Welcome to Medicine Bow Studio, where the violin and fiddle meet in happy harmony. What’s the difference? The style of music! To put it simply, when playing classical styles many refer to the instrument as a violin, and when playing folk styles, it is often referred to as a fiddle. Lessons here are taught with the philosophy that music is bigger than any one style or method, and that the process of learning to play offers many life enriching benefits to students of all ages. I offer my students the opportunity to study fiddle, Suzuki violin (a classical method) or a combination of both. Lessons at Medicine Bow focus on the skills needed for any style: proper technique, ear-training, patience, and of course, finding the joy in playing. This holistic approach lets the student follow their musical inspiration. My goal is to create life long musicians and I treasure the opportunity to guide others on their musical journeys.

My own musical path has been one of constant discovery and inspiration. I grew up here in Boulder where I began violin lessons at age seven. I went on to earn my BA in Music in at the University of Colorado in 2001, as well as becoming a nationally registered Suzuki Violin Teacher under the guidance of renowned pedagogue William Starr. During this time, I had the opportunity to observe many teachers, which offered me a broad perspective and encouraged me to develop clear ideas and philosophies of my own as I was growing my personal teaching practice.

While my studio continued to grow, I was becoming increasingly intrigued with the wonderful world of fiddle. With Colorado’s roots music community thriving, I was exposed to an entirely new culture of jamming and music as an interactive language. Recognizing that there were important gaps to be bridged between my classical skill set and those of a fiddler, I once again became a student.

In 2008 I began Texas-style fiddle lessons with two-time national champion Katie Glassman, as well as attending camps in Colorado and Texas, where I was fortunate to learn from some of the top fiddlers in the country including Wes Westmoreland, Darol Anger, Brittany Haas and Casey Driessen. Officially hooked, I continue to immerse myself in all things fiddle, making me part of a community I have been searching for my whole life. Winning first place in my division at the Colorado Fiddle Championships in 2013 gave me the sense that I have truly arrived in the genre.

My teaching method very much reflects my own journey from classical to fiddle. Lessons at Medicine Bow focus on the skills needed for any style: proper technique, ear-training, patience, and of course, finding the joy in playing. This holistic approach lets the student follow their musical inspiration. I treasure the opportunity to guide others on their musical journeys.