Meet Elizabeth . . .
Music Background: Elizabeth Simmons has a rich background in violin and piano music education. She began learning the violin at age 8 and continued through High School where for three years she studied under Dr. Lee Joiner, a Julliard graduate, and studied at the Blaire School of Music in Nashville, Tennessee. Her final year she received a music scholarship which included classes in ear training and music theory. After graduating from the University of Utah and moving with her husband to Colorado, Elizabeth took piano lessons as an adult for 8 years from June Smith, a gold medal pianist from Toronto Canada who studied at their University of Music. June asked Elizabeth to take on her beginning piano students when she had to move due to her husband's poor health. For over four decades Elizabeth has enjoyed teaching young and old(er) students, and loves to adapt her style and approach to individual needs and insterests. She strives to make lessons and group lessons engaging, supportive, and effective. Developing a love for music and the musical journey is her highest priority.
Violin Teaching Approach: As a violin student, Elizabeth was trained in traditional methods. Recently with a desire to enhance her teaching skills, she completed the first two years of teacher training with the Suzuki Method, which she incorporates into her teaching. In addition, she uses a supplemental beginning method found at violinpractice.com which offers a broader introduction to violin playing and music education for young beginners. These are created by music professors at the University of Indiana, one of the top music schools in the country, and effectively break down skills into bite size pieces.
Group classes: When studying Suzuki violin, Elizabeth was introduced to the value of group classes. Since beginning these several years ago, she has found that not only does it give students a chance to play together as an ensemble, but as importantly it gives a social dimension as well as opportunities to learn additional technniques, music theory, and reinforce what is taught in prior lessons. Currently group classes are only available for younger violin students.
Intermediate and adult students: Elizabeth offers individual lessons and focuses on refining tone, technique, vibrato, and expanding their repertoire.
Performances: All students have opportunity to perform at retirement centers at least twice a year, which is a fun and safe environment where making music brightens the lives of the residents.
Additional Music Community Involvement: Elizabeth has recently founded and is the executive director of the Mount Logan Symphony, a sister symphony to the Cache Symphony Orchestra, which partners with USU and performs family-friendly concerts with music from a variety of genres and community guest soloists twice a year at Mount Logan Middle School. In addition, she is chair of the newly formed Cache Valley Symphonic Society, a non-profit organization of musical groups in the Cache Valley area.
On a personal note . . . Elizabeth is the mother of three wonderful married children, and three grandchildren (with a fourth due late 2026). She is grateful to her husband for his unwavering support!
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