Madalyn Navis
Violin, Viola, Suzuki Violin/Viola
Madalyn Navis is a violinist, music educator, and chamber musician currently residing in Alexandria, Virginia. She began studying violin at the age of 4 years old and quickly discovered the power music has to bring people together and to express and heal our emotions. She earned a double Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education and Violin Performance while studying with Mihai Craioveanu at Hope College. She went on to complete her Master of Music Degree in Violin Performance at Bowling Green State University, where she was a member of the Graduate String Quartet and studied under Dr. Penny Thompson-Kruse.
As an avid performer, Ms. Navis is a current member of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. She attended The National Orchestral Festival + Institute and The Next Festival for Emerging Artists, and has played with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Lima Symphony Orchestra, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and the Holland Symphony.
Ms. Navis also enjoys playing both on and offstage for musical theater and opera productions. She has been a full season violinist for Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theater for three seasons where she was also the guest soloist for the Tribute to Sheldon Harnick Pops Concert in 2017. She has played with Virginia Opera, Signature Theater (Tony Award Winning Regional Theater), Gala Hispanic Theater, Shenandoah Summer Music Theater, and Hope Summer Repertory Theater.
Ms. Navis has a passion for educating individual students as well as coaching chamber ensembles. She is a registered Suzuki Violin Teacher and received her training through Book 5 from Mr. Mark Mutter. She has experience teaching students of all ages and has been on faculty at Black Swamp Fine Arts School, Expressions Music Academy, Riverfront Studios, and MusicEveryday! Ms. Navis has enjoyed coaching students from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensembles, Toledo School for the Arts, the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras, and the Holland Symphony Youth Orchestras.
“My purpose in music education is to cultivate aesthetic experiences that allow each student to participate actively in music, whatever their cultural heritage, race, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, intellectual or physical ability may be. My goal is to educate the whole person, focusing on the development of their character as well as their musicianship, so that my students will become independent musicians and lifelong learners. Through guidance, my students will learn to take ownership of their learning, learn a high level of musicianship and technique, have the ability to discover their emotional expression, and expand their intellectual curiosity and creativity by interacting with music through a variety of creative arts. This allows them to be successful in any future pursuit, albeit musical or otherwise, creating a positive learning environment that is rooted in excellence.”