Sara Barbee is a native to Florida, and is excited to have found her home in Portland, OR. She received her Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of North Florida, Master of Arts from the University of Central Florida, and most recently completed her Performer’s Certificate from the Northern Illinois University.

As an orchestral bassist, she has performed with numerous orchestras across the nation including: Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra, and Portland Columbia Symphony.

Igniting confidence through instruction, Sara believes music education should be attainable to all and directly reflects that in her teaching method. Currently, Sara is a Teaching Artist with BRAVO Youth Orchestra and a sectional instructor with Metropolitan Youth Symphony. She is accepting new Suzuki bass students!

Ryan grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she first learned to play the violin through the Suzuki method. She went on to receive Suzuki teacher training in books 1-10. Since opening her first studio as a teen, Ryan has enjoyed sharing the joy of music through teaching in the private setting, group setting, and in school classrooms. She enjoys teaching children as young as 3 years old, and also teaching adult beginners. Having experience as an orchestral violinist who plays professionally in Oregon and beyond, Ryan also loves coaching young musicians for auditions of both intermediate and advanced levels. Ryan has a Bachelor's Degree in violin performance and Suzuki string pedagogy from the University of New Mexico (2018) and a Master's of Music in violin performance from the University of Oregon (2020). She firmly believes in Dr. Suzuki’s thought that music can be learned as a language, and through his method children learn naturally from their environment by listening coupled with the repetition of practice and the loving encouragement from their parents.

“Musical Ability is not an inborn talent, but an ability which can be developed.”
~ Shinichi Suzuki

Laura Elena Jáuregui Wynter (aka Laurita), is a native of Portland, OR with a Mexican-American background. Ms. Jáuregui began her Suzuki violin studies at age five with Dorothy Kroo. She joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic Prepatory Orchestra at age nine, and later at age eleven was accepted into the studio of Raphael Spiro. She joined the Portland Youth Philharmonic performing orchestra at age 13 and continued through high school. She began teaching Suzuki Violin at age 16 with the support of her mother, a Suzuki Piano teacher.

As an adult she continued her musical studies at Portland State University under Carol Sindel, and completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance in 1998. Professionally has played with the Jalisco State philharmonic, the Sinfónica de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, and la Orquesta Blas Galindo in Mexico. She is a former member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and is a registered SAA violin teacher. She was a member of the faculty at both the Community Music Center and Ethos, Inc.  She currently runs the Suzuki Stumptown program in North and North East Portland.

Laurita has been invited to teach at international Suzuki institutes in Mexico and Puerto Rico; and has taken her students along on tour to both countries. She has written articles published in the American Suzuki Journal and gave a lecture on diversity at the 2008 SAA Convention. She is a member of the Oregon Suzuki Association and was the Assistant Director of the Oregon Suzuki Institute for seven years.

Elise Massicotte is a professional cellist and Suzuki cello teacher. Born and raised in Indianapolis, IN, Massicotte started cello lessons at the age of 7 under Suzuki-trained teacher Elizabeth Efroymson-Brooks. After studying cello for 11 years, she went on to receive her Bachelors of Music degree in Cello Performance at Lawrence University's Music Conservatory in Appleton, WI under Janet Anthony. After teaching in her hometown for three years, she moved to Winnipeg to get her Masters in Cello Performance under Dr. Minna Rose Chung at the University of Manitoba. Massicotte attended Suzuki Institutes in Pittsburgh and Ithaca to complete teacher training in units 1-3 and completed unit 4 in Chicago. She loves sharing her passion for the cello and music with children of all ages and backgrounds, and she is excited to be working in NE Portland.

Miyuki Sakiyama began playing piano at the age of four in her native Japan. She graduated from Hokkaido University with a DDS, and was a certified physician of orthodontics at the University of Tokyo. After moving to the US, she began working at the Sycamore Strings Academy and the Crowden Music Center both in California as a piano accompanist. Currently, Miyuki is part of the Community Music Center faculty and plays for various instruments and ensembles for recitals and competitions, along with choirs. She loves music and enjoys working with young musicians! She has also studied the traditional Japanese instrument koto, and is a certified instructor and a current member of the Oregon Koto Kai. She is a mother of two violinists who have both studied through the Suzuki program. Outside of music, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Alexandra earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from Portland State University, and has an Oregon teaching license. She has had the pleasure of teaching general music and orchestra classes in the Portland area in both after-school and in-school programs. She has also worked with community organizations including Bravo Youth Orchestras, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and Vibe of Portland. She is excited to build her Suzuki cello studio and believes that every student deserves the opportunity to develop their musical potential in a nurturing environment. Ms. Schwartz also enjoys performing and is an active musician in the Portland music scene. Besides performing with the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra, she also performs with local bands on her electric cello. When she is away from her cello, you can find her exploring the Pacific Northwest any way possible: hiking a mountain, camping in a forest, or swimming in a river. Alexandra has had the opportunity to work at various summer camps across the country helping international students learn English as a second language. Her mission as a teacher is to encourage students to be lifelong learners, like herself, by continuing to learn and perform music, attend multiple teaching workshops and travel the world whenever possible.