Meet
Miss Stephanie!
Stephanie Wooley is a Registered Suzuki Violin, Viola, and Early Childhood Instructor that has taught both privately and in Southern Illinois schools since 2004. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Viola Performance from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and in 2016 she graduated with her Master’s Degree in Viola Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, with a specialization in Suzuki Pedagogy. During her two years at SIUE, Stephanie was thoroughly trained in the Suzuki Method; she studied under teacher-trainer Vera McCoy-Sulentic, and instructed violin and viola lessons and group classes as a Graduate Assistant. She has received additional training in Suzuki Early Childhood Education from
Sharon Jones and Danette Schuh.
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While she loves performing regularly and maintaining a full teaching schedule, Stephanie is also fascinated by early childhood education and
serving various needs of the Southern Illinois community.
Stephanie has studied with Susan Dapkunas, Michael Barta, Dr. Meng Chun-Chi, Dr. Aurelien Petillot, Eliana Haig, and Dr. Lenora Marya-Anop. She has performed with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Southern Illinois String Quartets, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Orchestra, and other local ensembles and recording artists.
In addition to performing, Stephanie is committed to continuing education and research in the field of pedagogy and performance. She is passionate about early childhood music education and serving the various musical needs of the Southern Illinois community. As the Director of Southern Illinois Suzuki Strings, Stephanie teaches violin, viola, and piano and is committed to growing the local and global Suzuki Community to its full potential.
Our First Notes
Miss Stephanie has been teaching in the area since 2004, and took the leap to start S. I. Suzuki Strings in Murphysboro in 2016, after her graduate studies. Since then, the studio has grown exponentially, moving to beautiful Carterville in 2018. With many different instrumental offerings for lessons and group classes, Suzuki Babies Classes, and many more students, we have seen great success with the Suzuki Method in our growing strings community! In 2019, S. I. Suzuki Strings was lucky enough to have the opportunity to invest in a dream studio, a perfectly spacious and wonderful old Masonic Lodge that was built in 1927. It boasts two recital halls and many rooms to fill with music! Working closely together with parents, our lessons and classes help foster healthy parent-child relationships all while learning valuable life lessons like patience, perseverance, empathy and resilience. We like to say "it's so much more than music" as our parents have seen more than just musical ability grow in their children. We are shaping young minds and helping them realize their full potential as citizens of the world and this community.
