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Bachelor Degree: Eastman School of Music
Eastman Artist Scholarship
Harold & Edith Smith Frank Scholarship
Henry Grossman Violin Scholarship
Eastman Department Assistant Scholarship
Buxton Fellowship
I am originally from Warrenville, IL where I discovered my love of violin while studying with Dr. Lee Joiner at Wheaton College. I graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 2022 in the studio of Professor Oleh Krysa, and am continuing with my Master's degree in Performance and Literature with Professor Yoojin Jang. My mother is a piano teacher so I grew up around in a very musical household where I got to experience a community of students and teachers. This has inspired me to teach myself and to use music to connect with as many people as possible!
I have had a variety of experiences with teaching over the last few years. During my gap year before college, I worked for the Wheaton Warrenville South high school's orchestra as a sectional leader and private tutor. I also worked as a teacher during the summer programs held for elementary, middle, and high schoolers. I have experience counseling at Credo, which is a music festival held in Oberlin, OH. Through the Credo fellowship program I coached chamber music for middle and high schoolers. I was also able to volunteer and teach in Chicago music institutions such as the Merit School of Music and Sistema Ravinia. Helping students at all stages of life and development has been inexplicably rewarding to me, as I got to explore all facets of music whether it be playing technique, musical artistry, ensemble work, and much more! I hope to continue to learn from further interactions with the diverse community of musicians everywhere I go!
For beginning students, I like to build a foundation of training the ear, learning the language of music, and becoming connected with their instruments. I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements or the Suzuki books. For intermediate students, I try and develop good building blocks for technique and facilities for getting around the violin. This is also a good stage to start introducing more advanced repertoire. For advanced students, I focus a lot on developing a deeper and more mature sound that really takes violin playing to the next level. Repertoire at this stage begins to move through the standard repertoire of any beginning professional violinist.
Just like any other skill or passion, it is most fundamental to instill a sense of awareness and problem-solving. Whatever stage the student is in, I believe in teaching methods that help break down and conquer difficulties. Instead of treating music/violin playing like a mindless and repetitive process, I want to pass on the passion and excitement that has been taught to me. Combining the inherent connection to music that we all possess with the tools to exercise discipline and dedication to a craft are the keys to success in my opinion. Music is also a great opportunity to expose people to other eras of music, styles of playing, and different cultures! Incorporating a wide range of music allows musicians to become more versatile and knowledgeable players.