Clara Hardie founded and Directs DYV. She is passionate about promoting DYV nationally as a social justice Suzuki studio model. Clara co-founded the organization in 2010 with her teacher trainer and Suzuki Royal Oak Director Mark Mutter to make violin accessible to youth at Capuchin Soup Kitchen where she worked at the time. She grew up in Marquette, playing Suzuki violin from age 5 and traveling to Europe with the Blue Lake International Youth Symphony at age 16. Clara is trained to teach Suzuki Violin Books 1-6. She attended University of Michigan to earn a BA in Social Science Theory, education she applies daily in her work teaching and directing.
ROMONA MERRITT Violin & Viola Teacher
Romona Merritt teaches private lessons & group classes with DYV. Romona taught Suzuki viola at Alabama School of Fine Arts for 16 years and played with the Alabama Symphony for 17 seasons. She received a Bachelors of Music Performance from North Carolina School of the Arts and a Masters in Music Performance from University of Minnesota. She was awarded the Sphinx 2018 MPower Artist Grant. Her teacher training includes Suzuki Violin Book 1 and 2 with Carrie Reuning-Hummel; Viola Book 4 with Joanne Martin; Violin Book 3 and 4 with Mark Mutter; and Viola Book 5 and 6 with Elizabeth Steun-Walker. Here's a video of Romona playing at the Scarab Club with a chamber group.
ASHLEY NELSON Violin & Viola Teacher
Ashley Nelson teaches private lessons & group classes with DYV. She grew up in Detroit and is deeply connected with many strings programs and performing artists in the city. Ashley is a wonderful, warm teacher and the daughter of musicians. Ashley is trained to teach Suzuki Violin Books 1-2. She graduated from Wayne State University with a BA in Violin Performance. Ashley has 10 years of experience teaching in Detroit through Community Music School, Crescendo Detroit and Sphinx. Aside from teaching, Ashley is also a musician in her own right. Here are some videos of Miss Ashley playing with a few local groups.
JERRY SLOAN Development Manager
Jerry Sloan is helping DYV acquire the funding and other resources that it needs to fulfill its mission. Jerry has over ten years of experience in the field, including previous roles at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and Detroit Public Television. He is an active member of the Southeast Michigan Grant Professionals in the Arts group and has reviewed grants for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Michigan Youth Arts, and CultureSource. If you would like to make a contribution to DYV, please contact Jerry via e-mail.
GRAHAM EMBERTON Violin Teacher
Graham Emberton teaches private lessons & group classes with DYV. Graham previeously taught at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Interlochen Arts Camp, Chicago's DePaul Community Music Division and Butler Community Arts School. He is trained to teach Suzuki Violin Books 1-5, which he recieved from Dr. Laurie Scott, Rolando Freitag, Nancy Jackson, and Libby Armour. In Violin Performance, Graham received a BM from Butler University, MM from DePaul University, and an Artist Diploma from University of Memphis. Graham also loves to perform. He's played with Lansing Symphony, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chelsea Chamber Players and Britten-Pears Orchestra in England Chelsea Chamber Players. Here's Graham playing at the Chamber Music Institute Final Concert at Glenn Korff School of Music.
REBECCA ROSEN Program Manager
DYV Program Manager Rebecca Rosen grew up playing cello and hopes to receive her Suzuki teacher training and start a cello program for DYV in 2019! She spent the last 5 years working with kids in after-school programs throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit. Prior to her work with DYV, Rebecca organized educational programming for the Threads Arts Festival in Ypsilanti, and was Project Manager for the Global Feminisms Project at the University of Michigan. Rebecca received her Bachelors in Cognitive Science with a Minor in Music from U of M. She is a songwriter and performer. Rebecca is currently teaching herself electric bass when she's not writing songs for larger groups to play. Check out Rebecca playing & singing for a 2017 submission to Tiny Desk Concert.
