Stephanie’s teaching brings together a lifetime of advanced violin study, an active professional performing career, and more than three decades of working with students of all ages in private studios, classrooms, workshops, ensemble programs, and collegiate settings. Her teaching is rooted in the Suzuki philosophy and increasingly informed by her ongoing study of Somatic Experiencing and trauma-aware practices.

She considers the whole musician: how breath, balance, movement, emotion, attention, and the nervous system affect both the sound we produce and our experience of making music. She is especially interested in helping musicians work with, rather than against, the nervous-system responses that can interfere with performance, confidence, and flow.

Private lessons provide space for curiosity, experimentation, and mistakes while maintaining high musical standards. Each student receives individualized guidance and a clear practice plan shaped around their needs, goals, and stage of development. Group classes give students opportunities to learn (and sometimes fail!) together as they discover how a roomful of individual sounds can grow from chaos into shared music. Through both experiences, students develop technique and musicianship alongside greater awareness, resilience, confidence, and trust in themselves.

Community is essential to this work. Students learn to listen and respond to one another, contribute their own voices, and experience music as a form of connection. Great performances grow from thoughtful preparation, strong relationships, and an environment in which students feel supported enough to take risks.