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M.M, St. Thomas University, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, In Progress. B.A., Illinois State University, Music-Violin
2009- Illinois State Fair Fiddle Contest Open Division 5th Place
2010- Illinois State Fair Fiddle Contest Open Division 3rd Place
2011- Illinois State Fair Fiddle Contest Open Division 3rd Place
2013- Illinois State Fair Fiddle Contest Open Division 3rd Place
I'm a passionate, patient, and driven instructor who loves working with students of all ages and sharing my love of all styles of music. In 2007, I graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. Performing all over the world has been one of the greater experiences of my life as a musician, and I've had the opportunity to play in Ireland, Canada, and nationally throughout the United States. As alternative styles are a huge passion of mine, I have gone on to win several fiddle awards such as the Illinois State Fair Fiddle Contest. Currently, I am performing and touring with Irish rock band, Blaggards.
My teaching expereince dates back to my college days, as I began teaching lessons part time 7 years ago, and have been consistently teaching students in studio, in home, and online for the past 7 years. Encouraging students to seek out performance opportunities is one of the key points I like to emphasize for all students, as students gain confidence, stay motivated, and feel good about their accomplishments. I've also found that a combination of classical and alternative styles can go a long way in helping students enjoy string instruments and motivate them to practice and excel academically and musically. If a student isn't having fun in their lessons, then I'm not doing my job! My students are encouraged to become self-motivators, high goal achievers, and problem solvers, as I have found that these skills translate into other academic areas. I approach every lesson with a unique approach for each student and I am always looking to bring on new students of all ages and abilities!
I belive in a unique approach, tailored to fit each student's wants and needs. Because of this approach, I create custom lesson plans and pull from different methods. Some of these methods include; Essential Elements, Suzuki Violin School, Wohlfhardt Etudes, and Marc O'Connor fiddle method. For students involved in elementary school music programs, I create a balance between success in their school method book and music pieces outside of the method to enhance and increase musical skills. I try to find out what the student is interessted in, what each student's goals are, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun.
Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each lesson is unique to each student's learning style and needs. I encourage this by incorporating visual, kinesthetic, and aural learning activities in each lesson. Creating a unique lesson ensures students will learn at a pace and in a teaching style that is the best possible approach for each student. By finding out how students learn best, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. An open line of communication is essential between parent, student, and teacher. Let's make a great team!
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