Connie Aiken

Expertise and Topics of Interest

String specialist (violin, viola, cello, bass)

Church pianist and organist

Courses Taught at UNW

String Methods

Teaching Experience Outside of UNW

• St. Paul Public Schools – inner city music magnet – 2 years
• Private Suzuki Studio – 13 years
• Mounds View Public Schools – elementary and middle school orchestra teacher 25 years
• Concordia Academy – high school orchestra teacher 2 years
• Private Violin and Viola Studio – 20 years
• Augsburg Suzuki Orchestra Teacher and Accompanist – 20 years

Awards

• Minnesota Orchestra Teacher of the Year 2010
• Middle Level Educator of the Year Finalist 2007
• Education MN State Teacher of the Year Finalist 2007
• American String Teacher’s Best Chapter National Award while serving as president of the MN branch of ASTA. 2007
• Superior Ratings (many) and honorary concerts at Orchestra Hall for my middle school orchestras

Professional Affiliations

• American String Teachers Association

Church involvement or community service

• Member of Emmaus Church in White Bear Lake

Personal teaching philosophy

• Everyone can learn to play a stringed instrument with the proper pedagogy

Favorite verse or quote

• Favorite book of the Bible is Romans
• Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:1-2

Hobbies

• Avid vegetable gardener, enjoys studying the Bible with friends and spending time with family, running, swimming

Family

• Married with one daughter and 2 (almost 3) grandchildren

When your students graduate, what do you hope they take away from your course?

I hope that students will have a greater love for music, stringed instruments, the joy of teaching, and more importantly, the Lord who has blessed us with these gifts.