Ms. Sharon M. Neufeld

Sharon Neufeld has been a music educator since 1992, and has been playing the violin and viola for four and a half decades. She is a trained violin & viola instructor registered with the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), with a private studio located in Richmond, TX. She is also available for online lessons!

Ms. Sharon recently served as the Orchestra Director at Lamar CISD’s “Gold Track” secondary schools in Richmond: Foster High School, Briscoe Junior High School, and Wertheimer Middle School. Prior to moving back home to the Houston area, she operated private studios in Sioux Falls, SD; Luverne, MN; and Rochester, MN; and was also the Instrumental Ensembles Director at Schaeffer Academy in Rochester, MN. Between 2013-2017, Ms. Sharon was the Executive Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy (ISA), where she also served as ISA’s Director & Instructor of Violin and Viola Programs and directed special programs such as Chamber Music, Performance Groups, and the Master Class Series. Before moving to Indianapolis, she was the Founder & Owner of The Suzuki Academy of Southwest Colorado and Kindermusik at The Suzuki Academy of Southwest Colorado, both in Durango, CO. During her tenure in Durango, she also served as the Director of the Preparatory Strings Orchestra of the Four Corners Youth Symphony Association, and the Academic Director of the Durango Chamber Music Academy.

A lifelong musician who began violin lessons at the age of 7, Ms. Sharon added the viola to her musical life at the age of 12. She holds a Master of Music in Viola Performance from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, TX; a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, OH; and graduated from The High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston, TX. She has extensive training through the SAA, is in the process of attaining her SAA Certificate of Achievement, and is working towards certification to become an SAA Teacher Trainer for Violin and Viola.

Ms. Sharon has enjoyed extensive ensemble performing experience in different contexts and locations around the country and the world, beginning with the HSPVA Symphony & Chamber Orchestra, the “HSPVA Gig Quartet”, and top positions in the Houston Region IX Orchestras and the nationally-recognized Texas All-State Orchestras during all four of her high school years. Her post-college ensemble work has included orchestras and chamber music groups in Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and overseas in Southern Russia.

Ms. Sharon loves to garden, cook, and tackle household DIY projects. She is studying to become an integrative health & wellness coach, and is also a certified dog trainer and experienced breeder of gorgeous European Cream Golden Retrievers & Great Pyrenees. She is looking forward to one day establishing a homestead with chickens, goats, ducks, rabbits, and a large garden & orchard!