Kara McCoy

 

Education

Kara McCoy has studied music for 20 years through private lessons. She began with piano at age 6 and then switched her focus to violin in 6th grade. Kara spent six years studying violin technique and pedagogy with Richard Schwabe, longtime chair of the Strings Department for the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts. Kara has also studied private music theory (collegiate level) with Robert Tomkins, a former music theory teaching fellow from the University of North Texas. Kara holds music teacher certifications in the Mark O’Connor Strings Method books 1 and 2, and several Musikgarten certifications, including Music Makers at the Keyboard.

Experience

Kara is a dedicated musician and music teacher for all ages, babies through adults. She discovered her love of music teaching as a freshman in highschool and has maintained a growing music studio ever since. Her students, of every level, have steadily grown in their musical skill and excelled in their various school and honor orchestras, with several students placing 1st and 2nd chair in their sections. While violin is Kara’s primary instrument, she also loves singing, playing piano, and performing on the violin’s nearest kin, the viola. As an avid musician Kara plays professionally, as a community volunteer, and just for fun. Growing up in CA, Kara had the privilege of playing with numerous groups. She served as principal second violin for the Tehachapi Symphony for five years and played professionally with five additional symphonies. She has been asked to play professionally for banquets, weddings, fundraisers, birthday parties etc. She was a winner of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Concerto Competition and the Tehachapi Symphony Young Artists Concerto Competition. She also performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto 3rd movement on Valley Public Radio’s Young Artists Spotlight radio program. 

Objective

Playing music is so much fun. It is a creative outlet, a fun challenge, gives many opportunities for building friendships, and lets one experience many different cultures and historical eras. In  violin, viola, or piano lessons, students will receive music theory, music history, and specific technical instruction. Kara has personally experienced both the joy of truly understanding how to play a piece of music and the frustration that comes from bad technique. Starting with the very first lesson, she intentionally teaches her students how to understand music and play beautifully. Kara uses a compassionate, gentle and encouraging approach to teaching.