As a licensed Suzuki violin teacher,
I bring 17 years of teaching
experience to lessons!
My strength and skill set lies in helping students develop intonation, notereading skills, excellent depth and quality of tone and accomplish goals like getting into Middle Level Honors Orchestra and/or All State Orchestra. Over 50 of my students have also participated and won awards through SAM graduation (Suzuki Association of Minnesota) performing in the Twin Cities and getting feedback from excellent teachers all around the State.
I have taught students of all ages, backgrounds and ability levels!
I have am a 3X Licensed Suzuki violin teacher for books 1-4
I also teach traditional violin lessons & fiddle lessons!
a little about me...
Heyy Guys!!!
I grew up on the prairie of southern Minnesota as the oldest of eight children in a large homeschooling family. Music was woven into everyday life from the very beginning. My mom was a piano teacher, my dad was a band director, and together our family traveled throughout the region performing with our Bluegrass band.
When I wasn't outside climbing trees, building pine needle forts and caring for baby animals (we had a horse, ducks, chickens, goats, sheep, dogs and cats), I was journaling, writing plays to perform with my 40+ cousins, writing letters to distant friends or studying violin through the Suzuki Method. My parents started me at age five and I quickly fell in love with the instrument. That journey led me to perform with the MMEA Mid-Level Honors Orchestra, the Minnesota All-State Orchestra, and eventually earn my Bachelor of Arts degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
I started teaching violin at age seventeen and later completed Suzuki teacher training in Books 1–3 with Nancy Lokken and Wendy Azrak. In 2013, I joined the faculty of the Mankato Suzuki School of Music, and in 2017 I became Executive Director. During my eight years in leadership, I helped grow the program from 60 students and 3 teachers to more than 300 students and 25 teachers.
Today, I am focused on building Once Upon A Violin, my private studio dedicated to helping students discover confidence, creativity, and joy through music. This season of life also allows me greater flexibility as my husband Michael and I pursue our dream of growing our family through adoption.
Part 1:
my music
Mary
Flanagan
Violinist
Author
Writer
Wife
Adoptive Mom
Catholic
Left to right: my brother Samuel (cello), sister Anne (cello), sister Grace (violin), sister Ellen (violin), Mom (guitar), youngest sister Clara (violin), brother Joseph (violin), Dad (double bass), me (violin) and my brother Paul (cello).
Not in that order :)
In addition to music, I have always loved storytelling. While studying music in college, I earned a minor in Creative Writing and built upon experience I gained as a freelance newspaper writer in my hometown of Springfield, Minnesota. I am especially passionate about children's literature because I believe the very best children's books speak not only to young readers but also to the adults sharing those stories with them.
For the past 20 years, it has been a dream of mine to bring together my faith, music, and love of storytelling through children's books that inspire families and spark meaningful conversations about God, helping break down the concept of identity & how each of us is created with a definite purpose. This website Once Upon A Violin is where those passions meet, and I invite you to follow along as I continue developing my children's book series and sharing the adventures along the way.
Part 2:
my writing
Contact me
Whether you're looking to start your violin journey, get some tips to improve your playing or looking for a professional violinist for your special event, I'm here to help and would love to schedule a consultation to chat more about how I can serve you!