ABOUT SARAH

I am a performer, teacher, and lifelong student of the violin. I strive to connect with others through living musical experiences and develop joyful learning, creativity, and intentionality in students.

Music has a unique way of nurturing our human connections—to the world around us, to our neighbors and to strangers, even to the unknown—it nourishes our minds and our spirits. I perform to share a broad spectrum of music with listeners, to break down the barrier at the edge of the stage, to share emotional kinship and deep communication with others. I teach to help develop the next generations of performers and listeners, to bring joy and imagination to classes, and to work with students in an arena of safe and celebrated self expression.

My performances and classes are creative playgrounds driven by a technique-based approach to the violin, a movement-centered approach to music, and a firm belief in all that is possible. Classrooms become environments where students are supported as they experiment and collaborate in their chosen forms of expression. Performances allow the opportunity to communicate and connect through centuries of repertoire that speaks to my heart—and, I hope, to yours too.

Sarah Schreffler has an extensive background as a recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. She is a founding member of the Burn City String Quartet and its sibling ensemble, the violin duo Broke Fiddles. With BCSQ and Broke Fiddles, Dr. Schreffler enjoys the depth of the string chamber music repertoire paired with a special focus on the beauty and immense character of contemporary music. As a member of BCSQ, she performs as a collaborative artist and soloist with the Cactus Chamber Musicians, who serve the Phoenix area with multifaceted, imaginative programs. As a chamber musician, Dr. Schreffler has also been a guest artist with the South Beach Chamber Ensemble, performing in its South Beach Up North summer festival in Wisconsin. Previously, Dr. Schreffler served as concertmaster of MusicaNova Orchestra, a forward-looking ensemble dedicated to performing diverse repertoire and supporting the careers of young and emerging artists. Other orchestral performances have been with the AZ Musicfest Orchestra, Arizona Bach Festival, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Arizona Opera, Phoenix Opera, the Arizona Chamber Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony. While studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Arizona State University, Dr. Schreffler worked closely with members of the Cleveland, St. Lawrence, and Orion string quartets, and has enjoyed performing alongside members of these ensembles. She has collaborated on currently available and forthcoming orchestral and chamber music recordings, available on the Con Brio and Summit labels, and is a frequent collaborator in sessions with a variety of recording artists.

As a teacher, Dr. Schreffler supports student development through examination of technique, exploration of musicality and discovery through movement, and centering the joy of making music with others. Students are encouraged to travel their musical paths with purpose and a spirit of adventure. Students are also encouraged to participate in youth symphonies, school orchestras, and summer festivals and workshops.

In addition to her performance activities, Dr. Schreffler currently instructs violin at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and coaches orchestra at Brophy College Preparatory. She holds performance degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music and Arizona State University, as well as the Dalcroze Certificate from the Dalcroze School of Music and Movement, where she is currently pursuing the Dalcroze License.