Staff Spotlight: Violinist Sarah Mahoney

We recently had an interview with Sarah Mahoney and it gave us an opportunity to get to know her a little better.  She is one of Off The Wall’s newest instructors and teaches violin and piano a few days each week at OTW.  And now you can to get to know her better, too!violinist Sarah Mahoney

Sarah likes most about teaching . . . 

. . . seeing the excitement in students when they come to lessons eager to play more of the music they’ve been working on. She enjoys seeing students engaged and asking questions (occasionally stumping their teacher…). She said that it is also rewarding to watch a student’s self-confidence grow after they’ve performed in a recital.  

Did she always want to teach music. . .

. . . always having a passion for music, becoming an educator was a natural path that Sarah is glad she chose.  Teaching is her career of choice and she looks forward to continue expanding.

If she could tell her students just one thing, it would it be. . .

. . .To be confident! Sarah says it is a waste of time to focus on how your peers view you. She likes to see kids wear what they want, spend time with who they want, listen to the music they want, and  to be unafraid to say no to things you don’t want to do. Life is short so each kid should prioritize what’s most important to them.

For fun, Sarah….

. . . Loves to travel and experience other cultures. Her first trip to Seoul was her favorite. She had a great experience attending a university’s summer intensive Korean language program. Korea is her favorite place to visit because of the opportunity to both see friends and improve her Korean language skills. She thinks that there is a lot to gain from spending time in other parts of the world.violinist sarah mahoney seoul

Sarah would also like to say . . . 

. . .That she’s had a blast working with students at Off the Wall, especially getting to work with students in all age ranges. This experience has helped remind her that it’s never too late to try something new!

We feel the same way as Sarah, and think she has been a fantastic addition to our team!  All of our staff and students are what make Off The Wall such a great music school and we thank you all for being here.  Be sure to read more about Sarah on her OTW staff page, too.

If you aren’t a student at Off The Wall yet but have been thinking about “trying something new” as Sarah says, we encourage you to come in and give us a try.  OTW offers one free music lesson per family as our way of encouraging and supporting all aspiring musicians.

Now, let’s play a game!  Sarah told us 2 truths and a lie.  Can you guess which one of the following is a lie?  Leave your guess as a comment under Sarah’s picture on our Facebook page or Instagram page!

  • I’m finishing my degree in education online
  • I love eating spicy foods
  • I perform with the Seattle Rock Orchestra

Think you know??? Check back and we’ll see…. 🙂

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