a great confidence builder for them. She is learning to play an instrument that she enjoys and learning about music theory in the process. We are very happy with Dennis and look forward to hearing more music that she learns with his guidance.
Mr. McEntire is very patient and always offers great advice on the violin! I am so grateful to have him an instructor and highly recommend!
His violin, teaching skills and his patience with the students. Great violinist and a fantastic teacher.
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Rates
Rate
- R820
Package rates
- 5h: R4100
- 10h: R8200
free lesson
The free first lesson with Dennis allows you to get to know the tutor and discuss your needs and expectations.
- 1h
online
- R820/h
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