

Mary-Elizabeth H.


Teaching Locations:

Teaching Locations:

Levels taught:
Beginner, Intermediate, AdvancedMusic lessons with me are FUN! I am here to help you learn and support you along your journey.
My teaching method is special because it is tailored specifically to your needs. You are welcome if you're brand new to violin or if you've played for years.
I have been teaching privately and in music schools for 23 years and beginners are my specialty! I teach ages 4+. We learn songs that you are interested in. You will receive a balanced music education that covers all aspects of playing music.
About Mary-Elizabeth H.
Hello! I am a professional violin/fiddle player and singer, and I perform and teach music classes all over Manhattan and Brooklyn.I have been teaching and performing music professionally for 23 years. I truly enjoy teaching and fulfilling the students needs and seeing them progress as a musician. You are the most important part of our classes.
I worked for the NYC Department of Education as a substitute classroom and general music teacher (2015-2018). I have a background in students with special needs and special education. Se habla espanol.
I was awarded a full-tuition scholarship through an audition for the North American World Scholarship Program to attend Berklee College of Music. There I earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance (2003).
I began my studies as a young child with the Suzuki Method (which focuses on learning by ear, substantial parental involvement, and only later reading music.) In high school I began studying jazz/blues improvisation, composition, and music theory. At Berklee College of Music I focused on jazz and all kinds of contemporary and traditional music.
After graduating I was awarded a position at the Henry Mancini Institute (2003) in Los Angeles and was privileged to work with some of the biggest names in music including Diana Krall and Christian McBride.
My favorite type of music to play these days is traditional Irish folk music, or "Irish trad". For the past few years I have immersed myself heavily in New York's traditional Irish music scene. I play regularly at several establishments in New York City alongside some of the city's finest Irish music players.
A large part of my teaching style is that you are having FUN, you are enjoying what you are learning, no matter your skill level. Even if you are an absolute beginner, we might work on playing the chorus or the riff of the song.
For example, one year I had a very happy 6-year old boy learn the theme to Star Wars and another college student learning the a hit single from pop band MGMT.
Reviews
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Awesome instructor! I feel so relaxed and comfortable with her and she is very patient and personable! Perfect for a beginner adult student who wants to learn the violin but not feel overwhelmed by the process and who needs comforting encouragement along the way.

Mary is very patient and works to get to know her students. She's very helpful and helps her students at their own pace!

From Freyja "She teaches us well. She has a Kermit The Frog puppet that will make you laugh. She encourages me. She is a good violin player."

Good lesson. She addressed the things I need to work on and praised what I do well. I look forward to continuing lessons with her.

Very patient, easy to talk to, professional and knowledgeable!



She was very nice to me, and I liked that she is starting from the very beginning.

I enjoy having Ukelele lessons with Mary. She is always with her bright big smile, being very patient and encouraging during the lessons!

Great first lesson

Mary-Elizabeth has been very patient in teaching our 6-year-old son!

Mary-Elizabeth is great! Very patient, helpful, and encouraging. I highly recommend working with her. She'll have you playing in no time.


Mary is great! Patient and encouraging, with the right amount of pushing. Excited to get better at guitar.

Just had my first violin lesson ever with Mary Elizabeth and she is totally cool and made it less daunting

Miss Mary was great. She was so sweet and nice

I have been wanting to pick up the violin again after many years, but I just couldn't find the right teacher. I found TakeLessons and was excited to go through the lists of teachers. Well, when I came across Mary's profile, I nearly fell over! I was so excited, because Mary seemed to be exactly what I had been looking for! Fast forward a couple of months - I have been working with her weekly for 60 minutes, and she has lived up to EVERYTHING she said she was! I could not recommend her more! Besides being a great musician, she is a wonderful teacher! And to top it off she is a kind and funny person! I love working with her, and have told her she is stuck with me for a long time!

Mary-Elizabeth taught my daughter for voice lessons through an Afterschool program (in person & online) for a period of two years. Mary-Elizabeth is a dedicated & talented teacher who brings an infectious sense of joy for music to each class. That joy along with her sense of whimsy kept my young daughter happily engaged whilst moving steadfastly forward in learning her instrument.
I have no hesitation in recommending Mary-Elizabeth, she has such a lovely temperament for teaching children & is a talented musician.

"I like the new song I'm learning, soooo spooky!" -E

My 8 year old daughter has been taking lessons with her for a few months and loves her teacher! She is learning a lot for 30 minutes a week!!

"I like to do the down strokes." -E

Mary Elizabeth is wonderful! Our 7 year old daughter, a first time beginner at violin is really learning quickly and loves every minute.

"I love your teaching." -E

Thank you Mary Elizabeth! Your encouraging attitude inspires me to practice and do better. I appreciate all your patience and the way that you explain proper technique. My improvement is obvious and I look forward to my next lesson!

Mary Elizabeth is a joyful and extremely gifted instructor. She makes the lessons interesting and fun and motivates her students to want to be better and PRACTICE!!!!! Best instructor ever (and I've had a few!). :)

Mary was available last minute to bring my daughter up to date for an audition. She was knowledgeable, patient and easy to understand.

Great teacher, very encouraging! Am looking forward to next lesson.

It was my daughter's first lesson with Mary today and already she learned so much! Mary was enthusiastic, patient, professional and very knowledgable in her craft. She has a wealth of experience and we are just elated to have Mary share her enthusiasm and passion for music with Grace!



Mary-Elizabeth is awesome! So professional and makes things feel accessible. She is clearly very talented and take her teaching very seriously but also makes it fun. I am so happy to have chosen her as a teacher.

takelessons.com/profile/maya-m10 here is a very good teacher

Mary-Elizabeth was great! My first lesson and she was very patient and took the time to help me tune my violin. She gave me great tips, encouragement and ideas for effective practice. I'm really looking forward to my next lesson

Mary is wonderful. Great Chemistry with her

First lesson was great!

so patient and full of knowledge! She takes the time to work with your skill set and really teaches you the basics of the instrument! Wonderful!

Mary-Elizabeth taught me violin for 2 years. I was brand new and she made picking up violin easy and enjoyable. She recognizes current and future problems and suggests exercises to correct them. She always has a positive attitude, which helped me avoid getting frustrated. Her classes were relaxed and thorough. I could not have asked for a better teacher!

I have a great experience of teaching with Mary ! I was already violonist but she helped me discover the wonderful world of fiddle music. I had a complete classical training and I wanted to be more free with my music so Traditional Irish tunes where the best !
Mary is very kind, patient, sweet, funny and will know how to adjust to your need without any doubt. She is a awesome musician in a great variety of music so have your pick !

We met Mary-Elizabeth for the first time in January 2009 by recommendation of The Royal Danish Academy of Music.
We were looking for a private violin teacher for my daughter Elisabeth, age 13, who at that time had never played an instrument before and was clearly shy and nervous about the project.
From the very first lesson, Mary-Elizabeth not only showed the skills and the basic technique of teaching the violin to younger children, but most impressing was her enthusiasme and joy that immidiately spread to the student. You could tell, that this was a teacher who loved playing too!!
And that opened all the doors for the difficult practising and today I have a daughter who enjoys so much playing that she brings the violin on every holiday to make sure she always has the instrument nearby!
I can sincerely recommend Mary-Elizabeth for teaching and I guarantee you, the students will love playing and look foreward to her lessons!
Photos & Videos
8 Photos & VideosExperience
Music Teacher
Sep 2017 - PresentPrivate School
Teaching private and group music classes as part of the After School Program
Music Teacher
Jan 1995 - PresentPrivate Teaching Studio
Due to COVID-19, I am offering online lessons only. During ordinary times, I teach private music lessons in my home studio and occasionally in student's homes.
NYC Dept. of Education Substitute Teacher
Sep 2015 - Jun 2017NYC Dept. of Education
Substitute teacher at various schools in the NYC area
Education
New York City Substitute Teacher Certification
Apr 2015 - Jun 2017NYC Dept. of Education
Performance
Sep 1999 - Jun 2003Berklee College of Music
Languages
Danish
Professional Proficiency
French
Limited Proficiency
Spanish
Limited Proficiency
Certifications
Certified Substitute Teacher
Apr 2015NYC Dept. of Education
Certified Substitute Teacher
Jan 2014Dept. of Education, Connecticut
Awards
String Department Special Achievement Award
May 2002Berklee College of Music
Full-tuition Scholarship
Sep 1999Berklee College of Music
Affiliations
Berklee College of Music Alumni
Sep 2004Let Our Student Counselors Help You
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