About Mrs. Elder / Mrs. Elder's Orchestra Website

Tell me about yourself.

I live in Wasilla, and am married to a life-long Alaskan. We have two talented children (twenty-year old daughter and seventeen year old son) and two silly dogs. I love to play and compose music, read books, watch movies, go hiking, eat dark chocolate and tell jokes. I also have a radio program on public radio KSKA, FM 91.1 every other Sunday from noon - two PM, called Travelling Music, where I share a huge variety of traditional and contemporary music.

How long have you taught orchestra?

I've been an orchestra teacher since 1998, and have taught violin and fiddle-playing for over thirty years.

What do you like about teaching orchestra?

I like to help students learn to express themselves through music. Playing music has opened a lot of doors in my own life and I really hope that music is always part of my students lives too. Because of playing the violin, I've toured Alaskan villages, played at Music Festivals from Whitehorse,Yukon to Seattle, and I've gone rafting in the Grand Canyon for free!

What instruments do you play?

Besides orchestra instruments, I play piano and guitar. Unfortunately, neither piano or guitar is taught as part of the orchestra program.

Do you perform with groups?

I'm a member of two fun accoustic music groups; Jubilee and Wings To Fly. We play music for dances, concerts, weddings and parties. We always play for the Anchorage Folk Festival and the Alaska State Fair. I've made a number of recordings of original music.

Do you teach in the summer?

I often teach at Alaska City Folk Arts camp, Alaska String Camp and Alaska Traditional Music Camp.

What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?

A fiddle and a violin are the same instrument. The difference is the style of music that's played on it. Fiddlers play tunes that are often traditional dance, or folk tunes .