Violin Lessons with Emma R.

Emma is a classically trained violinist and experienced educator who enjoys helping young students build a strong and positive foundation in music. She began studying violin at a young age with Sue Jesch and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from St. Olaf College, where she studied violin with Professor Charles Gray. During college, she performed with the St. Olaf Orchestra and participated in chamber music, while completing coursework in musicianship, music history, world music, and music education.

Emma has taught private violin lessons to students from elementary through high school and has experience working with children across a wide range of ages and learning styles. In addition to teaching music, she works as a substitute teacher and paraeducator in pre-K through 12th-grade classrooms, including settings serving English-language learners and students with special needs. This experience has helped her develop a patient, flexible, and attentive teaching style.

In lessons, Emma focuses on developing healthy technique, careful listening, rhythm, note reading, and musical confidence. She understands that beginning students learn best when lessons are structured but encouraging, and she adjusts her approach to match each child’s pace and personality. Her goal is to help students make steady progress while also enjoying the process of learning an instrument.

Along with her classical training, Emma has experience performing American, Irish, and Scottish fiddle music and is comfortable improvising in several musical styles. This broad background allows her to introduce students to different types of music as their skills develop. Emma is also bilingual in English and Spanish and enjoys sharing her curiosity, patience, and enthusiasm for music with each student.