Category: Teaching

Here is a great opportunity to learn and play with the Canon Valley Youth Orchestra this summer for students elementary through high school.

Both the Summer Orchestra and the Chamber Music Camp take place in July. All the details can be found here: SUMMER ORCHESTRA + CHAMBER MUSIC CAMP 2026

The deadline to apply is coming up so definitely take advantage of this opportunity as there aren’t many in the area!!

Another great option is the Dorian Summer Music camp for middle and high schoolers in Decorah, Iowa a little over 2 hours away. These are sleep away camps where the musicians stay in dorms on campus.

I actually went to a camp like this on the east coast and it was such a great experience! This is a very affordable camp considering it is a week long. I would definitely check it out!

Cello by Triana – Minnesota Wedding Cellist, Cello Lessons, Minneapolis Wedding Ceremony Musician

A lot youth symphonies, orchestras, and music camps will ask students to audition so that they can be appropriately placed. This is naturally a very stressful event!

I think it’s comforting to know that everyone feels stressed by this but that in the end, you’ll be glad you practiced, went out there, and tried your best. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!!”

You may get first chair, last chair, not get in at all, or walk out with a full scholarship.. but you won’t know until you try. The process of auditioning does indeed make you a better player!

You want to have your scales ready and a solo prepared. I found this list of acceptable solos from the New Jersey Youth Symphony and they have the Suzuki pieces highlighted. They are organized by skill level.

If you need music you can always find it for free if it’s in the public domain. This is music that is over 100 years old, which is so much of classical music.. We are so lucky! You can search the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP for thousands of piece.

I thought that these two links were also very helpful to see the types of orchestral excerpts you may be asked to play:

The Charleston Youth Symphony audition sheet looks great and also has some info on how to play your scales and at what tempo.

The Heights Foundation youth symphony from Fort Meyers Florida has some basic info on scales, arpeggios, and orchestral excerpts.

I am always available to help my students prepare for auditions! Contact me today to get started 🙂

Cello by Triana – Minnesota Wedding Cellist, Cello Lessons, Minneapolis Wedding Ceremony Musician

I just got my fall schedule pretty set with students at Downtown Sound in New Prague and at Hostpot Music in Northfield but I am always open to take a few more!

I don’t take that many students as I want to give each of them as much energy as I can, including an individualized lesson plan based on their unique interests and personality.

My goal is to teach them as much about classical music as I can, with a short term goal of getting them on stage as soloist and with an orchestra.. and with the long term goal of turning them into a music aficionado for life!

Cello by Triana – Minnesota Wedding Cellist, Cello Lessons, Wedding Ceremony Musician