A little about me ... 

 

I grew up in the Valley of the Sun in Mesa, AZ and joined the school orchestra in fourth grade on the viola. Since then, my educational and performing pursuits have taken me all around the world.

 

After earning my Bachelors Degree in Music Education at Arizona State University and operating a private studio in Mesa for 5 years, I moved to Oregon. At the University of Oregon, I completed both my Master of Music and Doctorate in Musical Arts Degrees in Viola Performance with a supporting area in String Pedagogy. While in Oregon, I was fortunate to begin my journey as a registered Suzuki Method instructor and gained experience in this Method as a teacher at the Community Music Institute. I also maintained a wonderful private studio and taught in several capacities through the Arts Umbrella Organization. During my time in Oregon, I performed regularly with the Eugene Symphony, Corvallis Orchestra, and the Oregon Mozart Players. 

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After graduate school, I accepted an unforgettable position in Louisiana at the Centenary Suzuki School in Shreveport where for four years I served as a violin/viola/cello instructor for private and group class lessons, a Southfield School Liaison, a Mardi Gras Workshop Coordinator, the Southfield School Orchestra Director, and Assistant and Acting Director to CSS. In my "spare time," I continued to perform on violin and viola in the Shreveport Symphony, the Longview Symphony, the Arkansas Symphony, the Texarkana Symphony, and the Baroque Artists of Shreveport. 

 

It was in Shreveport, LA where I met my husband and soon after we moved to England for his Air Force career. Fear not! I continued to teach and play regularly! I had such wonderful students at the Cambridge Suzuki Program and at the RAF Mildenhall Community Center and performed regularly with the Cambridge Philharmonic. 

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Alas, our time in England had to end and we moved on to Columbia, SC. It was in Columbia where I had the fortunate experience of teaching for and directing the The Suzuki Academy of Columbia & UofSC (formerly Suzuki Strings at USC). I was also one of the organizers of the new Master of Music in String Pedagogy Degree Program at the University of South Carolina's School of Music and subsequently served as an adjunct instructor in String Pedagogy. Along with teaching in Columbia, I also played with the South Carolina Philharmonic regularly.  I am so thankful for all of the experience in Columbia where starting a non-profit music program helped me to gain a plethora of new skills. 

 

We have come full circle now and my husband, fur baby and I are back in Arizona. I serve as an Orchestra teacher for the Chandler Unified School District, teach a small private studio in Chandler, and perform with the Symphony of the Southwest and other local groups such as the Arizona Philharmonic. I also serve on the Board for the Arizona Suzuki Association. 

 

I couldn't have come this far without all of the wonderful long-term teachers in my life and remain grateful for all they have contributed to my musical choices: Patricia Cosand, Rich Christensen, Dr. Katie McLin, Dr. William Magers,        Dr. Leslie Straka, Kathryn Lucktenberg, Judy Bossuat-Gaelic,

Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, and Shelley Rich.

 

Conference Presentations include: the American Viola Society Conference (2021) and the Louisiana Music Teachers Conference (2008). Several articles have been published in the Suzuki Association of the Americas Journal and the American String Teachers Association Journal.  

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