Katelyn Benyo
Lesson Feesfrom $30.00 / 30 Minutes
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About
With a master's degree in violin performance and 15+ years of teaching, Katie not only performs and teaches classical music, but she has spent her career studying various forms of Americana fiddle music. She performs and records in many different styles of music: classical, country, traditional Americana, jazz, bluegrass, pop, rock, and more. She has performed at the Baseball World Series, the American Royal World Series of BBQ, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, with Lindsey Stirling, 2Cellos, Evanescence, and more. As a teacher, Katie integrates her own students’ stylistic interests into their lessons alongside the standard classical pedagogy. She also gives clinics and lectures on Americana music to musicians with all different backgrounds.
First and foremost, I believe music is and should be fun! It is of course, also hard work!
I base my teaching on the methods of Mimi Zweig and Paul Rolland, along with the Suzuki method, Colourstrings, and Bonnie Greene's Blue Book of Violin Tunes. This allows me flexibility as I get to know each student, creating a personalized curriculum based on their personal strengths and weaknesses, not just one general method for all students. I'm always asking my students questions. This helps me understand where they are coming from and how much they are comprehending. I love when my students ask me questions too! I am very big on explaining not only how to do something, but why we do it that way. The violin is a very technically demanding instrument, so it's important that each student understand the basics of physically playing the violin to avoid injury and make it easier in the long run.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION
2015-2018 University of Missouri Kansas City, Conservatory of Music and Dance, Masters in Violin Performance
2017 Retreat for Violin and Viola Teachers, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
2010-2012 Missouri Western State University, Bachelor of Music Degree with an emphasis in Violin Performance and Business
2006-2008 Southeast Missouri State University, Violin Performance
EXPERIENCE
2015-Present KC Violinist Music Studio: Coordinator and Instructor Violin/Fiddle/Viola/Mandolin/Guitar/Ukulele, Lee's Summit, MO
Instruct a large studio of private students weekly.
Studio performs two full recitals yearly along with volunteer performances.
Offer group lessons for all students, planning various group activities based on participating students.
2009 - 2015 Wyatt Violin Shop: Violin/Fiddle Teacher, Independence, MO
2003 - 2006
2006- 2009 Private Studio: Violin/Fiddle Teacher, Cape Girardeau, MO
2011 Artscape, St. Joseph, MO, 2011
Presented a class for two separate groups on Classical Violin vs. Fiddle Music. Played examples of both Styles of music and discussed the differences and similarities.
2007 Christian Out Church Day Camp, Hillsboro, MO
Taught at a Day Camp for Strings where I introduced fiddle playing to a large group of students. My students performed a couple fiddle tunes at the end of the camp.
2006 Three Trails Fiddle Camp, Independence, MO
Assistant instructor
STUDIES
Classical Violin Instructors: Joseph Genualdi, Brenda Brenner, Rico McNeela, Tamamo Gibbs,
Dr. Brandon Christensen, Marc Thayer, Elizabeth Suh Lane, and Cathy Hougland.
Fiddle Instructors: Matt Wyatt, Justin Branum, Junior Marriott, Bubba Hopkins, and Daniel Carwile. I play Texas-style, Missouri old-time, bluegrass, swing/jazz fiddle styles and have dabbled in Celtic and Irish fiddle playing as well.
Completed one Jazz Pedagogy course, two Jazz Improv courses, and one graduate level Jazz History course while attending the Conservatory at the University of Missouri Kansas City.
PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Current Ensembles and Bands:
Fourscore
St. Joseph Symphony
Starhaven Rounders
Rabble in Arms
Classical Ensembles:
Sundays at Three Chamber Music Series,
Paducah Symphony
Medical Arts Symphony
Kinnor Symphony
Midwest Chamber Ensemble
Classical Revolution
Performances:
Kaufman Stadium, Game 1 of The World Series, 2015
Starlight Theatre and Hollywood Casino Amphitheater - St. Louis with Lindsey Stirling
Starlight Theatre and Hollywood Casino Amphitheater - St. Louis with Evanescence
Sprint Center with Two Cellos
Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS, Opened for the Eli Young Band, Farmland Bacon a Difference Concert
Verizon Amphitheater, Yallapalooza
The American Royal World Series of BBQ
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, UMKC Orchestra
Kansas City's Cattle Baron's Ball, American Cancer Society
Arrowhead Stadium, Hy-Vee Hotzone for the Chief's Game
KKFI Radio Station
Opened for the country band, The Mavericks
A Few of the Groups I've Played With and/or Recorded With:
Fourscore
Starhaven Rounders
Maria the Mexican
Project H
Julian Davis
Ramblin’ Roses
Dead Ven
Hipshot Killer
JUDGING EXPERIENCE
2017 St Joseph Honors Orchestra Auditions
2011 Platte County Fair Fiddle Contest
2007 Cape Girardeau Youth Orchestra Auditions
I put a big emphasis on listening (from Suzuki), motion to reduce tension in playing (Rolland), a strong technical foundation with fun tunes (Greene), and reading from the beginning (Colourstrings).
For students interested in fiddle, I recommend the American Fiddle Method books to begin. Once we establish a strong foundation, we can explore various styles of fiddle such as contest fiddling, bluegrass, playing in a band, improvising, etc.
I suggest children under 5 years old begin with a foam violin, and children under 10 years old should have a parent watching the lesson to assist with home practice.