Erica Hardy is a registered Suzuki cello teacher with experience teaching preschool through adult-aged students. She offers high-quality Suzuki cello lessons in the Saratoga Springs / Lehi area in Utah.
Erica is accomplished in group and private instruction, with a particular emphasis on Suzuki cello lessons for preschoolers and young children. Her students have performed in reputable venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, and in 2022, Erica received the Certificate of Achievement from the Suzuki Association of the Americas for demonstrating commitment to excellence as a teacher.
Since relocating to Utah from New York in 2016, Erica has immersed herself in the local Suzuki community. She is a member of the Cello Committee for the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute. She also is the Bass, Cello, Guitar, and Ensemble Chair for the Utah Valley String Festival. Until 2024, she served on the Administrative Board of the Suzuki Association of Utah as the Membership Secretary and formerly as the Cello VP.
With the support of other local teachers, Erica started monthly group classes for Suzuki cello students in Utah Valley in 2018. It has grown to a group that has between 4-6 classes each year and students from 6 cello studios.
She was invited to be an ensemble director at the 2019 Dixie State University Cello Festival and led their beginner group, Ensemble Bravo. She has continued to be part of the Junior Festival faculty when the festival was renamed the Cello Festival of Southern Utah.
From 2016 to 2019, Erica was a member of the Vox Humana String Quartet, which performed with the Vox Humana Choral Ensemble. She was also a member of the Saratoga Springs Community Orchestra.
Along with the prestigious Suzuki Music School of Westport in Connecticut, she has taught at Turtle Bay Music School in Manhattan, NY. Erica has also worked as an elementary school orchestra instructor.
Erica completed The School for Strings’ Suzuki teacher training program in New York City, where she studied under Pam Devenport.
She has observed lessons and attended classes many renowned Suzuki cello teachers, including Carey Cheney, Alex Croxton, David Evenchick, Avi Friedlander, Carey Beth Hockett, Allen Lieb, Elizabeth Means Mikhael, Rick Mooney, Mark Mutter, Alice Ann O’Neill, Zach Sweet, Phyllis Young, and Andrea Yun.
Erica holds a degree in music from Brigham Young University, having studied under Julie Bevan and briefly with LaReita Berky. Additionally, she studied pedagogy with Monica Call, a Kodaly Method specialist. She was a member BYU Philharmonic, conducted by Kory Katseanes, and she is a former member of the Utah Valley Symphony, conducted by Bryce Rytting.
Erica began studying cello in Arizona, and was a member of the Phoenix Youth Symphony, where she performed across Arizona and on tour in China. Her principal instructor during this time was Jamie Guy Kellogg.
Co-authored work from Erica has been published in the Suzuki Association of the Americas' annual publication, Minijournal, and the Suzuki Association of Utah’s quarterly newsletter, Suzuki Notes.
Along with Tamra Baca, Erica is part of a cello duo called 'CHelō that performs at weddings and events. You can book the duo on the website for the Black & White String Quartet. She is also a member of the cello section for the Utah location of Millennial Choirs and Orchestras.
Registered Suzuki Training:
Core Training
Every Child Can! - Allen Lieb, 2012
Suzuki Principles in Action - Mark Mutter, 2015
Unit 1* - Pam Devenport, 2013
Unit 1 - Andrea Yun, 2023
Unit 2* - Pam Devenport, 2013
Unit 2 - Alice Ann O’Neill, 2017
Units 3* - Pam Devenport, 2013
Unit 4* - Pam Devenport, 2014
Unit 5* - Pam Devenport, 2014
Unit 6* - Pam Devenport, 2014
Unit 7* - Pam Devenport, 2014
Unit 8* - Pam Devenport, 2014
Unit 9/10 - Avi Friedlander, 2024
Cello Practicum - Alice Ann O’Neill, 2021
Cello Teaching Strategies - Zachary Sweet, 2021
Certificate of Achievement
Certificate Level 1 for Cello - Suzuki Association of the Americas, 2022
Supplementary Training
Group Class Techniques: Cello, Viola, Violin - Carey Beth Hockett, 2018
Supplementary Cello Literature - David Evenchick, 2019
Revisiting Cello Book 1 - Avi Friedlander, 2020
Short-Term and Long-Term Planning in Books 1-4: Cello - Andrea Yun, 2022
Overview Suzuki Cello Books 5-8 with Supplementary Repertoire - Alice Ann O’Neill, 2023
Enrichments
Cello Bow Development from the Beginning - Zachary Sweet, 2021
Suzuki Cello Tonalizations - Alice Ann O’Neill, 2022
The Art of Bowing: Part 1 - Carey Cheney, 2024
Working with Wee Musicians - Crystal Boyack, 2024
*Courses taken as part of The School for Strings’ Teacher Training Program in NYC.
Photographer: Marcus Hardy