"I know that the most joy in my life has come to me from my violin." - A. Einstein

What inspires you to learn more about music?

Whether you’re young or old, a beginner or an advanced student, I want to know what it is that draws you to music making! I guide my students through their goals, giving them the tools and structure that they need to enjoy the process, develop curiosity, and celebrate their accomplishments. With a combination of earnest learning and student centered teaching, any person at any age can learn to play the violin. Welcome to my studio and let’s learn together!

I have the privilege of teaching a studio of over 45 students! My studio in Halifax (Maritime Conservatory) is full at this time, but I have space available in my in-home studio in Queensland!

Get in touch

  • Private lessons are taught one-on-one where you have my undivided attention! With weekly lessons our classes will be tailored to your individual needs and we learn at your pace. Students have the option of enrolling in a weekly 30, 45, or 60 minute class which can be in person or online.

    Included in your tuition:

    36 lessons from September to June

    2 recitals

    1 community outreach project

    Private lessons are also for adult students! Whether you’re picking up the instrument for the first time or coming back to it after years, I’m here to help!

  • Summer is a great time to continue your studies or to get a head start on the upcoming year. Your summer is flexible and so is mine! I offer 4, 6, and 8 week lesson packages so that you can make music at your pace.

    Summer lessons are online and/or in person at my home studio in Queensland

  • For students that are 12 and younger, I primarily teach using the Suzuki Method which is a highly successful and joyful method! Parents attend lessons to observe and be involved in the learning process and these beginners learn by ear at first - if you can’t read music, no problem! I teach beginners by incorporating lots of singing, moving, and active listening for the first few years.

    Bi-monthly group classes in September are offered to the under 14 beginners to help reinforce what you’re learning in your lessons. This is a fun and supportive group experience which helps students learn how to play together, encourage each other, and learn from each other.

    Once a student has the basics down, I encourage my students to participate in recitals, festivals, youth orchestras, or RCM exams. We’ll find opportunities to set goals and have a lot of fun along the way!

    Every student is different and comes into my studio with their own context, goals, and interests. Although I might have a rough blueprint in mind, I always tailor my teaching to the student in front of me to help them feel encouraged, supported, and curious.

D. Rasmussen

Our child has been attending lessons here for about a year, and absolutely loves it. It's a warm, positive environment. Emilie is really great at connecting with young children, and helping them navigate through the challenges of learning an instrument in a way that makes the whole experience fun and something we look forward to every week.

Learn more about what some parents and students have said about our lessons

  • We started our 8 year old in fiddle/violin with Emilie with no music training/background and he has flourished. Emilie is encouraging, kind, fun and well organized. Our kiddo absolutely loves her (and so do we!) and he’s come so far in just his first 7 months. Emilie is fostering a love of music that will be the foundation to a lifelong love and appreciation. We are so happy with our experience and look forward to continuing on with lessons. Emilie is top notch, highly recommend!!!!

    C. McKellar

  • I had not played my violin for at least twenty years... 11 months ago now I signed up and am very much enjoying my violin lessons and weekly improving my skills. My teacher, Emilie, is a knowledgeable, enthusiastic music educator. The student recitals help us learn how to play for an audience and are an opportunity to listen to each other.

    J. Gerbrandy

  • We’ve been with Emilie for the violin lessons for a year. The kids love her class as it is always fun and creative. Emilie always try various ways to help the kids understand the music components. Highly recommended!

    W. Xu

  • Emilie is an excellent violin teacher. My son has made great progress and enjoys his lessons very much :)

    Thurlow

  • I have had the privilege of working with violin teacher, Emilie! She is so incredibly talented and goes out of her way to help her students. I have seen a significant improvement in the eight months I have been with her, and I could not recommend anyone better! Thank you, Emilie!

    Dobbelstyne

Get in touch

A little about me:

I moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in August of 2019 after finishing my Master of Music Degree in the United States where I studied violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy at Ithaca College. Upstate New York had been my home for my whole life and by 2019 I was ready to explore my Canadian roots.

I have been playing violin for nearly 20 years and it has been my anchor for every hardship and major change in my life. When I was young and first starting out, I found it incredibly satisfying to be able to express myself through my instrument. I’ve always approached violin playing as a puzzle and to this day, I’m still trying to figure it out.

“Emilie is very welcoming in class and brings her whole self to her work, she's a wonderfully warm person. She expects that her students can learn and she keeps the bar high while always giving them the support they need to get there. She has many different ways of approaching every learning moment and we notice the time she spends preparing her classes for our daughter. Ella always looks forward to violin classes - it sounds like hyperbole but it isn't! For three years she has ALWAYS looked forward to working with Emilie; I've never once heard her frame a teaching comment negatively. Emilie is teaching our child more than just the technique involved in playing the violin.  I've watched Ella learn resilience and confidence through preparation, goal setting, autonomy in practice, respectful listening, how to take direction - the list goes on!

— Code