Viola Lessons in Longmont, CO
Holly Petersen teaches viola at Mojo's, bringing a classically trained ear from her years of orchestral and academic study.
Why Learn Viola at Mojo's
Holly Petersen holds bachelor's degrees from CU Boulder and performs with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. She teaches violin, viola, and cello, so students get an instructor who understands the whole string family, not just one instrument.
Holly Petersen
Holds bachelor's degrees from CU Boulder and performs with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, teaching violin, viola, and cello with a classically trained ear.
A Viola Program for Every Age, Ability and Style
Often called the soulful heart of the string family, the viola pairs the portability of a violin with the dark, resonant warmth of a cello. Because the instrument is slightly larger with thicker strings, mastering it is all about finding natural leverage and physical ease. Whether you are picking it up for the first time or leveling up your orchestral playing, our curriculum builds these essential skills:
- Balanced Ergonomics & Strain-Free Setup: Fitting the shoulder rest and chinrest so the instrument balances naturally on the collarbone, allowing the neck and shoulders to stay completely relaxed without clamping down.
- Deep Bow Weight & Activating the Low C-String: Tapping into natural arm weight rather than muscle force, learning how to grab the thicker viola strings to produce a rich, velvety core sound with zero scratchiness.
- Wider Finger Spacing & Elastic Hand Framing: Cultivating a flexible, arched left hand that accommodates the viola’s longer fingerboard stretches, keeping fingers nimble without squeezing the neck.
- Mastering Alto Clef & Fretless Intonation: Demystifying the viola’s unique native clef and training the ear to listen for sympathetic vibration—the instrument’s natural ring when notes are played perfectly in tune.
- Fluid Shifting Between Positions: Gliding smoothly from lower positions up into 3rd, 4th, and 5th positions by releasing finger weight and leading with the forearm, eliminating awkward jumps and tension.
- Warm, Expansive Vibrato: Developing a broader, more relaxed arm-and-wrist motion tailored to the viola’s deep acoustic resonance, turning sustained melodies into rich, vocal phrases.
- Dynamic Bow Articulations: Exploring versatile bow strokes—from floating, delicate legato to crisp, bouncing spiccato—giving you the projection and color needed to stand out as a soloist or blend inside an ensemble.
"Outstanding instruction, great people and great music."
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