Life skills training:
My teaching philosophy re:

Groups:

Experience has shown me the inestimable value of rehearsing together to produce a work of fine artistry, be it music , drama or dance.
The target elements of excellence, teamwork, and self expression are all incredibly vital in the process of diligent preparation and performance of the resulting creation. Without these particular experiences and opportunities in the formative years, the quality of life can be seriously diminished.

Teaching life skills through music:

1. Excellence requires diligence to detail, training of muscle memory, activation of the imagination, and motivation to share the creation.
2. Teamwork requires significant acknowledgement of the worth of other persons-one is required to support each member as that one shines; personal ego must be released, redirected, and sublimated for the sake of others. I.e.: if one musician has a solo, others should allow that artist the dominant position-even if only temporarily, honoring the soloist and absorbing the message willingly-thus all learn to honor and support one another.
3. To value the intrinsic worth of other human beings is the life skill most needed in any society!

You have only to observe the messages, both spoken and acted out, of Johann Sebastian Bach , who based his theology and convictions on teachings of the great theologian, Luther.
Martin Luther held that each person has precious value in God’s sight. Bach’s polyphonic compositions clearly demonstrate this idea!
(Peace, beauty and harmony would be the ultimate result of learning to truly share leadership and heartfelt messages.)

1. Self expression is such a complex subject, deserving much more research than I can possibly explain here, but to touch on it as a vital life skill, here goes:

Self expression when true, is without mimicry or affectation. It flows from our experiences, our convictions about our place in this world, our gifts, and our special personality, to name only a few sources. Youth must seek, grow, live, and develop identity and self worth in order to be confident enough to use art as an avenue for self expression. It has been my rich joy to assist young students to find and express their true feelings through music. I hope and believe it enriched their lives.

Back to music teaching:

Performance of the prepared work includes other living souls in the creative process, and the often wordless but deeply felt response of the audience brings the effort full circle, fulfilling our intense human need for meaningful connection and communication with our fellows.

Personally, I have chosen this lifestyle as my humble contribution to the health of our communities. I hope our journeys will intersect and spark many more beautiful creations for the enrichment of our common life!

Sharyn Peterson is a versatile performer and an experienced instructor of all ages of instrumental and choral groups. Her violin training began under Almada Biery Jones, continuing with the esteemed Emanuel Zetlin, and Denes Zsigmondy. Vocal instructors were Edison Harris, Paul Ingham, Florence Mesler, Rodney Eichenberger, and Dora Mason. She studied conducting with Vilem Sokol and Dr Gary Bonner. In her years at University of Washington, she was awarded the coveted Brechemin Scholarship two consecutive years, and performed several violin solos with the symphony there, under the direction of Dr. Stanley Chapple and Samuel Krachmalnik.

Currently Artistic Director and Conductor of Mt. Baker and Fidalgo Youth Symphonies, she is also active as an adjudicator and has conducted and/or performed in many Northwest musical theatre productions.

Artistic Director and Conductor of SUMMER SOUNDS Music Festival for the past 19 years, in 2004 she co-founded Skagit Opera, and was Concertmaster and orchestra agent for the first five seasons, in which she conducted Amahl and the Night Visitors by Menotti. Her chamber music series Music for a Starry Night, (since 1995) has given many concerts with local and international guest musicians, mainly at the historic Lincoln Theater in Mt Vernon, Washington.

Mrs. Peterson has served on the faculties of Seattle Pacific and Western Washington Universities, Skagit Valley College, Sehome High School, and Shuksan Middle School. Founder and Artistic Director of both Starry Night Chamber Series and Peterson Conservatory, she can often be heard as violin soloist/concertmaster with Northwest choral, ballet, and symphonic ensembles. (Orchestra Seattle, Northwest Ballet Theater, Whatcom Symphony, Skagit Symphony, Thalia Symphony, Skagit Valley Chorale, Northwest Community Chorale, Lynden Choral Society, Cascade Cantabile, Snohomish Concerto Competition Concerts).

Sharyn and her husband, Malcolm, have three times been featured artists in the Monteverde Music Festival in Monteverde, Costa Rica. (Sharyn-voice and violin, Malcolm-trumpet)

For several summers she has taught vocal classes at the META Summer Camps (for youth), and been a guest vocal instructor and Conductor for Sarabande and Allegra women's choirs in Bellingham.

In 2008-09, she orchestrated and conducted the Starry Night Chamber Orchestra in the Theatre Arts Guild productions of "A Christmas Carol" and also "Cinderella" at McIntyre Hall in Mt. Vernon. She recently served as Concertmaster for the Grace Experimental Orchestra in Seattle, and as Concertmaster, led the Starry Night Chamber Strings in Karin Stevens' Dance Troupe performances in Ballard and Edmonds Washington. Full-fledged musicals Mrs. Peterson has conducted: Aladdin, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver, Fame, The Rose and the Ring, Cinderella, A Christmas Carol (four separate productions), Amahl and the Night Visitors (seven separate productions), Little Women, Orphans in Candyland, and Tom Sawyer.

In 2008 she toured China, conducting a performing group of instrumentalists and vocalists from Mt Baker Youth Symphony, and giving a Master Class in Da Shi Qiao at Bei Hua University.

In 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 she served on the worship team as lead violinist for First Love Ministries Convention in Washington DC, and in 2013 in San Ramon, California.

For over 15 years, Mrs. Peterson was the featured violinist for the Aglow International Annual Convention, and during that time performed on many CD's for Spiritsong Celebration company. She has been on staff of several churches and ministry groups, and taught orchestras and choirs at Cedar Park School in Kirkland, Northgate Christian School, Grace Academy in Marysville, Skagit Family Learning Center, and Bellingham Christian School. She was Concertmaster of Grace Experimental Orchestra in Seattle for three years. She also performs periodically in a Gypsy jazz quartet-"Le Chat Souriant" and is also an experienced recording studio artist, most recently with the "House of Breaking Glass" Studio in Seattle. Her trio, Trio Lumina, has been performing together in the Northwest for over a decade, playing concerts, weddings, and parties for various occasions.

In her ongoing work with her many private students, Mrs. Peterson seeks to prepare and present violinists, violists, and vocalists who are trained to perform confidently with correct, healthy technique, and beautiful tone. Her students are performing and teaching in many areas of the world, often in leading roles, and some are currently performing with the Seattle Symphony, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Diego Symphony, and the Seattle Opera.

In April, 2013, Mrs. Peterson had the honor of soloing in Benaroya Hall, Seattle, in a Chinese/American Cultural Concert in which she premiered the Violin Concerto by Fang Li: "Awakening the Lion". She also worked as orchestra agent for the event, (which featured new compositions of Chinese and American composers) securing 70 free-lance performers with Starry Night Chamber Orchestra as core principal players.

In the summer of 2012, Mrs. Peterson travelled again to China with Mt Baker Youth Symphony, where she and the staff of Summer Sounds Music Festival held a collaborative Music Camp with the instructors at Songjiang Youth Center for the Arts, in Shanghai. In August, 2013, she was Artistic Director and Conductor for Sounds of Summer International Music Festival, held at Camp Brotherhood in Mt Vernon, Washington. The festival included 32 Chinese youth musicians from the Songjiang Center, and featured their instructors as collaborative teachers with the American staff of Sounds of Summer, culminating in a Gala Finale Concert at McIntyre Hall in Mt Vernon. Their leader, Weiqiang Yue, was Guest Conductor and Master Class Instructor.

Mrs. Peterson currently teaches the String Classes at Whatcom Hills Waldorf School in Bellingham, and Skagit Family Learning Center in Mt Vernon. She resides in Sedro Woolley on a 9.5 acre farm with her husband, Malcolm.