🎻 Meet Ms. Emily!

Emily brings over two decades of teaching experience, a genuine love for young learners, and some seriously impressive musical chops to every class.

She holds three degrees in music — including a Master's in Music Education with a specialty in Suzuki Violin Pedagogy — and has been teaching violin and viola since 2003. She's taught at celebrated music schools across the country, directed chamber ensembles, and even served as concertmaster of the Green Bay Civic Symphony. Safe to say, your child is in very good hands!

By day, Miss Emily teaches K-8 music, band, and strings at Brooksville Elementary School, and has been a beloved teacher of the Ellsworth Community Music Institute for years.

When she's not in the classroom, you might find her out birding, cross-country skiing, or hiking through the woods with her family. We think that sense of adventure comes through in her teaching, too! 🌲

Nope! No instrument needed to get started. In our very first class, we'll be making our own box violins — a Suzuki tradition that gets little hands ready to play before ever picking up the real thing.

When the time comes, Ms. Emily will help you figure out the perfect size violin for your child, and we recommend checking out RDLStrings in Bangor, which offers convenient 3-month rentals for just $75.

Rental assistance available - just ask!

These aren't drop-in classes, but they're the next best thing!

The 8-week session is designed as a low-pressure, high-fun introduction to the violin. Think of it as a chance to explore the instrument, fall in love with music, and see if lessons are the right fit, all without the commitment of a full lesson schedule.

Isn't that a motorcycle brand?
Ha - yes, but also so much more!

The Suzuki Method is a world-renowned approach to music education developed by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki.

His big idea? Every child can learn music the same way they learn to talk - through listening, repetition, and lots of encouragement.

So how does it actually work?
Instead of jumping straight to reading music, Suzuki kids start by hearing and imitating— just like learning your first words. Songs are introduced by ear, parents are involved as "home teachers," and the focus is always on joy over pressure.

Yes! At ECMI, our number one goal is to make music education accessible. No questions asked, just email our executive director, Pete, and he’ll get you set up:

director@ellsworthcommunitymusic.org