Arabella Schwerin - Bio

Arabella is a professional cellist and creative who has held positions in many symphonies in Arizona and Florida including Tucson Pops Orchestra, West Valley Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Tallahassee Symphony, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, North Florida Symphony Orchestra, and Panama City Symphony Orchestra. She has also been featured in several chamber ensembles, new music groups, Florida State University ensembles, and solo recitals which have taken her all over the US, the Dominican Republic, and Europe in performance. She has also worked in opera and musical theater at the Phoenix Theater Company. Arabella specializes in new music performance and immersive design that she creates for her own performances as well as commissioned works for others. Her immersive designs have won awards and traveled to several conventions and conferences across the United States. She loves discovering ways to enhance traditional classical music performances in a world that craves multimedia expansion.

Bella enjoys playing for weddings and special events on a regular basis as a soloist or chamber group. Arabella has been very active as an instructor with students ranging from beginners to advanced and college level. She was the headmaster at the Jubilate Conservatory of Music in Cave Creek Arizona where she lead group classes for beginning violin and cello, taught the intermediate and advanced ensembles, instructed in the Saturday Orchestra class, and lead the Carefree Ensemble for adults. She also taught private lessons for Jubilate, Desert Ridge Music Academy, and her personal studio. She has given masterclasses and coaching at a few high schools in the Phoenix area as well as Florida State University during her time as a graduate teaching assistant.

Teaching Philosophy

Achievement in a musical dialogue should look different for everyone. It is my goal to encourage the discovery of each students’ unique success and help to develop the necessary fundamentals to reach their goals. A strong technical foundation on the instrument from a young age specifically with intonation, rhythm, and musicianship can ensure ease and efficiency as a musician in the later years. I prefer to promote engaging materials that are nontraditional, and newer ideas from people living in the world today; an example is Fred Sherry’s “A Grand Tour of Cello Technique.”

In a first lesson, I prioritize Physical awareness and understanding on the instrument, and the ability to produce a good sound. I strive to equip my students with the ability to become their own teacher and a life-long-learner. Technical ability is important; however, I believe it is crucial to help the student discover a healthy love for music and their instrument above all. I value imagination, creativity, and passion or the instrument, and I encourage my students to adopt these values as they work towards success. Achieving success varies for each individual and I love finding new and different way to connect the instrument and music to other skills or passions mentally and physically. Joy for music cannot be taught, but I am a strong believer that it can be facilitated; as a teacher and musician, it is my greatest responsibility to facilitate joy within music. Every time someone plays , it is a gift to the listeners; it is vulnerable, passionate, and beautiful. I focus my teaching on maintaining this philosophy to help create a world of better musicians who have strong musical and personal identity.

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