Johan Qin
Artist | Musician | Educator

Violin Lessons Designed For You

Whether you’re learning violin for the first time or returning to the instrument later in life, I offer lessons tailored to meet you where you are. Click the button below to learn more about my teaching style.

Connect With Me

Whether you’re looking to book a performance, inquiring about private violin lessons, or just want to say hello, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line and let’s start a conversation.

About

Johan began his study of the violin and piano at the age of 5 and received early recognition for his musical talent. One of his teachers growing up, Holly Tosco, recognized his gifts and invited Johan to deliver his first public performance at the age of 6 in North Carolina. In his youth, Johan was active around the Bay Area, joining the East Bay Youth Orchestra and delivering performances at his church.

He progressed quickly as a musician, earning a spot in the Oakland Youth Orchestra as a freshman and becoming concertmaster of the Foothill High School Orchestra as a sophomore. Johan delivered his first solo performance with the Oakland Youth Orchestra as a junior and served as concertmaster of the Livermore-Pleasanton Youth Outreach Symphony as a senior. During high school, Johan performed annually with the Foothill-Amador Musical Orchestra and served as concertmaster during performances.

As a performing artist, Johan has had many notable achievements. Some of these include winning top prizes in the Oakland Youth Orchestra concerto competition, performing locally and internationally on stages such as Davies Symphony Hall and the National Theater in Costa Rica, and participating in chamber music festivals in the Czech Republic and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Johan received his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, where he took lessons under renowned violin pedagogue Almita Vamos and co-founded an organization dedicated to the promotion and performance of Asian music. His former teachers include Ju-Yi Peng and Debbra Wood Schwartz.

Now back home in the Tri-Valley, Johan has returned to his roots to build his private teaching studio in Pleasanton. He translates his years of local orchestral leadership and high-level classical training into a dedicated practice for the next generation of musicians. His studio provides a focused, welcoming space for students (ages 7 and up) and adult learners who want to refine their technical fundamentals, master advanced repertoire, and build the confidence to lead their own sections on stage.

Testimonials

“Johan is an amazing violin teacher! Our 10-year-old started with him completely from scratch, and the progress has been incredible to watch. Johan has a great ability to connect with people, making the challenging early stages of learning the violin something our daughter genuinely looks forward to every week. He teaches excellent fundamentals, is always on-time and reliable, and keeps the lessons fun and encouraging. We highly recommend him as a music instructor!” – Farid J.

“Johan worked as a violin teacher at my music school from July 2021 to May 2022. He is honest, dependable, and incredibly hard-working. Beyond that, he is an impressive teacher and coach who was always able to keep our students interested, motivated, and looking forward to their next lessons with him. Johan is an absolute joy to work with.” – Sandy Coop, Director of the Bay Area Academy of Music