Why I Teach

Philosophy:

I am passionate about helping students reach their goals. Whether those goals are to raise their playing level to be able to play a bucket list piece, attend Allstate, summer festivals, or prepare for college auditions. I believe goals, big and small, are a vehicle for progressing and self fulfillment.   

I believe that access to high quality performances and music education is a basic human right. Creating music that is a part of community healing is deeply important to me. I taught violin in Moshi, Tanzania to bring awareness and value to the endangered Mpingo tree, and gave private lessons at the Joy of Music School, Knoxville to children who qualified for lunch discounts. I have performed outreach concerts from Philadelphia to Albuquerque and throughout Appalachia. I believe that diversity grows when paradigmal norms are broken, and make an effort for my teaching portfolio to reflect that belief.

Last summer I was invited to be the Viola Faculty at the Puerto Rico Summer Music Festival. I currently teach advanced viola class at the nonprofit Harmony Project KC located in the Northeast Community Center, coach chamber music and give private lessons with the Kansas City Suzuki Academy and have a private studio of delightful violists out of my home in Waldo, KC Missouri. 

I teach from my own experience, intuition and process. This allows me to work alongside students to develop technique that fosters longevity and supports their inner expressivity. My teaching is tailored to the individual student, resulting in healthy, balanced musicians. Pedagogical influences include Karen Tuttle, Stephen Wyrczynski, Mimi Zweig, and Paul Rolland. I have taught for over a decade, and am grateful for the lessons each and every student has taught me. 

My Background:

I started my viola journey in a Suzuki studio in Santa Fe, NM. I am grateful for my supportive and enthusiastic mom, who introduced me to the world of classical music. Some of my most formative musical experiences as a student happened at summer festivals focusing on chamber music. I was lucky enough to immerse myself in music at programs including the Interlochen Arts Camp, California Summer Music and the Bowdoin Chamber Music Festival.

My Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance is from the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, where I was privileged to study with Stephen Wyrczynski. I received a Master’s of Music in Viola Performance from the University of Tennessee, where I was a Teaching Assistant and Member of the Graduate Quartet. After graduating I pursued Suzuki Certification from author, teacher, and developmental psychologist, Dr. Edward Sprunger. 

Outside of my life in music, I maintain a daily yoga practice and enjoy long walks with my dog, spending time with friends and gardening.