Teaching
Pre-college
Jeri maintains an active studio of talented pre-college students in Colorado Springs. Former students of hers have gone on to further their studies at notable universities and conservatories including Eastman School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, the University of Michigan, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Her students have won area concerto competitions and competed at the national level of Music Teachers National Association. Jeri’s philosophy of teaching is that all of her students are held to the same standard, whether or not they plan to enter music as a profession. She inspires her students to achieve by telling them “it’s fun to play music, and the more advanced you are, the more fun it is.”
Jeri follows a curriculum inspired by the teachings of Shinichi Suzuki and Paul Rolland, which was synthesized by Mimi Zweig at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. She studied with Mimi for two summers at IU’s teacher training program.
Ensemble Teaching
Jeri is involved in many ensemble activities for young people through her work with the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Association. In her work as Director of Chamber Music, she recruits and auditions students from the organization to form string quartets that learn to rehearse independently and present programming in the community. She also directs the Chamber Orchestra which prepares two programs per year, often with student soloists. This concept is carried through to the summer, where the Manitou Chamber Music Festival, which she directs, provides the same experience but in a much more concentrated form. Jeri's ensemble teaching reflects the highest standards and aims to convey to the students that they are capable of sophisticated, detailed work and can present performances that are interesting and engaging.
“Jeri’s way of teaching is detailed and concise. I have become a much better musician thanks to her tutelage.”
Collegiate
Since 1996, Jeri has been on the performance faculty in violin at Colorado College. She has adapted her teaching methods to enable non-major liberal arts students to contribute fully to the musical life of the college. She has also taught performance majors at the SUNY-Potsdam Crane School of Music and the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music