Miss. Ryellen Joaquim

When I started my musical studies at the age of 11, I did not imagine that my musical career could provide me with so many enriching experiences like different kinds of learning, teaching, conducting, touring with orchestras and so on.

I started my musical studies at the age of 11 in Brazil where I could develop different music skills through group and individual classes, orchestral practice, and orchestra conducting experiences. My teaching experiences started there, and for six years I taught violin, viola and conducted one of the orchestras. The methodology in that school was based on the successful and world-renowned El Sistema, created by José Antônio Abreu, in Venezuela; being considered one of the best centers of the Venezuelan system, outside the country. Based on the philosophy that the individual comes before musical technique, the aim is to bring out, through music, the best that exists in the heart of every human being and, at the same time, develop musical skills that are stimulated with love and respect for the journey of each student. All these experiences are tools for music and for the life of each student who passes through the institution, encouraging continued education and opening paths for professional life.

In 2016 I graduated in Viola Performance at the Mozarteum University in Sao Paulo, Brazil and during my musician life I got accepted to play in different music festivals in Brazil and USA. I had amazing experiences playing in tours around the world with different orchestras such as Bolivia, USA, Portugal, Poland, Ukraine, Scotland, and Germany. In 2018 I got a full scholarship to do an Artist Diploma and again in 2020 a master’s degree in Viola Performance at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, United States. I have been invited to play as Principal Viola in different musical festivals like Colour of Music Festival and also as Viola Tutti in orchestras in Brazil and the United States. In August of 2022, I started the Doctorate program in Viola Performance at Texas Tech and I was chosen as a Teacher’s Assistant at the institution. In the fall of 2022 I won my position as viola section at Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.

Besides that, I am a Suzuki Certified Teacher, which is a methodology that was created by Shinichi Suzuki. His mission was to educate all children through a caring and loving environment. His motto became “character first, skill second”. He believed that the creative spirit of music offered every child a chance to discover their inner talents. The method became known as Talent Education, in reference to his belief that all children have talents that must be developed in a loving environment. Through his teachings, Dr. Suzuki has shown teachers and parents everywhere that kids can play really well. In the past it was rare to see young children playing music so beautifully because at first, people thought that all students were musical geniuses and it was not common for children to be accepted by a music teacher without a previous audition or entrance exam. In Lubbock I am a teacher at the Stelr (Suzuki Talent Education of the Lubbock Region) and I also have a small private violin and viola studio.

My teachers were and are fundamental in every achievement I have accomplished. The responsibility that they felt for me is the same that I have towards conducting my teachings.