Emily
Stodola

Emily is unbelievable with kids — a genuine gem of a human who embodies joy in everything she does. Both of her parents were music teachers, so music was simply always around growing up; she describes herself as "a teacher who also performs," because she sees education as her main vocation in life.

What lessons are like: Emily teaches primarily through the Suzuki method but keeps things flexible and student-driven — happy to take a side-quest into a fiddle tune or a favorite movie theme along the way. She delays note-reading in favor of building ear and feel first, and she loves involving parents directly in lessons, treating it as something the whole family does together. She's a true collaborator — just as at home coaching chamber groups and ensemble playing as she is in with one-on-one instruction.

Great for: young beginners, including toddlers, through Mini-Strings · families who want to be hands-on in the learning process · students who want to play in a group or chamber setting · adults — her adult students thrive just as much as her younger ones

Background: Emily holds an MME with an emphasis in Suzuki Violin Pedagogy from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, a Masters in Music in Violin Performance from Texas Tech, and a Bachelors in Music from the University of Minnesota. She's taught violin and viola through the Suzuki Method since 2003 and was formerly concertmaster of the Green Bay Civic Symphony.