Note from Alan Smead, a former student, and grandfather of 2 current students (used with his permission):

"Hi Katie,

I thought of you when I ran into someone who asked about violin lessons for his child. I told him that I profited from eight years in your Studio after taking up the violin around my 60th birthday. And, then I told him all the reasons why I enjoyed studying with you. You have an attitude towards playing that make learning fun but not at the expense of learning something new at each session. You could read well my understanding of a concept that I needed to learn or what I needed to do to learn a new technique. We'd work out a plan for what and how I needed to practice before the end of each lesson.  You have more ways to explain something than any teacher I've ever known. It's not in your makeup to give up on finding another way to explain a concept or a fingering and bowing technique. Most of all, you were a great teacher because you are a lifetime student. There were many sessions when I was so proud of how well I learned last week's task only to find that I had wandered from our practice plan. When that happened, you graciously reminded me of how many times you had done the same thing and that that was part of the learning process. I especially enjoyed and profited from when you would tell me about what your professor had recently taught you. Katie, I wish you nothing but success. But, I wish even more that two of our grandchildren who have just taken up the violin will one day be students in your Studio. Alan"