Testimonials

"On mother's day I thought about sending you a thank you for all the cello mothering you gave me. I often think about my long lessons with you after school, not just when listening to Bach and messing around on my cello, but whenever I approach a difficult topic like education, or whenever I think about learning how to learn, and am faced with stepping through a difficult part of the process. I try to think about it as if it were a difficult passage in a Bach cello suite and I think about all of the things we've discussed about moving slowly through things, letting mistakes happen that will help better understand things in the future, and trying to luxuriate in every movement regardless of how tedious it may be. Thank you for all your words and your patience. What I learned playing cello has served me so well in thinking through so many other things…it really does give you this pathway and lens for walking through and looking at the world, so much so that at times it is difficult to see all that it gives because it incorporates itself so thoroughly into living, moving, talking, thinking, and dealing with complex human interactions."

– Sara Sol Linck, UC Berkeley student

"It was through Maggie's inspiration and encouragement that my son found his passion for the cello. It is through Maggie's instruction, her outstanding ability as a teacher and motivator, and her obvious joy of the music that he maintains that passion. In whatever field of endeavor my son chooses (music or otherwise), he will be better equipped because of Maggie."

– Karen Rizzo

"I write to offer my sincere thanks and admiration for Maggie's dedication in teaching me the cello. When I asked for the name of a cello teacher from my professional colleagues, musicians with whom I’ve performed as a concert pianist, I was surprised to hear only one name suggested repeatedly, Maggie Edmondson. And imagine how delighted I was to find someone who not only knows the instrument as a performer, but has considered the hows and whys of its technical mysteries. It seems an unimaginable bonus to have found a teacher who understands the importance of learning to play healthily and with ease, without which the joy of music making is sorely diminished."

– Neil Stannard, DMA

" We are extremely fortunate to have Maggie be a part of our lives. She is a highly qualified cellist with years of impressive professional experience, both as a musician and as a teacher. She is an amazing teacher with a profound sense of kindness, patience and sensitivity. Maggie is incredibly wise, smart and truly devoted to her students, not just the student musician but the whole human being. Her passion for teaching and music allow students to gain solid critical thinking skills, knowledge and confidence. Maggie goes above and beyond and in our eyes, she has set the standard for what a music teacher should be. We look forward to many more years of cello playing, learning and fun."

– Fabiola Vilchez

"Our daughter has grown tremendously as a cellist and musician with Maggie. Her superb musicianship and ability to inspire communicates in very tangible ways to her students. She is a consummate professional that is passionate about her craft, but it's also her sensibility with young people that makes her such a great choice as a private instructor. She is a wonderful balance of firm and encouraging. Our daughter actually wants to practice her cello and looks forward to her lessons - AMAZING! Maggie keeps things interesting and pushes just enough to challenge and not frustrate. My husband and I are both professional musicians and could have chosen from many private studios. We are completely thrilled and feel privileged to have our daughter study with such a remarkable instructor."

– Debbie & Sergio Gonzalez

"Maggie is a longtime colleague and dear family friend, so my opinion is hardly unbiased, but our son has studied with her for many years and has grown tremendously as a cellist and as a musician. He continues to improve his technique and deepen his understanding, and his enjoyment of his lessons has grown—a very good sign. I like Maggie's encouraging and positive approach; it seems to build confidence and love of playing while fostering improvement."

– John Steinmetz, faculty bassoonist, UCLA