National Bornoff Workshop

Training & Workshops

The Bornoff Approach – "It's THE game changer!"

The Bornoff Approach is a comprehensive skills-based pedagogy that scaffolds seamlessly from students' first sounds to collegiate level techniques. Accessible frameworks help students organize concepts and master skills more quickly, producing confident string players who can apply their learning to any style of music. Our workshops focus on merging this high quality string pedagogy with inclusive classroom practices so that ALL students can thrive and succeed, even without private lessons.

Join the thousands of teachers using the Bornoff Approach to create positive change for their students!


2025 National Bornoff String Teachers Workshop

Hosted by Duquesne University, Pittsburgh!
JULY 12-19, 2025

Welcome Event: Saturday evening, July 12!
Sessions: Sunday morning, July 13, through Friday afternoon, July 18.
Bornoff Certification Activities(optional): Begin Saturday, July 12, with in-person testing on July 19.
Bornoff Presenter  Activities (by invitation): Begin Friday, July 11.
Full schedule TBA.

Click here to register >>

Tuition & Fees

Participation will be limited – we had a full house last year!

Deposit (Optional)
You can reserve your place with a $50 non-refundable tuition deposit, which will be applied to your total costs. Balances for deposits will be due March 15, 2025, after which your spot will be made available to others if unpaid.

What's Included?
Tuition includes access to the workshop; materials (Bornoff books to borrow and pdfs of supplements), instruments to use during sessions, NBW25 T-Shirt, light refreshments throughout the week; and access to our virtual platform which will house schedules, materials, recordings, and a networking platform for all attendees and faculty. It is recommended, however, that participants purchase the Primer Score and other books for their primary instrument. Those materials will be offered at a 20% discount after registration is paid in full. Participants are also encouraged to bring their personal instrument if possible; secure storage will be available.

Other Fees (Optional)
Campus housing, meal plans, Bornoff certification applications, and graduate credits will be available separately once tuition is received in full. Dorm room rates (includes linens): Single @ $55 per night / Double @ $44 per night. The campus meal plan is $35 per day. See below for additional Campus Information – more details will be communicated once they are finalized.

Teacher PD GRANTS!
Available to ANY teacher, applications are accepted for help with expenses. Partial scholarships are available and priority is given to those for whom basic travel expenses are cost-prohibitive. To apply for grants, visit www.fase.org/grants/.

Cancellation and Refund Policy
To cancel your registration, email before May 10. Up to $400 will be refunded if a request is received before May 10; no refunds will be given after May 10. Any new registrations after May 10 will be considered non-refundable due to costs incurred with our host university.

Campus Information

Campus housing and meal plan options are still being finalized with Duquesne University. We will reach out to all registered attendees to sign up for these options as we get closer to the workshop. In the meantime, here are some preliminary details:

  • HOUSING will be available to attendees who would like to stay on campus. Rooms will be suite-style, available in singles and doubles, with a shared bathroom (2-4 people per bathroom). Rooms will be air conditioned and basic linens are provided for each attendee.
    • Available starting July 10 for attendees interested in arriving early for the Certification programs or sightseeing; last night of housing will be available July 19.
    • Single Rooms $55/night; Double Rooms $44/night
  • MEAL PLANS: Duquesne offers - description....
    • $35/day for three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
    • Plans are available starting July 11; last day for meals will be through lunch on Saturday, July 19.
    • Plans have to be requested and purchased ahead of the workshop. No refunds will be available for unused meals/days.
    • We will be providing two catered meals for the opening and closing events, as well as a daily coffee/refreshment bar throughout the week. These are included in the tuition and meal fees.
  • Parking and transportation details will be made available as soon as possible. Duquesne's campus is compact and highly walkable, which means the music facilities, housing, and dining hall will all be within 5 minutes of one another. University shuttles are typically available to venture into the city for evening entertainment and sight-seeing.
  • ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPTIONS
    For those interested in staying off campus, Pittsburgh offers MANY other various other hotels and private rentals too. You can view options at Expedia,  and AirBnb listings for our workshop dates here AirBnb.

Bornoff Certification

The Bornoff Certification Program, Level 1 (optional) will begin on Saturday afternoon, July 12, with in-person testing on July 19. The fee for Level 1 Certification is $375 - which includes ALL MATERIALS - in addition to NBW 2025 tuition (attendance at an NBW event is required for acceptance into the program).  We are proud to offer the Bornoff Certification program at a very reasonable price compared to other certification offerings available!

Level 1 will cover the Bornoff Approach Primer and Primer Plus materials, including:

  • Introductory Courses: (1) Who was George Bornoff and what is FASE? (2) Gestalt Principles and Core Frameworks of the Approach; (3)The Science and Psychology behind Bornoff; and (4) Access, Equity, and Inclusion.
  • Bornoff Approach Primer: Open String Cycles, Bowing Techniques (Détaché, Spiccato, Staccato, Combo Bows, Double Stops), Finger Patterns 1-3 (incl. preparatory sequences), Early Unison Repertoire in Major/Minor Keys, Introduction to Improvisation
  • Finger Patterns Book, Section 2: Five-Note Finger Patterns 1-5
  • Finger Patterns Book, Sections 3-11: Rhythmic and Slurred Bowing Variations
  • Finger Patterns to Scales
  • Harmonics and Introductory Shifting
  • Music Literacy Sequences and Strategies
  • Additional Early Unison Repertoire

Certification will be offered in two formats:

  • STUDIO Certification – Candidates will study and perform demonstrations on one primary instrument. Ideal for private teachers or those working with homogenous instrumentation in group classes.
  • CLASSROOM Certification – Candidates will study and perform demonstrations on one high and one low instrument. Knowledge of all fingering and bowing nuances for each instrument, as well as a deep understanding of cross-instrument scaffolding, will be required. Ideal for classroom string teachers working with heterogeneous instrumentation.

The Bornoff Certification Program, Level 2 is for teachers who have previously received 2025 Level 1 Certification. The fee for Level 2 certification is $500 and includes ALL MATERIALS. Space is limited. Applications are accepted between April 15-30. More details coming soon!

Anyone who has completed a standard certification level can then apply for a "Presenter Certification" and, after completion thereof, will become a part of the Bornoff Teacher Presenters Network. There is no fee for the program, however, it is very competitive. Once confirmed, presenters will receive access to all FASE materials so that they can facilitate presentations,  workshops, and school professional development. All trainings representing FASE and the Bornoff Approach will be listed and promoted via FASE's website, social networks, and professional contacts. *Being accepted into the program does not give participants the rights to create sessions or materials on their own, nor receive payment for service outside of, or in addition to the FASE organization programming. Additional terms and conditions will apply. The first Bornoff Presenter Certification program will begin with a 6-hour in-person session on Friday, July 11, 2025. 

Professional Development and Graduate Credits

Contact Hours
Attendees must have consistent attendance and arrive on time for the start of classes, and complete the post-workshop survey to earn a certificate valued at 48 professional development contact hours.

Graduate Credits
The National Bornoff Workshop will be available for 3 graduate credits which can be applied toward teaching license renewals, salary advancement, or college/university degree programs. Registration will be available through Southern Utah University beginning in mid-May.