violin, fiddle, recorder, sight singing, music theory. M.A. Music Education, University of St. Thomas; B.A. Vocal Performance, (summa cum laude), Towson University. Ms. Downing is an experienced violinist, singer, children’s choral director and an avid Celtic & Old-time fiddler. She has trained young musicians from preschool through the university level. She specializes in teaching ages 5 – adult, Suzuki Violin Books 1 – 7, and beginning through advanced fiddling. Her teachers include Berl Senofsky (violin) and Ruth Drucker (voice). Ms. Downing is former faculty member and chairperson of the Musicianship Department at the Peabody Preparatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where she taught violin, musicianship and chorus. Ms. Downing has served on the faculty of the Walden School for Young Composers (Dublin, N.H.) and is a contributing author to The Walden School Musicianship Course: A Manual for Teachers, (2002). She is Founder of the Peabody Children’s Chorus (Baltimore), and Founder/Artistic Director Emerita of the Virginia Children’s Chorus Norfolk). She was the former Music Specialist at Ghent Montessori Middle School & Roadstead Montessori High School. Ms. Downing teaches in Portsmouth & Norfolk through the Academy of Music. She is a frequent clinician for community Suzuki violin workshops, and conductor and adjudicator for All-City & District Chorus events. Ms. Downing frequently performs as a fiddler and singer for Irish events, and runs a traditional Irish music session in downtown Norfolk. She has arranged & published 15 Traditional Fiddle Tunes from Ireland, Scotland & America, Vol 1-7. Ms. Downing holds Kodály certification and is a member of the Organization of Kodaly Educators and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. In 2004, she was made an honorary lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi at Old Dominion University.
