Violin and Viola for the Modern Era

I’m a performer and educator working in the Boston area. I teach both in-school and at-home, and also offer private lessons.

About Me

Education

I attended Interlochen Arts Academy and graduated from Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Instruments & Disciplines

I perform on violin and viola, and teach the entire string family of instruments in small and large scale classes from solo players to full string ensembles.

Philosophy

I work to reach each student where they are by understanding their experience, preferences, and musical goals.

A Multifaceted Musician

I perform and study classical and contemporary musical styles with small and large-scale ensembles from the recording studio to the orchestra hall.

I am particularly impressed with the amount of progress that a group of students (most of whom had never played a string instrument before) was able to achieve in just a few months of working with Colton. I think any student and organization would benefit tremendously from working with him.

Sasha M., The International School of Boston

The International School of Boston’s Elementary School Division is incredibly lucky to be able to work with Colton Slaven. His work ethic and commitment to his students and craft is exceptional. From the very first meeting with Colton it was clear that he is very professional, organized, and passionate about teaching violin and viola. Since then, there has been nothing but positive feedback and high praise from teachers, parents, and students. Colton also organized the school’s first elementary school string ensemble club.

The International School of Boston

We have been incredibly lucky to have Colton as a violin instructor for our 9 year-old son. Colton’s teaching style has been a wonderful fit, as he is patient in addition to being thoughtful to different learning styles. He is knowledgeable and able to explain musical concepts with ease. Importantly, he has a great sense for when to provide a challenge, which has helped my son maintain interest in playing. I would highly recommend Colton for violin lessons.

Amy H.

Colton is incredible! He not only has a strong grasp of music but also excels at engaging my kid. He has a unique ability to help each student discover their own purpose and passion for playing the viola.

Suki Z.

We were extremely fortunate to have Colton as our daughter’s violin tutor for the past year. He is a gifted teacher who easily imparts his passion and deep understanding of music to his students. While our daughter can be slow to warm to new people, she immediately became comfortable with Colton and made tremendous progress throughout the year. She genuinely enjoyed her lessons and was proud of the progress she made. We had in-home lessons and as a parent, letting a person you don’t know into your home can be a bit fraught, but Colton was delightful to have in the house, respectful, and very patient with our enthusiastic puppy who assumed Colton was her new BFF. 13/10 would recommend.

Audrey D.W.

Booking

Interested in booking lessons or performances?

Contact Me

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