Violin, Viola and Cello Lessons

Sign up for Violin, Viola and Cello Lessons.

Makenna Oest

Violin/Viola Lessons

Makenna Oest attended the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver and studied under Basil Vendryes, principal violist of the Colorado Symphony. She performed several orchestral and chamber concerts, solo and studio recitals, and performed in masterclasses featuring Molly Carr and Richard O’Neill. After four years of hard work, she graduated in 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in music.
Makenna has always been passionate about music. Growing up, she sang in choirs and
eventually picked up—and loved—viola. She was highly involved in music throughout her high school career, auditioning for and playing in the Colorado All State Honors Orchestra Festival, Western States Honors Orchestra Festival, Lamont Summer Academy, and the Denver Young Artists Orchestra.
In addition to performance, Makenna is also a passionate music educator. She teaches weekly group violin lessons at local elementary schools and enjoys watching musicians grow individually and musically when they engage with music. Makenna looks forward to being part of your musical journey at Do-Re-Mi Lessons!

30 minute lessons with Makenna are $35.

Sign up for viola lessons with Makenna.

DAVID SHORT

Cello Lessons

Cellist David Short moved to Colorado in 2002 after graduating from Ithaca College with a BM in Cello Performance. After starting a Master’s Degree in Performance and Pedagogy, David left CU Boulder for professional pursuits. He became a cello teacher with Strings Attached in Englewood Arts, and was the program’s Assistant Director before leaving the Program in 2011. He teaches privately, as well as being a Master Mentor for the Denver School of the Arts, a coach for Legacy High School, and is a part of Playground’s Young Composers Program and creating Educational Programs with Sphere Ensemble. His students often take part in the Colorado All-State festival and Western Honors Orchestra.

David has performed across the country with the silent movie group, the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, playing at such venues as the Smithsonian, the Walter Reade theater at Lincoln Center in New York City, the Academy for Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Recording with Mont Alto have appeared on the Turner Classic Movie channel. He is a member of Jesse Manley and his Band and Opera Colorado. He also served as the principal arranger and Artistic Director of Sphere Ensemble, and helped produce their album “Divergence” that CPR Classical listed as a Best Album of 2016.

30 minute lessons with David are $30.

Sign up for cello lessons with David.

EMILY ROSE LEWIS

Violin and Viola Lessons

Emily Rose Lewis started out her life as a violinist in the Flint Hills of Kansas. A Suzuki-trained fiddler, she learned music by ear, a skill that would come in handy later in life. As early as 16,she began performing internationally with string quartets and orchestras, as well as other small chamber ensembles. Her violin training continued at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received a Bachelor of Music Education, followed by a Masters of Music in violin at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

As a classical violinist, she has performed professionally with the Madison Symphony, Fort Collins Symphony, Cheyenne Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, as well as with the Turina String Quartet and the Meo String Quartet, and Denver’s own Sphere Ensemble. Emily Rose is active in the bluegrass, folk, and folk-rock scenes in and around Denver. She is the violinist with Monocle Band, and bluegrass/Americana band Blow the Vault, as co-lead singer and fiddle tune writer. Emily also performs with Jesse Manley and His Band, an ensemble that collaborates frequently with Wonderbound Dance Company in Denver.

30 minute lessons with Emily are $32.

Sign up for violin lessons with Emily here.

DESIREE HIRSCHFIELD

Violin, Viola and Cello Lessons

Desiree has 12 years of experience teaching private violin, viola, and cello lessons. She has a Bachelor of Music Education from Metro State University. Desiree has performed with Stratus Chamber Orchestra, Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra, the Colorado Composer’s Collective, the Locus Project, and several local bands. Desiree teaches students of all ages and ability levels.

30 minute lessons with Desiree are $34.

Sign up for violin lessons with Desiree.

We couldn’t be more thankful for Desiree and her gift of teaching our daughter the violin. She is by far the best and most loved teacher that my daughter has ever had. We couldn’t ask for any better. She is an AMAZING teacher and we highly recommend her!!

Stephanie – Facebook