BEST MUSIC TEACHERS

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For over 30 years, Vermont Violins has been the premier destination for violin, viola, and cello enthusiasts across the USA. We don't just offer expert advice on the best instruments and accessories; we connect you with a vast network of highly qualified violin, viola, and cello teachers to give you or your child the perfect start.

Our comprehensive services include a top-tier rental program featuring high-quality instruments, access to the best teachers in the region, and custom case options to protect your investment. Discover why Vermont Violins is renowned for quality and service. Explore our list of teachers below and take advantage of potential free demo sessions. Visit our teachers page today and embark on your musical journey with confidence, knowing you're receiving the best in violin, viola, and cello education and support.

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TEACHERS CAN GET LISTED HERE

ABBY DREHER

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLA**
**LOCATION: UTAH/ONLINE**
Abby Dreher, a dedicated violist and the dynamic Project GRIT Manager, brings a wealth of musical expertise and pedagogical passion to her work. With a Master of Music in Viola Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and dual Bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from Illinois State University, she's honed her craft under the tutelage of esteemed musicians like Katherine Lewis and Geraldine Walther. Dreher's extensive experience, including participation in prestigious festivals like the Aspen Music Festival and the Banff Centre Evolution Quartet, coupled with her Suzuki Association of the Americas registered training, underscores her commitment to fostering musical excellence in young learners.

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ALLISON MARINO

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Allison Marino is a dedicated violin instructor with a strong foundation in Suzuki principles, complemented by a focus on music theory and note reading. With a Bachelor of Arts in Violin Performance and over 15 years of teaching experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her students. Her recent return to Vermont from Los Angeles, where she performed with various orchestras and ensembles, enriches her teaching with a diverse musical perspective.

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ANNE BROWN

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: CELLO**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Anne Brown, a pillar of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association for nearly five decades, embodies a multifaceted dedication to music education. Beyond her roles as a seasoned cello teacher and VYOA section coach, she's an alumni parent and generous donor. Her recent gift, inspired by a student's newfound enthusiasm for cello after witnessing a VYOA performance, highlights her profound belief in the transformative power of music. This experience underscores her long-held conviction that exposure to vibrant musical communities can ignite a passion in young musicians, fostering both artistic growth and personal development.

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ANNABEL MOYNIHAN

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / ELECTRIC ACOUSTICS**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Annabel Moynihan is a highly experienced musician and educator who founded the Vermont Music Center. Her musical background is diverse, encompassing both classical and traditional Irish music. Her education includes Suzuki repertoire and French technique, and she has a strong foundation in musicianship and ensemble playing.

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DAPHNE GERLING

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLA**
**LOCATION: TEXAS/ONLINE**
Daphne Gerling is an accomplished violist and educator with an international career spanning performances, teaching engagements, and scholarly pursuits. As Assistant Professor of Viola at the University of North Texas (UNT), she brings a wealth of experience cultivated through studies at Oberlin Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Rice University. Her debut album, EnciRCling, released in Spring 2023, showcases her commitment to exploring diverse musical landscapes, including works by female composers.

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ELIZABETH REID

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Elizabeth Reid is a seasoned violin and viola instructor, adept at teaching students of all ages and abilities. Her approach is characterized by personalized instruction, drawing from her deep expertise in pedagogy and repertoire to maximize each student's potential. Her dedication to fostering "joyful discipline" through structured practice and strong foundational skills has yielded impressive results, with her students consistently achieving high honors in prestigious youth orchestras and music festivals.

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ELSA ANDERSON

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: HARP**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Elsa Anderson has been playing the harp, in Vermont and in New York City, for more than 20 years. She started as the Vermont Youth Orchestra’s first harp student, and moved on to play solo and in orchestras and musical groups for many years, including the Orchestra Amadeus and Broadway Bach.
It means great deal to Elsa to be able to give back, by kindling the love of this instrument and music in aspiring harpists of any age, whether they seek novelty today or notoriety tomorrow! She is a member and registered instructor with American Harp Society. Elsa is available for beginner harp lessons on pedal and lever harp, with a focus on good technique and the Irish and classical harp repertoires.

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EMERSON GALE

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN/FIDDLE/PIANO**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Emerson Gale is a versatile musician and educator based in Vermont's Upper Valley, dedicated to bringing people together through music. As a piano technician, performer, and instructor for students aged 6 to 90, he fosters a joy-based approach to music education, offering instruction in violin, fiddle, and music theory.

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EMILY SUNDERMAN

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA / CELLO**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Emily Sunderman is a dedicated violin and viola instructor who blends her extensive musical training with a passion for holistic student development. With a foundation in Suzuki pedagogy, honed through training at Ithaca College and the Hartt School of Music, she emphasizes not only technical proficiency but also the cultivation of essential life skills like self-motivation, patience, and effective practice habits. Her diverse background, encompassing both a 25-year corporate career and continuous musical study with renowned teachers, enriches her teaching with a unique blend of discipline and creativity.

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FRAN PEPPERMAN TAYLOR

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
I have taught music in public schools in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Vermont. I was the director of the Burlington Strings Program for 25 years. I conducted the St. Michael’s College String Orchestra for 15 years and still teach private students at SMC. I teach for the VYOA in their Summer Symphony Camp. I am the concert master of the Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra, and am often the concert master of the Lyric Theater Pit Orchestra.

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GLEE CHARLSTREAM

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN/VIOLA**
**LOCATION: NEW HAMPSHIRE/ONLINE**
Glee Charlestream's experience extends significantly into youth music education and performance. As a founding member and principal violist of the New England Youth Ensemble, directed by Dr. Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse, she performed and toured internationally for a decade. This included performances at prestigious venues such as Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedral, the Fontainebleau School of Music and Fine Arts in France, the Karlskirche in Vienna, and cathedrals in York, Leeds, and St. Giles in Great Britain. Notable performances included those for former US President Gerald Ford and composer Nadia Boulanger. Later, her own children performed as soloists with the ensemble, including at Carnegie Hall. From 2010 to 2015, she served as Conductor and Musical Director of the Vermont Sacred Youth Chorus, a performance group comprised of homeschooled and Central Vermont Academy students, culminating in a professional digital audio CD recording in 2013. Further demonstrating her commitment to youth music, she founded, directed, and conducted the string program at Crossroads Academy in Lyme, NH, from 2016 to 2020. Currently, Glee Charlestream conducts string ensembles at various levels and provides private violin and viola instruction in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont, specializing in tonal and vibrato performance training.

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Jeanne Segretto Miller.jpg — JEANNE SEGRETTO MILLER

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Jeanne is a local musician who continues to perform regularly with her family band The Bleeding Hearts and with the Local Folk Orchestra in Greensboro. She teaches both fiddle and violin and her strength is giving students a solid foundation. Jeanne is also an experienced teacher and welcomes students of all ages, students with disabilities or dispositional challenges. Jeanne builds trust with students by getting to know them as people with a strong emphasis in engaging in the Vermont music community overall.

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JANE BEARDEN

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN**
**LOCATION: NEW HAMPSHIRE/ONLINE**
Jane Bearden is a highly accomplished violinist, noted for her "brilliant silvery sound," with a distinguished international career. She served as a first violinist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, touring extensively and recording for BIS under prominent conductors like Lorin Maazel and Sir Neville Marriner, and collaborating with renowned soloists. Her formal training includes degrees from the Manhattan School of Music under Sheryl Staples and experience with the New World Symphony. As a soloist, she has performed with various orchestras, playing on a Giovanni Gagliano violin from 1803.
Upon returning to the US, Bearden pursued post-baccalaureate studies in math and science, including a neuroscience internship, reflecting her interest in the connection between the body, mind, and artistic performance. After spending twelve years between Montreal and Vermont, she and her family have settled near Lebanon, NH.

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JOANNA ALPIZAR

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Joanna Alpízar is a versatile violinist and dedicated educator, currently serving as concertmaster of the Vermont Philharmonic. Her extensive performance career spans orchestral engagements with groups like the Southern California Philharmonic and the Dana Point Symphony, as well as collaborations with Grammy-winning mariachi ensembles. Notably, she has performed internationally, showcasing her adaptability and passion for diverse musical styles.

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John Dunlop.jpeg — JOHN DUNLOP

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: CELLO**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
John Dunlop has been teaching and performing in the Northeast for over 30 years, as principal cello in the Vermont Symphony, Opera North, Opera Company of Middlebury, Burlington Chamber Orchestra and more. Further, he plays with many of the most talented performers in the area performing new works with the TURN Music Ensemble, the Skylark Quartet, the VSO sponsored Jukebox Quartet and others. These groups present some of the world’s most exciting young composers in non-traditional venues, bringing in audiences that may otherwise not find the large concert halls appealing.

John has trained several generations of young musicians, many of which have gone on to major conservatories to pursue careers in performance, education and academia. He teaches students of all ages and levels with an emphasis on the progression from intermediate to advanced students.

John has taught at Dartmouth College, University of Vermont and the Monteverdi School in Montpelier but focuses now on his private studio in Richmond Vermont.

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KATHLEEN KONO

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Kathleen Kono is a dedicated violin and viola instructor with extensive experience working with students of all levels, from beginners to those preparing for college auditions. She holds a Master of Music degree and has a proven track record of successful teaching. Currently, she also instructs String Techniques at the University of Vermont.

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KRISTINA TURNER

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: WASHINGTON STATE/ONLINE**
Kris Turner embarked on her teaching journey shortly after discovering the joy of playing violin and viola. Guided by the Suzuki method, under the tutelage of Betsy Stuen-Walker, she cultivated a passion for nurturing young musicians. Today, Turner dedicates herself to making quality instruments accessible in Washington State, firmly believing that a well-crafted instrument is crucial for a student's success.

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laura Markowitz.jpeg — LAURA MARKOWITZ

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Laura is an avid violinist and teacher, having lived and worked in Vermont since the 90s. She plays in the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and other ensembles and chamber groups in the area.

She received her Bachelors in Music from Indiana University, and has taken pedagogy courses and suzuki training. She maintains a private teaching studio in Richmond VT where she teaches violin and fiddle to beginners and advanced players. She also assists in teaching strings at her local public school and coaches students at the VYOA.

She also loves irish and scandavian folk music, and enjoys jamming with other musicians. Her only wish is that her cats enjoyed listening to her practice a little bit more!

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Lexy Violin Teacher — LEXY PARSONS PRICE

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN**
**LOCATION: NEW HAMPSHIRE/ONLINE**
Lexy Parsons-Price is a classically trained violinist with a background in fiddle, rock/pop, and improv. She has been playing violin since she was 8 years old. Over the years, she has studied with teachers such as Charlotte Shifrin (Peabody Conservatory), Alexander Mitchell (Berklee College of Music), and Routa Kroumovitch-Gomez (Moscow Conservatory) and graduated from Stetson University with a bachelor's degree in music performance. Lexy has been teaching and performing professionally since 2009 and relocated from Orlando, FL to the Upper Valley, NH area in August of 2023.

Lexy has toured with and been an active member of the Florida-based string rock group, Violectric since 2014, and is a current member of the local Upper Valley Symphony Orchestra.

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LINDA PIATT

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA**
**LOCATION: CALIFORNIA/ONLINE**
Linda Piat is a highly accomplished violinist and violist with a rich background in performance and pedagogy. Holding a Master of Music from the University of Minnesota, she has studied with esteemed teachers and performers, and her dedication to teaching is evident in her extensive training in Suzuki and Rolland methodologies, as well as early childhood development. Her diverse performance experience, ranging from symphony orchestras to ballet companies, coupled with her leadership in local music organizations, underscores her commitment to both artistic excellence and community engagement.

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MEG FREEBERN

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: PIANO / CELLO**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
I teach piano and cello to children and adults of all learning styles. I am a student of John Dunlop and have twenty years of teaching experience. I perform on cello with The Vermont Fiddle Orchestra, Me2/ Orchestra, and The Vermont Philharmonic.

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NICK ZANNONI

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA / CELLO**
**LOCATION: NEW HAMPSHIRE/ONLINE**
Nicholas Zannoni is a dynamic violinist and music educator dedicated to fostering musical connection and growth within his community. Holding dual Bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Violin Performance from the Hartt School of Music, and a Master's in Music Education, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his teaching. Trained in Suzuki methods and certified as a K-12 music teacher, he excels in providing comprehensive string instruction to students of all ages and abilities, while also directing youth ensembles and coordinating chamber music programs.

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OLIVER SCANLON

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / FIDDLE**
**LOCATION: NEW YORK STATE/ONLINE**
Oliver Scanlon is a dedicated fiddle and mandolin instructor whose passion for traditional music shines through in his teaching. With a strong foundation in Celtic and American fiddle styles, particularly Irish, Quebecois, Appalachian, and New England traditions, he fosters a welcoming and engaging learning environment for students of all ages.

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PAM REIT

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN/VIOLA**
**LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE**
Pam Reit is a highly experienced Suzuki violin instructor with over three decades of dedication to nurturing young musicians. Holding degrees from Peabody Conservatory and Rice University, she brings a strong classical foundation to her teaching. As the Director of Vermont Suzuki Violins and the Green Mountain Suzuki Institute, she has shaped the musical journeys of countless students, many of whom have become members of the Vermont Youth Orchestra. Alongside her husband, Ira Morris, she also cultivates advanced musical skills through a dedicated chamber music program.

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PATRICIA JANCOVA

✅ Accepting New Students

INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN

LOCATION: VERMONT/ONLINE

Patricia Jancova is a highly accomplished violinist and educator, holding a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Syracuse University's Setnor School of Music. Her extensive training under renowned pedagogue Laura Bossert, coupled with her international studies at the Sydney Conservatorium, has shaped her into a versatile musician with a broad range of performance experiences. From playing in prestigious orchestras to collaborating with iconic artists across genres, Jancova's musical journey reflects her dedication to excellence and her passion for diverse musical expression.

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Rebecca-Bordonaro Music Teacher — REBECCA BORDONARO

✅ Accepting New Students
**INSTRUMENTS: VIOLIN / VIOLA / CELLO / BASS / PIANO**
**LOCATION: NEW HAMPSHIRE/ONLINE**
I have played strings nearly my entire life. I played at all state orchestras growing up, and through college. I have a degree in music teaching and strive to stay on top of the latest philosophies as well as technologies. I also have a degree in elementary education and special education and teach at a local school. I have honed my teaching abilities through those experiences and enjoy getting creative in how to best serve my individual students in getting what they need out of lessons. I enjoy working with learners of all ages, but particularly enjoy working with adults who want to learn but think they can't. To them, I say "try me!

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