about me
Hi, I’m Rachel.
I am a native of Utah with 6+ years of violin teaching experience. I live and teach in Salt Lake County.
I began studying the violin and the piano at age 5. At 15, I graduated from the Suzuki Method and began studying additional repertoire. During this time, I also played in youth symphonies and chamber orchestras. An artist at heart, I soon began playing violin and fiddle in bands and musical groups in Utah as well as Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, touring and performing regularly. My favorite aspect of this work was the creative side: composing and arranging for strings.
During my time in Raleigh, I began teaching for Kidznotes, a non-profit which provides music education to children in underserved communities in the Raleigh/Durham area. Inspired by the joy of sharing music, I went on to receive training/mentorship in string pedagogy from Erica Shirts, the director of the Duke University String School, and teacher training and certification from Darcy Drexler and Mimi Zweig, the directors of the String Academy of Wisconsin at UW-Milwaukee and the Indiana University String Academy.
MY approach
Although I loved the way that the Suzuki Method developed my musical ear, my piano training showed me the profound benefit of receiving additional instruction in music theory. As a result, I begin incorporating sight reading, theory, scales, and études with my students as early as possible. I also use “pre-Twinkle” repertoire so that students can begin making music with their instrument from their first lesson. This helps to prepare them for the transition into Suzuki repertoire more smoothly and successfully.
Mimi Zweig, founder and director of the Indiana University String Academy, always assures her students that “mistakes are just information.” I try to create this kind of judgement-free atmosphere in my studio so that students can feel properly challenged and encouraged.
People often worry that studying the violin means a lot of horrible screeching. However, with a correct understanding of the body and the violin, a beautiful tone is possible from the first lesson. The development of physical awareness is essential for correct posture and technique. This awareness should be used to release tension in the body and help to create a beautiful tone.