ANNE CALVERT
Violin Teacher
Anne Calvert is the founder of Kansas City Urban Strings and has been teaching strings for six years. She also grew up in Emporia, Kansas where she began studying Suzuki violin at the age of three. She studied music therapy at KU and has a degree in education from UMKC and a Master's degree from UCM. In addition to studying strings and music therapy, she has studied composition with Joseph Ott, Paul Joslin and Jeffrey Ruckman. Her compositions have been performed by professors and master's students around the Midwest. On her off days, Anne enjoys playing poker, cooking and is learning to play jazz violin.
MARY GRANT
Violin Teacher
Mary Grant has taught private violin lessons to students in the Kansas City area since moving here in 1989 to play with the Kansas City Symphony. She grew up in Emporia, Kansas and studied Suzuki violin from the age of 5. She received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from Rice University and master's degree from Queens College-City University of New York. Before she moved to Kansas City she taught violin in the Houston public schools and in New York City in the Queens College pre-college Suzuki music program. She lives with her husband and cat in Stilwell, Kansas. When not teaching or playing in the symphony, Mary enjoys gardening, running, reading, playing chamber music, spending time with her two grandchildren and traveling with her husband.
LAUREL PARKS
Violin Teacher
Laurel Parks has been playing the violin since the age of 4. Before branching out into composing and alternative string music, she studied classically as a performance major at the Conservatory of Music at UMKC. After graduating she formed the Wires –a string duo that composes and performs out-of-the-box original music – with cellist Sascha Groschang. She also writes and records with her band 'Of Tree.' As a performer Laurel has toured Germany and Austria with 'In the Pines' and has toured extensively in China with the international Manovani Orchestra. In addition to performing she teaches privately at KC Urban Strings and teaches adult beginners through her workshop 'Drunken Fiddles.'