Elisa Street started violin studies at the age of 4 with Jean Dexter, who was one of fifteen cello/violin teachers trained by Dr. Suzuki, in Japan 1973-1979. During high school, she also began studies with Elenor Allen in Lawrence, Kansas who was an instructor of many professional violinists including Brian Lewis of Ottawa, Kansas and the Juilliard School of Music. She also mentored with Virginia Berndt, for training as a strolling violinist, Penny Thompson-Kruse at Bowling Green State University and Anesthesia Jemplis at the Julliard School of Music.

 

Elisa began college at Maple Woods Community College in 1987 and transferred to William Jewell College, graduating in 1993 with a BS in Music Performance and Business Administration. In the fall of 1993, she became the Suzuki Coordinator for the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Continuing Education department. During her teaching, she served as the Department Chair and employed several string, flute and piano instructors. 

 

Elisa began her Suzuki Certifications in 1987 and holds certifications through Book 8. Her decades of membership include Heart of America Suzuki Teachers Association (HASTA) for 21 years, Suzuki of the Americas Association (SAA) for 19 years, Sigma Alpha Iota for 37 years, and Alpha Gamma Delta for 36 years. In 1998, she established Sunflower Suzuki Academy in Kansas City, Missouri while raising and homeschooling her three children.

 

Ms. Street’s vision has always been and continues to be:

• Every child’s success is dependent on the ingenuity of the instructor and their ability to tailor teaching for every individual student 

• NURTURING is the most important gift you can give to every child and yourself. 

• Discipline is the foundation of creating a successful environment for children. Children thrive when expectations are set, a path is created, and accountability is expected.  

 

I believe that each one of my students has been entrusted to me to teach, help and love.  

In 2015, she relocated to Georgia where she taught at William Pu Music Academy and started Jewell Street Academy, which focuses on teaching very young through high school aged students in violin, ESL, ELA and mathematics.

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Elisa has performed in numerous orchestras, including the Georgia Philharmonic and the Symphony Orchestra of North Georgia, where she continues to serve as concertmaster since 2021. She is Director of Suzuki Studies at Hawk Music Academy.

 

"I am pleased to be assisting my dear friends Dr. Dawn and Dr. Eric with Hawk Music Academy. Their expertise, education and vision for music education is unsurpassed in Georgia." - Elisa Street

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