My name is Jeanine Wilkinson and I joined the KSA faculty in July. I do have a bio on the KSA website but I thought I would use this blog post as an opportunity to tell a little bit more about myself. As most musicians, I don’t do one thing. I have my hand in every musical outlet possible. This keeps me busy and mentally stimulated as I am always switching things up and moving onto a different project. I started this trajectory right after grad school, always saying “Yes” just to make ends meet. Now in hindsight I see that having experience in several different musical facets has really helped me, especially during COVID. Teaching is one of my passions and I have a wonderful studio of students, but I also make it a priority to perform. I believe it makes me a better teacher to demonstrate in a beautiful and convincing way, as well as continuously explore the instrument. Pre-Covid (and children for that matter) I was performing in several different orchestras: Symphony of the Mountains in Kingsport, Roanoke Symphony in VA, Bryan Symphony Orchestra in Cookeville, Oak Ridge Symphony, and subbing with Knoxville Symphony. I loved it and really look forward to performing again with large groups of musicians and audiences for that matter. In addition, I play with four amazing women (Sarah Ringer from the KSA faculty included!!)  in a string quartet based out of Knoxville, called Inner Voices String Quartet. Because this ensemble is so small and we had access to a carport which provided us a safe rehearsal space, we were able to perform several outdoor chamber music concerts this past summer. Now that the weather is cold we have taken a break but will hopefully resume when outdoor rehearsals are an option. In addition I hold administrative positions with the TN Cello Workshop and serve as the Executive Assistant for KSA.

Time is one thing you never get back and even though the pandemic continues to drag on, it has highlighted what is most important in my life, and for that I am grateful.

We hope you find inspiration and useful advice in our Knoxville Suzuki Academy faculty blog posts. If you are not currently enrolled in Suzuki lessons with Knoxville Suzuki Academy and would like to learn more about this possibility, please explore our website www.knoxvillesuzukiacademy.com.