Welcome!
I’m Molly.
I run a private violin studio for people who want to be awesome violinists.
I’m so glad you are here. Read on to learn about me, the studio, and how to apply!
Who do I teach?
My studio is open to violinists of all levels. From new beginners to seasoned professionals, I have something to offer everyone. I love to work with both kids and adults who are just starting out on their instruments to give them the best foundation for their musical future. For advancing students taking on college admissions to professional players looking to level up their performances or play a great audition, I offer a mix of practical instruction and performance coaching to meet all players where they are and help them move forward toward their goals.
Where do lessons take place?
Virtual lessons take place online, so you don’t need to live near me to be a part of my studio! In-person lessons occur in my home studio in the Scenic Heights neighborhood of Pensacola, FL. Hybrid lesson slots are available for those close enough to come in person part time and meet online the rest.
What can students expect to gain?
Along with learning the ins and outs of how to play and enjoy the violin, my students can expect to gain proficiency in musical literacy alongside critical knowledge of music theory, history, tradition, and etiquette. All students receive whole-person centered coaching and mentorship that prioritizes the dignity and respect of all people in the studio, and encourages players to become the best version of themselves while working toward technical and artistic excellence.
About Me
I am a wife, mother, and violinist.
I have crafted a musical career out of the things I love to do most: perform great music, and teach great musicians.
As a player, you’ll see me onstage with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Mobile Symphony Orchestra, and with the Palafox Quartet. Though my performance schedule keeps me busy, I currently keep two days a week open for private lessons.
My teaching career began in 2006, when I took on my first students as a college music major. Since obtaining my bachelor and masters degrees in violin performance, I have spent years coaching student ensembles, directing youth symphonies, working in community engagement for the Pensacola Symphony, teaching middle school orchestra for Escambia County Public Schools, and serving on the teaching faculties of colleges including Northwest Florida State College and the University of West Florida. (read my full biography here.) And now, I teach a select group of students out of my home studio.
There are lots of violin teachers out there.
Why choose me?
As a violinist, one thing has always been clear to me. Playing the violin is super difficult. The kind of dedication required to master an instrument like this takes guts, spirit, and grit - and the process, for most of us lifers, is so demanding that we don’t always come out on the other side as the happiest, healthiest version of ourselves.
That’s the state I found myself in after grinding away at my instrument, desperate not only to get better at violin, but to feel better when I played, and feel better about myself as a player. Years of struggling to prove myself to my teachers and peers and advance as quickly as possible had taken their toll on me, and I was seriously burnt out.
It was time to reconstruct. I realized that I needed to rebuild my playing from the ground up, with a new foundation that could support me in pursuing excellence from a starting line of mental and physical wellness. Not only did this change me for the better as a person, it revolutionized my playing and totally changed my life and career.
This is now the basis of how I teach. I combine tried and true pedagogy and traditional instruction alongside new-school skills of radical self compassion and acceptance to help shape students whose love of music spurs them on to become incredible musicians. For beginners, these skills begin at day 1. For advancing students and professionals, we dig deep to revitalize the joy of music that so often gets lost along the way.
Student Testimonials
Coming Soon