Viola with Vera S.

Originally from Belgrade, Vera moved to Chicago at the age of two and started her first violin lessons at age of seven with the renowned pedagogue, Dr. Milton Goldberg who worked with Shinichi Suzuki on developing the most prominent Suzuki method for violin. Thereafter, she rapidly evolved into an active performer travelling all over Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa participating in international music festivals, competitions, master classes, teaching, and performing. She has performed in several major concert halls around the world and under the baton of notable conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Peter Oundjian, Markus Stenz, and David Robertson, to name a few. Vera was honored to be invited twice by the Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine of former Yugoslavia to give solo performances at the LifeTime gala that took place in the Chicago Cultural Center. Teaching for over 15 years, it has always been Vera’s undying ambition to devote herself to helping students become fine musicians. She has successfully prepared them for auditions, conservatory entrance exams, and competitions. Her students have always exhibited consistent progress, discipline, confidence, musical sensitivity, fearless stage performance, and most of all, love and inspiration for their instrument. This has been recognized by directors of music schools in Chicago, Florence, Vienna, and New York City who have offered her permanent positions as a violin instructor and ensemble coach. While also having lived in Berlin, she was on the board of directors for the Suzuki Method Institution. Vera received her Master’s in a double concentration in Violin Performance and Pedagogy at Northwestern University where she studied with Gerardo Ribeiro. At Illinois Wesleyan University, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance where she performed Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto with the symphony orchestra after winning the concerto competition. She graduated with honors and was granted numerous scholarships and awards at both institutions. In December of 2019, Vera completed a second Master's degree in Viola performance and pedagogy with the highest honors at the conservatory of Florence in Italy. She continues to teach, perform, and collaborate with musicians while broadening her stylistic palette by exploring different genres and experimenting with music production using Cubase and Logic Pro.