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Featured Musician
Monica Thiriot – Violin
Monica Thiriot began playing the violin when she was 6 and studied with Jeanne Grover, Karen Child, Jack Ashton, and Gerald Elias. She graduated from the University of Utah, where she studied both music and elementary education, and she is especially grateful she can combine them to teach music to children. She is Suzuki Certified, receiving training with Jeanne Grover and John Kendall, and has been teaching Suzuki violin from the time she was 16. Moving around the country with her military husband, she has had unique opportunities to direct and help start several youth and community orchestra’s, including, The Suitland Youth String Orchestra (MD), The Suitland Stake Orchestra (for adults), the Washington DC Temple Orchestra, the West Point Youth Orchestra (NY), and the Hope Mills Ward Orchestra/Choir (NC). She has also coached and taught at the Pennsylvania Suzuki Institute, and for the West Point Cadet String program. She has performed in chamber groups with United State Air Force Band in Washington DC, and the Mormon Orchestra of DC, and soloed with both the FORSCOM Army band in North Carolina and the West Point Army Band in New York.
One of her greatest accomplishments in life is that not only has she been able to teach all 4 of her children the violin, but that they can also play and perform as a family different styles of music for many events. She is especially grateful for the Lafayette Society that convinced her when they were previously stationed here 6 years ago to find music the entire family, including a 4 year old, could play together. After surviving that first concert, the family has had some incredible experiences playing for different charity and community events, including raising over $1200 playing in the NYC subway for families in need. It’s an incredible feeling to know that through music, our family can help others. She and her husband Darrin Thiriot (clarinet), just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
