Caryn M  
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Viola, Fiddle, Music, Keyboard
Styles: Classical, Pop, Folk, Musical Theater, Opera, Showtunes

I have been teaching music for 15 years now, and have spent 12 years traveling and performing as a professional freelance violinist. I have been blessed with incredible opportunities through music, and it is the knowledge and experience from those adventures that I bring with me to every performance and lesson. As a performer, I have played with numerous trios, quartets, and other chamber groups for everything from weddings to charity events. I have also played with a number of different orchestras. Once I even got to play with Cirque du Soleil! Some of my favorite gigs are in the pit for musicals, operas, and ballets, where I frequently perform as concertmaster. I am classically trained and have also played a number of other genres, notably jazz and Celtic. As a teacher, I am always striving to motivate and inspire my students. I teach masterclasses, workshops, private lessons, and online lessons. I taught elementary school for a couple years. I also play frequently as a “ringer,” helping various universities and high schools with their orchestra performances and musicals.

Every student is an individual, and so the approach I take with each student depends entirely on that particular student. I generally start by learning my students’ goals. I like knowing why they’re interested in learning, what genre they’d like to focus on, what drew them to this particular instrument, what they hope to accomplish, and what their big dreams are when it comes to music. Once I have a better idea of my student’s vision, I like to help shape expectations and what it will realistically take to help them achieve those dreams. We constantly set short and long term goals and re-evaluate what needs to be done to make those dreams a reality. I like to focus on things that the students enjoy and will help them grow as musicians. I also tend to focus a lot on proper posture and playing in a comfortable, natural way. This prevents unhealthy habits from developing early on, which can affect someone’s ability to continue playing as much as they would like in the future. Poor posture leads to pain and problems, and so I like to encourage healthy habits from the very beginning. I find that students with proper playing habits tend to progress quite quickly, and ultimately have a more gratifying experience with their music. Because each student is so unique, it’s important to figure out what works best for them. I feel very fortunate to have had some amazing teachers as role models over the years. They taught me the value of experimenting and getting creative with practice methods, and so that is definitely one of the things I try to pass along to each of my students. As musicians, we spend a lot of time in the practice room, and so I always want students to enjoy learning. That day-to-day exploration is one of the best parts of music. It’s what makes music so personal and unique, and giving my students the ability to explore and enjoy that journey is one of the things I strive to do in every lesson.