FAQ
Frequently asked questions:
As is true when starting anything new there are always a lot of questions. This page should alleviate some of the more obvious ones, as far as philosophical questions like “what is music?” I’m afraid that is a different blog site. So browse around and if you don’t find the answer to what you are looking for please feel free to post one through the comments section of the site.
How do I get a cello?
So you want to take lessons, well first you need an instrument. Of course you can always buy one and I would use local dealers, never, never, ever buy an instrument online. You may only be paying $200 for it but really all of the instruments I’ve ever gotten from online services deserve to be tossed into the fireplace, it’s just not worth it, in MN the two dealers with the most options will be House of Note Violins, and Claire Givens strings. I’ve had mixed reviews about Claire Givens and have had bad experiences there myself, but they do have quite a spread of instruments to choose from. I highly recommend House of Note I’ve always had great service and they always take great care of my instrument. I also highly recommend House of Note’s rental program for beginners, I tend to advise new students to steer clear of jumping right into making a $1500-$2000 purchase even before they know they truly want to play, this is also a great option for parents who have children with spontaneous desires (which would be most) of playing a musical instrument. Honorable mention for strings dealers are the shops of Chris Quinn, and Tom Waddle in St. Paul, and David Folland in Northfield, MN.
How do I know it will be worth it to take lessons?
Simply put, you don’t, but there is nothing wrong with trying especially if you’ve really wanted to for a long time. For adult students learning the art of instrumental playing can open up a whole new world of insight and ways of expressing oneself, it can be an empowering and fulfilling experience or it can be a bust, but why would that ever stop you from trying? Also although you may have a lot of passion and talent, you may have to search for the right teacher (which may not be me), and so I will never question a students choice to switch teachers.
For you parents I highly advocate for having you children learn to play some musical instrument, I like the cello but really it’s the act of creating and imagining as well as the discipline that is developed while taking musical lessons that is most beneficial not necessarily which instrument a child chooses to take on.
Why are your rates so high?
Well… they’re not really, most people charge much more than I do, and I’m also qualified to charge this much… sorry. Do feel free to search for lower prices just be sure to check credentials and ask for a resume from anyone you decide to take lessons with, especially if it’s an online source, you can view my resume under the “about me” page on this website.
Where can I get a sample of your playing?
I have a couple of chamber music and solo video clips on youtube.com from the past few years in recital at St. Cloud State University where I teach during the school year. You can find these clips by simply searching for Greg Nelson Cello as key words or you can search the video and audio selection on this website under performances and recordings. I don’t have any clips of me teaching but hopefully I’ll get some up in the next few months.
