Elisa Rega

Hello! I have been teaching for over 20 years and specialize in teaching violin, viola, voice, music theory, beginning voice, and sitar. I absolutely love to teach and support the mental health and well-being of all my students. I obtained a BA in Psychology and BM in Viola Performance from Oberlin Conservatory in 2010,  and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory in Viola Performance in 2013.  My lessons consist of technique and general music training that include aural skills, singing, rhythmic internalization, and music theory. My lessons are a lot of fun because I have high standards but also maintain a light hearted atmosphere. I teach music to students of all levels and ages.

I currently teach Music Theory at the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) and beginning violin at the Metropolitan Youth Symphony (MYS). As a performing artist, I am the  Assistant Principal Violist for Symphony Tacoma and a core member of the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. I have a passion for classical, jazz, folk, as well as world music, and have performed across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Taiwan.

In addition to music, I am also a psychology researcher and have studied and published articles on experimental educational psychology practices. I am a freelance writer of scientific articles, blogs, and grant applications. I also teach English and lived in Taiwan for 2 years where I taught English and music to Taiwanese students. I enjoy students of every age, ability, and nationality!

I truly feel that music is an incredible phenomenon in this world. Its purpose is to be beautiful and help people feel joy. This is in the center of my mind when I work with students. My objective is for their mental health to be uplifted and for their lives to be enriched with music. So I support the mental health and well-being of my students while teaching music. 

The atmosphere of my lessons is always calm, happy, playful, and fun. Each lesson varies according to the needs and level of the student.  A typical lesson starts out with a greeting and catch up on the students week, then we get into some kind of technique exercise, scales, and arpeggios. Then we move onto a fun musical piece. I focus on teaching the music in its correct form with all proper notes, rhythms, dynamics and tempo markings. Musicality and terminology will also be discussed and added in when it’s appropriate. Singing is sometimes utilized if the student is comfortable because it can be a powerful tool for ear training and internalizing music. I also like to integrate games and improvisation into lessons. Depending on the students needs and preferences, lessons can vary dramatically because they are each tailored to the students' needs.