Molly
Shira (she/her/hers) began her music studies on viola as a child. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in viola performance at the University of Iowa and her Master of Arts in music at the University of Northern Iowa. While in Iowa, she played viola with the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony. She taught violin and viola at the Northeast Iowa School of Music and Suzuki violin at the University of Northern Iowa Suzuki School.
She has taken Suzuki teacher training in violin and viola at institutes in Stevens Point, WI and Hartford, CT with Nancy Lokken, Vera McCoy-Sulentic, and Elizabeth Stuen Walker. She was one of the pilot members of the Massachusetts Cultural Council's
META (Music Educators and Teaching Artists) Fellowship program. She has participated in Boston Conservatory's
Teaching Music to Children on the Autism Spectrum conference and Berklee College's
Music Education and Special Needs Students study group.
Molly has resided in Boston since 2006. She has been involved as a parent and Suzuki teacher of a child with learning disabilities and enjoys teaching students of all ages, including adults, with and without special needs. As a foster-adoptive parent, she has experience in trauma-informed and culturally responsive parenting and education. She teaches group violin lessons to Boston Public School students in grades 3-5 as part of the
Making Music Matters program. She teaches violin and viola and coaches chamber music and string sectionals for the adult Chestnut Orchestra at the
All Newton Music School. She has taught for the
Community Music Center of Boston's outreach program. She also provides Suzuki and traditional violin lessons to private students at home or in their schools. She formerly was a member of the Newton Symphony and
Fusion String Ensemble and now plays viola with the
Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and violin and viola with
Occasional Brass and Strings. She can sometimes be found busking around the Boston area.
