Testimonials

ENDORSEMENTS OF SUZUKI PARENTS

Dr. Laurie D. Simons

“My son, now ten, began private study of violin with Dr. Thompson at age five. We have already passed through several phases: enthusiasm for the violin, frustration, pride in accomplishment, boredom with practice, “I love it”, “I hate it”, and back again!  As an accomplished pianist myself, I have been most impressed with Dr. T’s unflappable, calm demeanor in the teaching studio. He quietly insists on the pursuit of perfection while supporting and encouraging the student’s efforts along the way. He never compromises his standards of technique and musicianship, but he never sacrifices the student’s self esteem in the process. Dr. Thompson’s innovative and compassionate approach will foster a lifelong love and appreciation of music. I’m grateful to have found Thompson Violin Studio.”

Laurie Harlow

“Dr. Thompson explains and demonstrates difficult concepts in a way that even the youngest student can understand and he often makes a game of learning. As a Suzuki Mom with a minimal musical background, I feel like instruction during lessons is sufficient to allow me to conduct effective home practice without guesswork.”

Jenae Weeks

“Dr. T encourages parents to video and take notes on critical teaching points during lessons. This routine has proved invaluable in helping me to guide my two children in practicing with successful results at home.”

Lacee Hall

“After my younger daughter had been in Dr. Thompson’s studio for a year, she performed a solo on a studio recital. At age six, she was very well prepared. However, just as she was preparing to place her bow on the string, she went into total melt down and big tears began to fall. Dr. T immediately took charge of the situation. He asked her if she would like to perform a duet with him. She agreed, and Dr. T played along very softly ( while staying out of view of the video camera I was using). Her performance went perfectly!  I was amazed to see how quickly Dr. T was able to transform a crisis into a success! My older daughter has studied with Dr. Thompson for seven years and has done very well. She won the talent competition and the title of National American Miss Mississippi Pre-Teen in 2016. Our whole family adores Dr. T.  He is like the Santa Claus of the violin-“He sees you while you practice, he knows when you have NOT !”

Rhonda Jones

“Our son Daniel began violin studies at age five. Then, as a teenager, he went through a period in which he seemed to lose direction in his violin studies and was losing his passion for the instrument. When we found Dr. Thompson and he agreed to take Daniel, it was with the understanding that Daniel would need some nurturing to restore that lost passion. We were so grateful that Dr. Thompson was willing and able to just that. Dr. Thompson truly “teaches to the whole child”.  Through Dr. Thompson’s expert teaching, Daniel was able to prepare college audition repertoire at a very competitive level of performance. Daniel is now a violin major at Belhaven and is doing very well.”

ENDORSEMENTS OF RECENT GRADUATES

Aidan Dunkelberg

2018 Graduate of Mississippi School for Math and Science; Sophmore in Fall, 2019 at Williams College, Massachusetts; Major: Violin and Physics

“In the span of two years, Dr. Thompson transformed me from a Suzuki Book 8-level violin student into a violinist fully prepared for auditions at top-tier universities and conservatories. I auditioned at Oberlin, Peabody and Bard Conservatory. I was also accepted at Columbia.  I was offered a substantial scholarship at Oberlin, but ultimately opted for Williams College because my goal is to pursue a double major in violin and physics. Williams offers a strong curriculum in both music and hard sciences. When I entered Dr. Thompson’s studio, he never questioned my ability to achieve my audition goals (although he certainly had ample reason). Instead, Dr. T   immediately set about preparing me; introducing me to new repertoire and completely revolutionizing my bow arm through a series of exercises that never failed to work magic. He coached me through every measure of my repertoire; gently and patiently correcting my deficiencies and never failing to reward me with a “See how much better that sounds?” once I had incorporated his suggestion. Dr. T’s advice in preparing me for the college audition process was of immense value. He coached me through several possible audition scenarios, suggesting warm-up routines of various lengths to anticipate a wide range of time limits. I never would have been able to walk confidently into an audition room without Dr. T’s advice. And the violinist that I was, prior to study with Dr. Thompson, wouldn’t have recognized the polished performer in those auditions as himself. No matter where I end up in my violin career, I will be immeasurably better off for having had Dr. Thompson as my teacher.”

William Bradford

Tupelo High School Graduate, 2017; Junior at Ole Miss, Fall 2019; Major: International Studies

“I entered Dr. Thompson’s studio at the age of eleven, after six years of violin instruction from previous teachers. I had many bad habits, both with regard to technique and my practice routine. Thanks to Dr. Thompson’s patient and systematic instruction, I developed effective practice habits and a very solid technique through the study of Suzuki and traditional repertoire. He also put me on a rigorous regimen of technical studies, including Kreutzer Etudes, three and four octave scales and arpeggios and scales in double stops. In spite of my initial resistance, Dr. Thompson challenged me to prepare for competitions. I successfully competed in Mississippi Music Teachers Festival at the state level during my junior and senior years at Tupelo High School.  As a senior in 2017, I competed for and won the Margaret Anne Murphy Award in Strings, a college scholarship offered under the auspices of the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, with a cash award. Upon entering the University of Mississippi, I auditioned for and was offered an orchestra scholarship to perform with the University Symphony. Dr. Thompson‘s approach to teaching fulfills Dr. Suzuki’s mandate to “teach to the whole child”. He truly has the gift of assisting a student in developing strong character and a work ethic.

Because Dr. Thompson invested so much of his energy and expertise in my training, I have  not only became an accomplished violinist, but also a better person during my time in his studio. I would recommend him to any parent seeking instruction for a talented child who is ready to get serious about learning to play the violin.”

Marisa Laudadio, Violist

Fall, 2019: Senior at Mississippi State University

“Upon entering Dr. Thompson’s studio, I was nervous about studying with an artist/teacher of his caliber. However, his relaxed approach and friendly demeanor immediately put me at ease. I was not a beginner when I came to Dr. T, and his kind but demanding approach was exactly what I needed to take me to the next level. He helped me with advanced scales and bowing techniques and with tweaking the finer points in the control of my vibrato. Dr. Thompson was very helpful in providing opportunities to develop my confidence and performing skills and assisting me in preparing repertoire suitable for college auditions. He is a great mentor for students preparing for college. During my freshman year at Mississippi State University, I served as first chair violist in the MSU Philharmonia Orchestra. Dr. Thompson’s instruction certainly prepared me for success at the college level. “

ENDORSEMENTS OF FORMER ULM STUDENTS

Mr. Ye Tao

Associate Professor of Music, Grambling University

“As a Shanghai Conservatory graduate, I have had some wonderful teachers. I earned my Master of Music degree in violin in the studio of Christopher Thompson at the University of Louisiana Monroe. No doubt, Dr. Thompson has had the strongest influence on my performing during my career in the United States. I followed him to Italy in 1992, where he was on the artist-faculty of SSMA in Siena. There, through Dr. Thompson’s guidance , I was able to achieve success as a soloist with the SSMA Orchestra in a performance of Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, receiving a very positive review. Dr. Thompson is a wonderful teacher who inspires students of all ages and levels of talent to achieve their best.”

Joy Smith

Bachelor of Music degree in violin; ULM, 2006

“I completed my undergraduate degree at ULM in Dr. Thompson’s studio. His knowledge of violin technique is consummate. Through his mastery of the violin and his comprehensive command of the principles of violin pedagogy and repertoire, he was a constant source of inspiration. He is a wonderful mentor, and through his tutelage I successfully prepared and auditioned for several major graduate music programs. I ultimately chose University of Colorado Boulder, and -thanks in part to my preparation through Dr. Thompson – was awarded a graduate assistantship.”

ENDORSEMENTS OF ADULT STUDENTS

Dr. Janis Tutor, M.D.

“It is not every day that a Professor of Violin with international credentials as an artist-teacher decides to take early retirement and move to a small town in North Mississippi. But that is exactly what happened in 2010 when Dr. Thompson opened his violin studio in Pontotoc. Having studied as a young girl, I was just trying to pick up my violin again after retiring from the medical profession. I progressed slowly while having fun performing with two local groups. Then, I learned of Dr. Thompson and he accepted me as a student. He never once criticized me while patiently modifying my posture, my bow arm and bow hold, left hand position, ragged vibrato and on and on. He has assisted me in developing systematic and effective practice skills and I have gradually gained more and more technical control and facility. When he assigns a new piece, my response is, “I can’t do that”. He always says, “Sure you can!”. The fact is that – because I am using Dr. Thompson’s practice methods, including special techniques involving virtual or “mental” practice – I am finally becoming a real violinist (a goal I never imagined possible seven years ago). But the grandest honor of all is that occasionally I get to perform violin duos with him, and then I even sound like a real violinist!”

Dr. Robert Yarber, M.D.

“There are many skills to master in becoming a fine violinist. The ability to perform musically with successful control of left hand techniques and mastery of the bow arm are not skills that are attained easily or quickly by most students. After starting as an adult beginner with Dr. Thompson, he has taken me to Suzuki Book IV level study in a period of three years. I have also served as my daughter’s practice coach during her study with Dr. Thompson. He is a stickler for technique, whether assisting the beginner with basic set up of the left hand and bow hold, or instructing a more advanced student with scales in double stops or the finer points of vibrato. He always moves slowly and methodically, with clear explanations of each step of the process as the student learns drills and exercises designed to pinpoint specific technical problems. Harmonic tuning-executing two notes at the same time in a problematic passage-is his effective method for teaching the student to tune each pitch to microtone precision. Homework for the student and parent-coach is always clearly explained to clarify practice goals for the week. Dr. Thompson is very experienced in bringing out each student’s unique musical gifts; emphasizing that music is actually a language- a vehicle of expression. The student is guided through the process of building each musical phrase to express his or her own ideas in the musical interpretation. He also provides performance opportunities to help each student in developing performance skills.
There are artist-teachers who train aspiring young professional violinists at the pre-college and college/conservatory level. Then there are competent Suzuki teachers who can start a five year old and have them playing well in Suzuki Book IV by the age of ten. Then, occasionally, there is that rare master teacher who can train students from beginners all the way to a professional level.
Dr. Thompson is a master teacher. If you are serious about lessons, Dr. Thompson is the best. “