Jeanine Lafitte, Cello Instructor

Jeanine Lafitte recently earned her Master’s degree in Cello Performance at the University of Tennessee, studying under Professor Wesley Baldwin.  She had previously earned a Bachelor’s in Cello Performance from the University of Oregon.

Her teaching experience includes teaching privately as well as teaching at both universities.  At UT, she served with Dr. Baldwin as his teaching assistant, in addition to coaching with the Knoxville Youth Symphony.

Her orchestral experience is considerable, having played with nearly a dozen orchestras in the East Tennessee area, including the Oak Ridge Symphony and the Knoxville Symphony. 

“To me, playing cello is an ongoing learning experience,” she smiles. “I hope I never stop growing!   I’ve learned a lot from Dr. Baldwin, and it’s rewarding to pass it on to my students,” she emphasizes. 

A typical lesson usually includes work on scales and etudes as well as fun pieces.  “I enjoy playing duets with my students, too.  It helps improving music reading skills, and that’s important,” she points out. Understanding basic music theory, from simple intervals to more advanced concepts is included at all levels of accomplishment.
 
She feels that anytime is a good age to start and will consider students as young as 7 or 8.  “I’ve taught students younger than that, and often it’s hard to keep them on course during the lesson.” she feels.