Baroque Violin Shop

Ann Felder is in her 37th year of teaching in a career that has included orchestra, piano, music theory, elementary general music, literary elements of film, remedial reading, theater, health, and overseeing virtual second grade.

The husband and wife duo of José Ramos and Rachel Peña are having a huge impact on students in Knoxville. Starting with José’s program at Beaumont Magnet Academy and then into Rachel’s Bearden Middle School program they are proving students with years of instruction and exposure to music before reaching high school.

We take very seriously our role as a resource for students and parents navigating the world of strings. One thing we do pretty frequently is actually talk people out of purchasing an instrument. Why? Because it just doesn't make sense at that moment in time. We tell our customers there are 5 signs they are ready to make a purchase and work through this list with them....

Karen currently teaches 6-12 Orchestra in Skaneateles, NY, at Skaneateles Central Schools. Her previous teaching positions have included serving as adjunct faculty at Syracuse University, teaching String Methods as well as applied violin and viola. She graduated from Syracuse University with a Masters Degree in Violin Performance, K-12 Music Ed. certification and has completed additional studies at Aspen, Berklee School of Music in Boston, and Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute.

Pam has been teaching in the Berkley School District since 1997; and this year is her 28th year of teaching. She started in the Utica Community Schools in 1993 after finishing her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University (Go Broncos) and then attended the University of Michigan for graduate school to study string pedagogy under Professor Robert Culver. She then taught for one year in the Battle Creek Public Schools before finding her home in Berkley – a suburb of Detroit.

Angela Santangelo is the Orchestra Director for grades 7-12 in the Sycamore School District, Cincinnati, OH; having previously taught in the Princeton City School District, with her first year in the Winton Woods School District. A transplant to the area, Santangelo first visited Paul Bartel and The Baroque Violin Shop as an undergraduate violist. Dr. Santangelo earned her degrees at The University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music during which time she met her husband, a local Cincinnati musician who introduced her to Skyline Chili; prior to which she had managed to live in Cincy for three years before succumbing to the local delicacy.

With a new school year approaching many students will be taking orchestra for the first time. We want to make sure these students start off on the right note and get an instrument that will allow them to learn properly. We will break down the three important factors for selecting a string instrument and let you know what is hands-down the best violin (viola, cello, or bass) for a beginner.

Marissa Keener joined the Arts+ violin faculty in 2014 and became the Suzuki Coordinator for Arts+ in 2017. She is registered for Every Child Can! and Violin Books 1-10 with the Suzuki Association of the Americas and completed her training with Joanne Bath, Edward Kreitman, and Liz Arbus. In addition to private lesson teaching, Marissa has taught at several public school Suzuki outreach programs in Greenville, Bath, and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Mrs. Donahoe currently teaches in New Albany, Ohio and directs a string program that serves about 400 students. She earned her music degree at The Ohio State University, but before that, she actually served in the United States Air Force! Although the Air Force was a fantastic opportunity, she knew music was her true calling and is thrilled to be working with students in the classroom every day.

Doug is an orchestra director at both Centerville High School and Watts Middle School, and he is the founder of the Alternative Strings program, which began over 23 years ago, and encourages hundreds of students to "think outside the Bach" (as their shirts once said) -- to expand their horizons past the classical music taught in school.