VIOLIN/MANDOLIN/THEORY

Sarah Merritt-Howell

Sarah Howell is a consummate musician, proficient as a performer, composer, and pedagogue. A student of the violin from a young age, Sarah pursued classical training in the Delay-Galamian Method under the tutelage of Annie Dupre of the Annie Moses Band. Always eager for new forms of expression, Sarah diversified with the mandolin, an instrument she mastered with equal dedication as a student of renowned mandolinist, Gretchen Wolaver.

Alongside classical repertoire, she has extensively studied fiddling and folk music which led her to release a solo EP of Appalachian music in 2016. With her singer-songwriter sister, Olivia, Sarah founded the musical group, Aster, writing and arranging original material in a folk pop style. An experienced performer, Ms. Merritt has played on numerous stages, including the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, and the Bluegrass Underground. In 2019, she released a live music video of the classical masterpiece, the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.

A certified teacher in the Suzuki Method and Annie Moses Method, Sarah believes passionately that the pursuit of excellence is essential to spreading the Gospel of Christ. She loves to see the potential in a child and to partner with their families to train them for musical success.