Dolce Strings touring ensemble gives Suzuki violin, viola and cello students in 6th grade/age 11 and up, studying in Suzuki Book 4 and higher, the opportunity to learn and polish advanced literature in a group setting, perform exciting concerts and take fabulous trips to wonderful places! Each Touring Ensemble Series begins with a full day intensive workshop, taught by our expert faculty, Meredith Harris, Elisabeth Hope and Danette Schuh, followed by local concerts at exciting venues and out-of-town tours. Since our ensemble members excel in their school orchestras and youth symphonies, we have scheduled only four workshops per year, not requiring a weekly rehearsal commitment from students and parents. This really helps students and families manage busy schedules.
This season, the following exciting events are planned: a morning concert at the Friendswood Farmer’s Market, Zoo Lights Concert, performances at the Bob Wills Fiddle Festival in Greenville, a featured concerto performance onstage with the Pasadena Philharmonic Orchestra, an afternoon at the movies, and more! This year we are looking forward to a brand new springtime Texas Tour which will end in Burleson, Texas for the McKenzie’s Fiddle & Suzuki Workshop for some toe-tapping Western Swing fiddling. We hope you will join us!
Meet our Faculty:
Meredith Harris, a native of North Carolina, teaches Suzuki violin and viola in Houston, Texas. She enjoys teaching at various workshops and institutes and has coordinated the STXSA Fabulous Fridays Group Class events in League City. Ms. Harris holds a Bachelors degree from East Carolina University and a Masters Degree from Rice University where she studied with Ara Gregorian and James Dunham, respectively. Her active performing career includes performances with the Houston Grand Opera and the Lincoln Center Opera Festival in New York.
Elisabeth Hope grew up as a “Suzuki kid” and treasures some of her fondest memories as a member of a Suzuki tour group. Mrs. Hope holds music degrees from George Mason University and the University of Houston, where she studied with Peter Haase and Andzrej Grabiec, respectively. Mrs. Hope has been featured as a soloist with orchestras in Texas, New Mexico and Virginia, most notably at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage in Washington, D.C. She currently runs a thriving private violin and viola studio and teaches Suzuki Early Childhood Education classes in Dickinson, TX.
Danette Schuh is the Director of Dolce Music Studio, home of Dolce Strings and Dolce Babies, where she teaches violin, viola and Suzuki Early Childhood classes. She is also a Suzuki Association of the Americas Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) Teacher Trainer. With over 35 years experience, she teaches violin and Suzuki Early Childhood Education at workshops, institutes and at the Suzuki 16th World Convention in Japan. She has served as President of the Houston Area Suzuki Strings Association. Ms. Schuh holds a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from Indiana University, where she studied violin with Tadeusz Wronski and Josef Gingold.
