Violin Lessons and Teacher Training:
Contact Me if interested in setting up a single coaching (single student or chamber music group), or regular, weekly lessons.
I teach full-time at my private violin studio in San Antonio, TX.
I haven't met a parent yet who has has introduced me to their 8 year old child and said: "I want my child to become a professional violinist!"
However, most parents seem interested in prioritizing the violin, making significant progress so that students can feel successful in group playing environments, and eventually see the violin as a lifelong pursuit and creative ownership activity. Most students seem interested in developing a sense of mastery, playing a variety of solo pieces, and receiving positive attention from their parents.
Some students do have professional aspirations, and for those students, I have a great track record with audition preparation and matching students with appropriate collegiate programs.
In my approach, I try to be flexible and take into consideration the outlook of each family that I meet. Student's who make significant progress tend to prioritize and schedule at least 30-60 minutes per day of at-home practice.
I organize between 4-6 optional recital opportunities each year for students.
More info on private lessons here.
Teacher Training
I've self-published a beginning workbook called "Violin Songs and Hand Shapes," as well as "Viola Songs and Hand Shapes." My intention in compiling the pieces in this volume is to offer an alternative repertoire set that can be used as a flexible model for the artist teaching of beginning students and transfer students, starting around 6-8 years of age and up.
This volume prioritizes:
- Legato, singing tone through the learning of short songs. The songs have historical or cultural significance.
- A straightforward, open structure, that allows for the adding or removing of works studied.
- Left hand organization, as viewed through tetrachord hand shapes.
- Early development of comprehensive reading skills and fingerboard knowledge in the 1st position.
- Expressive bow work with the deliberate naming of bow strokes.
I frequently use this volume in private instruction and find it to be an invaluable tool for building a strong foundation of violin skills and practice techniques.
It's available, free of charge as a PDF download on my teaching site: zerweckviolin.com
If you're interested in learning more about this volume, or participating in teaching training classes, please contact me.
Contact Me if interested in setting up a single coaching (single student or chamber music group), or regular, weekly lessons.
I teach full-time at my private violin studio in San Antonio, TX.
I haven't met a parent yet who has has introduced me to their 8 year old child and said: "I want my child to become a professional violinist!"
However, most parents seem interested in prioritizing the violin, making significant progress so that students can feel successful in group playing environments, and eventually see the violin as a lifelong pursuit and creative ownership activity. Most students seem interested in developing a sense of mastery, playing a variety of solo pieces, and receiving positive attention from their parents.
Some students do have professional aspirations, and for those students, I have a great track record with audition preparation and matching students with appropriate collegiate programs.
In my approach, I try to be flexible and take into consideration the outlook of each family that I meet. Student's who make significant progress tend to prioritize and schedule at least 30-60 minutes per day of at-home practice.
I organize between 4-6 optional recital opportunities each year for students.
More info on private lessons here.
Teacher Training
I've self-published a beginning workbook called "Violin Songs and Hand Shapes," as well as "Viola Songs and Hand Shapes." My intention in compiling the pieces in this volume is to offer an alternative repertoire set that can be used as a flexible model for the artist teaching of beginning students and transfer students, starting around 6-8 years of age and up.
This volume prioritizes:
- Legato, singing tone through the learning of short songs. The songs have historical or cultural significance.
- A straightforward, open structure, that allows for the adding or removing of works studied.
- Left hand organization, as viewed through tetrachord hand shapes.
- Early development of comprehensive reading skills and fingerboard knowledge in the 1st position.
- Expressive bow work with the deliberate naming of bow strokes.
I frequently use this volume in private instruction and find it to be an invaluable tool for building a strong foundation of violin skills and practice techniques.
It's available, free of charge as a PDF download on my teaching site: zerweckviolin.com
If you're interested in learning more about this volume, or participating in teaching training classes, please contact me.
I also perform frequently with Camerata San Antonio,
direct Cadenza Academy of San Antonio's String Quartet Seminar,
post occasionally to Teaching Blog: ZerweckViolin.com,
and moderate the SA Private Teacher Directory.
direct Cadenza Academy of San Antonio's String Quartet Seminar,
post occasionally to Teaching Blog: ZerweckViolin.com,
and moderate the SA Private Teacher Directory.
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http://thediek.com/upontheawfultree
Here me play on an Independent Film Soundtrack (link above) I had the opportunity to record the solo violin parts for Matt Diekman's short film, Upon the Awful Tree, with original score by Matt Dunne. One of the main characters, the Devil, is represented by virtuosic, gypsy-style violin playing. There are some adult themes, please use discretion. |
Camerata SA: Martinu from Classical Spotlight on Vimeo.
Recent Reviews and Articles:
At the Alamo.
March 17, 2017
"This performance was notable first of all for exceptional care in preparation from first to last, as evidenced by finely balanced chordings, a consistency of rhythmic style and superb clarity of all voices, even in the thickest textures of the fugue. The performance was never in doubt as to what it wanted to be, but it also managed to sound spontaneous. Some details were especially memorable – Mr. Zerweck’s snappy rhythms in the second movement (presto); the supple, earnest phrasing in the tender fifth movement (cavatina); the ferocious start of the fugue. "
October 20th, 2016
"Matthew Zerweck (first violin) and Kenneth Freudigman (cello) favored the take-no-prisoners approach, though without compromising tonal beauty..."
January 12th, 2016
"...Mr. Zerweck’s magnificent portamenti on strategic notes were by themselves worth the price of admission. "
September 17th, 2015
"Haydn’s “Fifths” Quartet (Op. 76, No. 2) and the third of Beethoven’s middle-period “Razumovsky” Quartets were familiar territory, but the view was made fresh by first violin Matthew Zerweck’s consistently trenchant phrasing — musical, of course, but also rhetorical, as though he were an actor speaking great texts, naturally and without evident cunning. Never before have I heard the first-violin part in a Haydn quartet played with such throughgoing specificity of meaning."
April 25th, 2015 Incidentlight.com
"Once again violinist Matthew Zerweck showed remarkable intensity and, in his opening solo in the Ginastera third movement, poised eloquence."
November 25th, 2014 Incidentlight.com
"Mr. Zerweck, first violin in the Szymanowski and only violin in the Penderecki, once again proved himself to be a musician of the first rank — secure, intelligent, vital. Friends, seize every opportunity to hear this fellow play while you still can; there’s no way he’ll not have a globe-hopping career if he wants it"
October 8th 2014 Incidentlight.com
"The Shostakovich drew a particularly brilliant performance from Matthew Zerweck, who played first violin in both works. His rhythmic acuity, his care with dynamics and his utterly convincing details of phrasing and articulation elevated this to one
of the greatest chamber-music performances in my experience."
June 3rd, 2014 - Incidentlight.com
"In the Mendelssohn, which assigns the first violin the clear leadership role, Mr. Zerweck
surpassed his usual high standard of assertiveness, accuracy and rhythmic acuity. This wasn’t just remarkably able musicianship; it was unrestrained, compelling magic. "
September 30th 2012 - Incidentlight.com
"[Zerweck] proved once again to be one of San Antonio’s brightest young talents, a musician great verve, intensity and depth."
March 25, 2011 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance was equal to an international standard all around. Mr. Garza’s brilliance and Mr. Zerweck’s muscular playing were especially winning." .
Jan 20th, 2011 Jack Fishman Interview
An interview before my solo debut in San Antonio.
Jan 23rd, 2011- Jack Fishman
"This afternoon violinist Matthew Zerweck demonstrated a side of his musical personality that I did not know about until today.
Certainly not a side you’ll hear often at the San Antonio Symphony."
Feb 9th, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance, by violinist Matthew Zerweck and violist Lauren Magnus, was polished, taut and energetic.
Both players were fully engaged with the music, with each other and with the audience. "
October 18, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The excellent musicians were violinists Matthew Zerweck (who impressed with his astonishingly accurate pitch in the instrument’s
highest register in the mournful “Canto de Velorio” movement) and Sayaka Okada, violist Emily Freudigman and cellist Kenneth Freudigman."
October 27, 2010 Incidentlight.com
"It was given a terrific performance -- fearless, energetic, vividly colored -- by violinist Matthew Zerweck
(one of the brightest gems on the San Antonio Symphony’s roster) and [Warren] Jones."
"This performance was notable first of all for exceptional care in preparation from first to last, as evidenced by finely balanced chordings, a consistency of rhythmic style and superb clarity of all voices, even in the thickest textures of the fugue. The performance was never in doubt as to what it wanted to be, but it also managed to sound spontaneous. Some details were especially memorable – Mr. Zerweck’s snappy rhythms in the second movement (presto); the supple, earnest phrasing in the tender fifth movement (cavatina); the ferocious start of the fugue. "
October 20th, 2016
"Matthew Zerweck (first violin) and Kenneth Freudigman (cello) favored the take-no-prisoners approach, though without compromising tonal beauty..."
January 12th, 2016
"...Mr. Zerweck’s magnificent portamenti on strategic notes were by themselves worth the price of admission. "
September 17th, 2015
"Haydn’s “Fifths” Quartet (Op. 76, No. 2) and the third of Beethoven’s middle-period “Razumovsky” Quartets were familiar territory, but the view was made fresh by first violin Matthew Zerweck’s consistently trenchant phrasing — musical, of course, but also rhetorical, as though he were an actor speaking great texts, naturally and without evident cunning. Never before have I heard the first-violin part in a Haydn quartet played with such throughgoing specificity of meaning."
April 25th, 2015 Incidentlight.com
"Once again violinist Matthew Zerweck showed remarkable intensity and, in his opening solo in the Ginastera third movement, poised eloquence."
November 25th, 2014 Incidentlight.com
"Mr. Zerweck, first violin in the Szymanowski and only violin in the Penderecki, once again proved himself to be a musician of the first rank — secure, intelligent, vital. Friends, seize every opportunity to hear this fellow play while you still can; there’s no way he’ll not have a globe-hopping career if he wants it"
October 8th 2014 Incidentlight.com
"The Shostakovich drew a particularly brilliant performance from Matthew Zerweck, who played first violin in both works. His rhythmic acuity, his care with dynamics and his utterly convincing details of phrasing and articulation elevated this to one
of the greatest chamber-music performances in my experience."
June 3rd, 2014 - Incidentlight.com
"In the Mendelssohn, which assigns the first violin the clear leadership role, Mr. Zerweck
surpassed his usual high standard of assertiveness, accuracy and rhythmic acuity. This wasn’t just remarkably able musicianship; it was unrestrained, compelling magic. "
September 30th 2012 - Incidentlight.com
"[Zerweck] proved once again to be one of San Antonio’s brightest young talents, a musician great verve, intensity and depth."
March 25, 2011 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance was equal to an international standard all around. Mr. Garza’s brilliance and Mr. Zerweck’s muscular playing were especially winning." .
Jan 20th, 2011 Jack Fishman Interview
An interview before my solo debut in San Antonio.
Jan 23rd, 2011- Jack Fishman
"This afternoon violinist Matthew Zerweck demonstrated a side of his musical personality that I did not know about until today.
Certainly not a side you’ll hear often at the San Antonio Symphony."
Feb 9th, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance, by violinist Matthew Zerweck and violist Lauren Magnus, was polished, taut and energetic.
Both players were fully engaged with the music, with each other and with the audience. "
October 18, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The excellent musicians were violinists Matthew Zerweck (who impressed with his astonishingly accurate pitch in the instrument’s
highest register in the mournful “Canto de Velorio” movement) and Sayaka Okada, violist Emily Freudigman and cellist Kenneth Freudigman."
October 27, 2010 Incidentlight.com
"It was given a terrific performance -- fearless, energetic, vividly colored -- by violinist Matthew Zerweck
(one of the brightest gems on the San Antonio Symphony’s roster) and [Warren] Jones."
