Violin expert Marnie Thies is reflecting on how her past experiences have shaped her current teaching methods at Marnie Thies Violin Lessons.
Coon Rapids, Minnesota Mar 11, 2025 – Marnie Thies wishes she had implemented video submissions of students playing scales, repertoire, and other lesson materials earlier in her career. This practice allows her to monitor student comprehension and identify areas for improvement. By reviewing these recordings, lesson time can be focused on current repertoire, accelerating musical progress and refining violin technique.
Marnie Thies explains, “Providing recordings of scales and arpeggios in my early years would have been more efficient for both my students and myself, as the videos include explanations of fingerings followed by a play-through.” For students struggling with pitch in scales and arpeggios, the play-through section on her YouTube channel, Marnie Thies Violin Lessons, enables them to play along and correct errors. Access to this material also helps students become more familiar with scales and arpeggios encountered in both current and future lessons.
Her website features Suzuki violin recordings for all ten books of Suzuki. Marnie Thies states, “I created this page to give students easy access to recordings of the pieces they are studying. I regret not doing this earlier in my teaching career.”
Over the years, Marnie Thies has recognized the importance of having Suzuki piano accompaniments or other violin accompaniments available on her website to better prepare students for recitals. By practicing with these accompaniments, students become more comfortable playing with an accompanist, resulting in more relaxed and better musical performances.
Marnie Thies comments, “Another beneficial practice is scheduling a Meet and Greet before a student’s first lesson. This allows me to understand their personality, tailor my teaching style accordingly, and address any questions from the student or their parents. These meetings also provide an opportunity to discuss violin setup, including rosin, chinrests, and shoulder rests, all of which contribute to a positive playing experience. If a student needs an instrument, I can offer advice during the Meet and Greet to help them choose a suitable violin.”
Marnie Thies has also refined her teaching approach by breaking down lessons into smaller, more achievable steps. This approach enhances motivation by allowing students to experience early success, which is particularly important for younger students or those who value immediate results.
Marnie Thies continuously seeks to improve her teaching methods. She values the impact it has on her students’ development and actively explores multiple approaches to enhance her instruction, as students learn in different ways.
Currently, Marnie Thies offers online violin lessons and in-person lessons to children and adults in St. Paul, specifically in Falcon Heights and North Oaks, through Marnie Thies Violin Lessons. She plans to expand her in-person teaching to the Anoka County area, including cities like Blaine and Coon Rapids. She has taught online since 2014 and more frequently since 2020. Her website features the progress of students who have studied violin online exclusively with her. Another video on her online lessons page demonstrates how a student learned vibrato entirely through online instruction. To contact Marnie Thies, please visit her website .
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