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!

Located in Portland, OR, Emma Downing has been playing cello since 2001 and has been involved with the music scene wherever she is for nearly all her life. After studying with Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (Madison, WI) for six years, Emma went on to teach WYSO chamber groups for two years. Emma has been teaching independently since the fall of 2009 and has continued developing her studio since completing her BM in Cello Performance at UW Madison under the instruction of Uri Vardi in December of 2014. Emma is also trained in the Suzuki method through Cello Book 4 under the instruction of Tanya Carey (ECC- Book 3) and Anne Grabe (Book 4). She has had the opportunities to study with accomplished cellists such as Dr. Lawrence Leviton, Amy Frost, and Marta Simidtchieva. Emma was also chosen to participate in Master Classes instructed by Matt Haimovitz and Mark Kosower. As a teacher, Emma believes in prioritizing bodily and mental awareness during musical study. Through music, she strives to spread kindness and understanding to oneself and others. Emma also believes in helping her students become the best musicians and persons they can be by adapting to their learning needs with an open environment. She completed her Master's Degree of Arts in Teaching in 2021 and now teaches as a general music teacher in the public schools. Emma strives to improve her teaching every day and will continue her education in being the best educator she can.

Fangyue He, violin, was born in Shanghai, China, At age of eight she entered primary school affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. During her study there she won the fourth prize in the Seventh National Violin Competition. At age of 19 She attended Bard College Conservatory and studied with Ms. Ida Kavafian and Laurie Smukler. During the undergraduate study period she performed as soloist with the American symphony orchestra in the Richard B. Fisher Center for performing arts and duo violin concerto by George Tsontakis in the Harvard’s Sanders Theatre. She attended several music festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, the New York String Seminar and Kneisel Hall chamber music festival. In 2012 Mrs. He attended the graduate program in Manhattan School of Music under Ms. Laurie Smukler. In 2015 she was selected to perform in the Queen Elizabeth competition in Brussels, Belgium. The same year she joined the Oregon Symphony Orchestra in Portland, OR as a sectional violinist. In 2022 she joined Boise philharmonic as a sectional second violinist until 2024, she will be assistant second principal for 2024-2025 season.

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.

Darian Todd is a violist and educator, who has been performing and teaching in Arizona and Oregon since 2008, and is currently the orchestra teacher at Lake Oswego Middle School, District Program Coordinator for Elementary Strings in the Lake Oswego School District, and conductor of the Portland Chamber Strings with Metropolitan Youth Symphony. Mr. Todd strives to provide students with the tools and skills necessary for an evolving and changing musical world; instill practices that create independent musicians; foster a love of life-long musicianship and sharing; and build a community of musicians who support their colleagues and respect their audiences. Performing highlights have included master class performances for Larry Dutton, Rebecca Fisher, and the Pacifica String Quartet, as well performing with various orchestras including The Vancouver Symphony, The Arizona Repertory Theatre, and the Portland Festival Symphony. Through partnerships with Young Musicians and Artists, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and local symphony orchestras, Mr. Todd works to initiate more active involvement of students and parents in the artistic communities where he teaches, and advocates for the importance of music in our schools.

Mr. Todd holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Music in Music Performance with an emphasis in Violin and Viola Pedagogy from the University of Oregon.