About Me/Work History

Find meaningful information about music education!

The purpose of this blog is to provide quality string pedagogy training that is accessible to all!

Imagine having your string program supported by getting specific tips to enhance your classes as well as extra support with challenges you may encounter as a part of your teaching.

This is the purpose of this blog. I am here to provide support as you are developing your music program! Find this as a place to get real solutions to real problems in the music classroom.

My story?

I am a native of Bulgaria. I started playing the violin at the age of five. With my mom being an ear training specialist back home I also started ear training at the age of four.

My path took me to the US and eventually to Albuquerque, NM where I eventually started studying with Dale and Susan Kempter. This is how my passion for teaching and developing young people through music was born.

My teaching?

During the 15 years of teaching strings I have had many different experiences and have developed a few programs.

I work as a coordinator at the University of New Mexico. I teach demo lessons and give advice to novice music teachers. We have a wonderful program where younger colleagues get experience teaching demo lessons. We talk about ideas and what might make the teaching practice better. I love connecting with others in this way.

I maintain a Suzuki violin studio where I teach children ages three and up. I had an excellent and very extensive Suzuki training, which I am very grateful for. I am now working with a smaller number of students while really focusing on their individual needs and developing a connection with their parents.

I am also the Orchestra director at a public school, working with grades 6-8. This may be a bigger portion of my work load. I am happy to have developed a strong program where I enjoy learning from my students . I must also say that it is probably the most controversial part of my work as some people don’t understand my work in a public school.

Teaching privately and at the public school system at the same time has presented a lot of challenges. It has also made me see things from very different perspectives. It has made me think about the possibilities of raising the level of playing in a public school system. It has also taught me a lot about children, their struggles, and the way they react to deal with their family lives. I feel that there is a big part of me that wants to be of service to others and to help children who may not have opportunities for good education. I have been very fortunate to be developing a program that has had rewards and community support from many different ways.

Why blog?

I love what i do! This blog started as a way of putting down some ideas that have worked for me. I hope they can help others the same way I was supported when I was new.

I also feel like we teachers need MUCH more support that we are given!

Whether you develop a private studio, teach a beginning string music program or have a general music classroom, you always need that support system to either bounce ideas off of or share challenges. Sometimes that is not given to you , then you can use the blog as an extra support system and learn with someone who has probably been through many of the challenges you are facing.

What you can expect from the blog:

As my training is in both Suzuki Violin and teaching in a public school strings program, you will get tips for both. Most articles are are directed at both scenarios and tips for both are offered.

I am successful in leading group classes. If you are a Suzuki teacher you will find plenty of tips for scheduling your Suzuki violin group classes.

If you teach beginning orchestra students you can learn from my 14 years of experience setting up new beginners. I would absolutely love to work with you in person if you want to contact me here.

If you are a parent with a child in music you can also find a variety of posts with ideas about motivating your child to succeed.