Clarinetist Mónika Veress’s career began at age 11, when she left her Romanian village to attend a music school which had just reopened after the fall of communism. After years of study and teaching, life and music brought her to Cape Cod.
Through a travel/work program, Mónika played beautiful music for summer visitors on the streets of Provincetown, and at galleries, libraries, and all kinds of events. Making her home in Brewster, she went on to win the 2013 New England Concerto Competition, was featured as a guest artist with the Cape Symphony Orchestra, and was honored to perform in Boston for visiting Hungarian dignitaries.
Today, Mónika performs chamber music at venues around Cape Cod with pianist Ana Glig and other outstanding artists. She offers expert private instruction in clarinet and recorder to students from preschoolers – adults. Outside work, “I play the piano for fun a lot, and I love to read, hike, and dance.” Hungarian folkdance is a special passion; this year, Mónika will travel to dance workshops in Montréal and Michigan.
Mónika taught clarinet at a very highly regarded school in Romania, and remembers that time as one of the happiest of her life. She brings that dedication and joy to her private students today. For the youngest, she uses the Kodály method, “which teaches rhythm in a very cool, natural way. My students have great rhythm!”
What’s a lesson like? “I’m very methodical,” she continues. “I always do a little warm-up... some students need help with technique, others need to work on their sound. The warmup is very personalized.” Then they move on to études and longer pieces. “I always have students play two contrasting pieces. That’s where the fun is!” Her lessons are comprehensive and interesting. “We also talk about theory and history. I make sure a lesson has a little bit of everything.”
Mónika is proud of her students’ growth and success, and admires their hard work. “It’s quite challenging for kids to stick to an instrument without lessons outside school,” she says. “Private classes are very important.”
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Mónika Veress is accepting new clarinet and recorder students of all ages for private lessons at Cape Symphony’s Barnstable campus. Email