Jacqueline Fisher's Violin Lessons

I started taking violin lessons in 1972 at the age of 5 with Betty Haag at the Betty Haag Academy of Music in Arlington Heights. During that time I was fortunate to travel to Europe 5 times, including performing twice in Rome at the Vatican City for Pope John Paul II, performing for Princess Margaret of England, a performance to a sold out audience in Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonic, and also on German television, and another trip to Moscow of the Soviet Union as ambassadors of Peace for the USA.

I received my Bachelor and Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the University of Illinois studying with Peter Schaffer. I won the Undergraduate Solo Competition to perform with the Illini Symphony, and also the coveted Smith Scholarship for Women which is only given to 2 or 3 students per year for full scholarship of tuition for my full time as an undergraduate student there. I came in 2nd place twice for the Paul Rolland scholarship, which is an annual competition run through the University of Illinois School of Music.

Upon graduating from U of I with Honors, I returned to the Betty Haag Academy of Music in 1990 to become a full time staff member and have remained there ever since. I am also a member of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and have been there since 1998 as a member of the 1st violin section. I also freelance for weddings and other corporate and private functions in the Chicagoland area, including performing with ELO, Vince Gill and Brian Wilson. I am also a chamber music coach with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra and was the Director of the Chamber Music Institute there for 3 years. I have been listed in the Who's Who of American Teachers twice in the past 10 years.

I moved with my family to Cary 10 years ago and started a private studio here in my home a few years ago, which has steadily been growing and is now up to 3 days a week. I am a certified Suzuki teacher through Book 10 and many of my students have won numerous local competitions, have also gone on to college to major in Music, and are now teaching and performing in communities around Chicago and the country.

I am very passionate both about performing and teaching the violin at very high levels of expertise. I teach students from ages 3 to 18 (some older students as well), taking them from the very start of their music lessons, teaching them not only the skills to play the violin to the best of their ability, but also how to take the ideas they are learning throught the process, such as discipline, humility, dedication, hard work, and responsibility and applying these attributes to the other areas of their lives as well. I teach the Suzuki method, but also add other methods and pieces as well, and note-reading along with theory is an integral part of the process. I talk to each student and their parents, learn the goals they would like to achieve, and formulate a specific plan that is different for each student, their abilities, and the time they can put into practice each week. We then revisit these goals yearly (sometimes sooner if needed) and readjust accordingly. I try to have 2 to 3 recitials and concerts for the students to participate in throughout the year, and also local competitions for those students interested in those as well.

I love teaching violin, this wonderful community we live in and hope to continue enriching the lives of children for many years to come.