One of the earliest photos of Cape Symphony violinist Norma Stiner is one her mother, a piano teacher, took of her sitting at the piano, banging away. By fourth grade she had moved on to the violin, and that’s been her instrument ever since.
Norma earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Boston Conservatory and began teaching in public schools and privately at age 21. She has played orchestral and chamber music all over New England with many different ensembles, for many different conductors, in many different circumstances, including with the Cape Symphony Orchestra. Favorite experiences include performances at the Cape Cod Melody Tent and the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset with stars including Liberace, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, and Johnny Mathis. Smokey Robinson once sang Happy Birthday to Norma during a show on the Foxwoods Resort stage!
Two philosophies guide Norma’s teaching: 1) Teach the child first, and the subject matter second; and 2) Take away something useful from every opportunity, and use it to expand your ability to convey meaning to your students.
