Jessica Nielson is currently a registered violin teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Working with her first students at age 17, she has developed her love of teaching through 10+ years of experience. In addition to maintaining a private studio, Jessica has also been a part-time violin instructor at the Utah School of Music and at Brigham Young University. She has been mentored by renowned Suzuki Teacher Trainers Susan Baer, Denise Willey and soloist Monte Belknap. Although her teaching is heavily indebted to her Suzuki training, she works to teach sight reading and theory as part of lessons and firmly believes in teaching students, not methods.
Jessica graduated from Brigham Young University's School of Music in 2010 with Bachelor's degrees in Violin Performance and Russian. She started violin in a California school program at age 8, but a move to Utah soon after put off further violin studies until age 11. Largely self-taught, she continued performing with school orchestras until age 16, when working an after-school job made private lessons possible. Since that time, she has had remarkable opportunities to perform with world-class orchestras including BYU Philharmonic, a side-by-side performance with the Utah Symphony, and a tour to the British Isles with BYU Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist Jessica has performed in Salt Lake City's Assembly Hall, and was a two-time finalist in the BYU Concerto Competition. Her teachers have included Monte Belknap, Kory Katseanes, Samuel Tsugawa, and Shauna Davies. She most recently performed as associate concertmaster with the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization (OCMCO) in Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Hall, and as a freelance violinist.
Jessica currently lives in Spanish Fork, Utah with her wonderful husband Miles and their three children, who keep life interesting, challenging, and most of all delightful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualifications:
Qualifications:
Member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas
--Registered Suzuki Violin Teacher; Level 1 Violin
Bachelor's degree of Music in Violin Performance, Brigham Young University, 2010
- BYU Concerto Competition Finalist 2007, 2010
Violin Instructor, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT April-June 2007(spring term)
- Taught course Music 160R Violin; private violin lessons
Violin Instructor, Utah School of Music, Orem, UT Jan 2007-Nov 2007
- Taught technique and theory of violin to students ages 3-adult
Private Violin Instructor, Springville, UT/Provo, UT 2004-2011
Private Violin Instructor, Long Beach, CA, 2011-2014
Private Violin Instructor, Long Beach, CA, 2011-2014
