Kristin Cram

Kristin Cram is the recipient of the 2014 Teacher of the Year Award from the NM Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, of which she is also a member. Kristin earned a Bachelor of Music Education and Violin Performance degree from Northern Arizona University, where she studied with Dr. Louise Scott. Mrs. Cram also studied with renowned pedagogue, Dr. William Magers for a year. Her love of violin playing and teaching the instrument began when she started private lessons at age 8 with prominent Suzuki teacher trainer Susan Kempter. Before that, Kristin’s mother, a Yamaha piano teacher, began nurturing her enjoyment of music and learning, first with piano lessons, then adding violin as well with Mrs. Kempter. Kristin has over 25 years of experience in violin teaching and performing, involvement in the Suzuki method. She also taught as a coordinator in the UNM Lab School, teaching and critiquing lessons of UNM student interns, for about 17 years.

Students in Kristin’s studio receive weekly group and private lessons, parent education, study whatever genre/s of music they desire, compose music, regular solo performance experiences including sharing at retirement homes, performances with a group twice a year, as well as frequent other enriching experiences in the community for parents and children. With a background in teaching middle school orchestra, Mrs. Cram has been an orchestra clinician and violin sectional clinician for several Albuquerque Public School groups and festivals.  She has played in the Roswell Symphony Orchestra, San Juan Symphony, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, the UNM and NAU Orchestras, the Albuquerque Youth Symphony, in string quartets, and subbed in the Santa Fe Symphony and in Opera Southwest. She has also performed with internationally known Latin recording artists The Sparx, has played on a CD recording with professional singer/songwriter Angela DiPrima, has performed with John Densmore, founding member and former drummer of the musical group The Doors at the Native American Music Awards, and has played on stage with Linda Ronstadt.

Mrs. Cram loves raising her two young children who have studied violin and piano with her since toddlerhood. She finds profound joy in teaching, in the Suzuki philosophy, putting what she teaches into practice with her son and daughter, and seeing her students develop both music and life skills through the process of learning their instrument. Kristin enjoys cooking and baking, spending time with friends and family, watching documentaries, and taking long walks and jogs, especially in the fall which is her most favorite season.