Biltmore Who's Who News and Events

Maria Stefanova

Biltmore Who’s Who Selects Maria Stefanova as this week’s Honored Member of the Executive and Professional Registry for 2010.

Maria Stefanova, String Specialist at Taylor Middle School, has been selected as an Honored Member of the Biltmore Who’s Who Executive and Professional Registry. The selection recognizes Maria Stefanova’s commitment to excellence in the field of Music and Education.

Stefanova, who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Music Performance from the California Institute of Fine Arts and a Master’s Degree in Music and Performance from the University of New Mexico, began teaching five years ago for a Title 1 school.

After growing up playing the violin since the age of five and studying music in her native country of Bulgaria, Stefanova decided to come to the United States and pursue a college degree in music.  Now teaching five heterogeneous string instrument classes to middle school-aged children, she teaches students at all different levels.  In addition to teaching her courses, she also prepares students for concerts and festivals, and works with the local community for upcoming performances. 

In addition to her teaching career, Stefanova owns her own private violin studio in Albuquerque. She is trained in the Suzuki method of teaching violin and teaches ages four and up.  She also recently started working as a coordinator for the University of New Mexico’s String Pedagogy Department.  She works under the direct supervision of Professor Susan Kempter, where she teaches after school classes at the Music Preparatory School, works with intern teachers on creating lesson plans and ideas and provides feedback to the intern teachers. 

“I am always reading and getting ideas from teachers in different subjects,” Stefanova said.  “I am always trying to think of and implement new ideas in my classroom.”

Hoping to collaborate with other professionals in the education field not only in New Mexico but in other states as well, Stefanova would love to combine her love for travel and education to work with others.  She is also giving back to her community by working with a local community center developing a summer program for children from lower economical backgrounds so that they too can appreciate the arts.  She also hopes to do more guest presentations as well as clinician/guest teacher work at other schools and organizations.

Stefanova is a member of the American String Teachers Association, Music Educators National Conference and the Suzuki Association.  She speaks at numerous state conferences for the American String Association and has just completed her first book with Professor Susan Kempter and four others, titled New Mexico Folk Tunes, which teaches materials to young violinist-based students in New Mexico Folk Music.  In 2008 she was named Best Emerging Teacher through the American String Teachers Association’s New Mexico Chapter and was also nominated for the Golden Apple Foundation Award in August of 2011.  When she isn’t busy working or volunteering her time, Maria enjoys playing tennis.

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Maria Stefanova
Posted by Biltmore Who's Who on Monday, October 10, 2011