Sarah Plum began her performing career by winning the first prize at the International Stulberg Competition in 1984. Since then, she has carved out a distinctive role as both a performer and a teacher of note.

 

Sarah has taught violin for more than 35 years and has prepared many students for success. Sarah’s students have won scholarships to top degree programs and summer festivals as well as prizes in local, regional, and national competitions such as MTNA, ASTA, Fischoff and Midwest Young Artists Walgreens Competition among others. She has also helped prepare her students for successful auditions for quartets, leading positions in youth orchestras, professional orchestras as well as jobs as professors and educators.

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In 2018 Sarah quit her tenured position at Drake University in order to move to Chicago and focus on teaching pre-college talent. Sarah was immediately hired by the Music Institute of Chicago where she has built a strong class of young musicians of all ages. She is also on the MIC Academy faculty where she coaches chamber music and teaches viola to violinists. Her 2023 Academy chamber group was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff Competition. Sarah also coaches chamber music at Michigan State University and is beginning to teach advanced young violinists at her house in Okemos, Michigan. Please contact her directly here if you want to study with her at the Music Institute of Chicago or in Michigan, set up a trial lesson, take part in any of her classes, or simply ask a question about any of her teaching endeavors. She looks forward to hearing from you!

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Sarah’s specialties include:

 

· Audition prep and orchestral excerpts for MYA, CYSO, All-State orchestras and other youth orchestras.

· Competition preparation

· Scales and technique – with an emphasis on the Big Four – Scales, Arpeggios, Thirds and Octaves

· Viola as a second instrument – helping violinists expand to playing viola either as a secondary instrument or to transition to viola fully.

· Mentoring of older students and preparing them to enter the profession.

· Technique refresh. Sarah loves working with students on skills like vibrato, shifting, right hand technique and bow-strokes in a problem-solving way.

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Currently Sarah is developing small group classes to address specific techniques and repertoire. She started last summer with a scales class based on a unique and innovative method of learning 3-octave scales that she invented and this June she is adding two other classes: one on interpretation and Solo Bach and another where she uses the Bach Double Concerto to teach ensemble playing with all students playing all parts – both solo and orchestral. You can find more details about the classes as well as information on how to sign up here. And if you are interested in these classes, or any of her teaching projects and want to hear more and be notified of new classes or opportunities please sign up for notifications here.