Marilyn Butler, Violin
Marilyn Butler has been teaching violin for many years. She trained as a Suzuki teacher in the 1970’s with Yuko Honda while working on her music education degree at the University of Memphis. Her teaching style is eclectic and draws from many influences, but Suzuki methodology is a dominant element in her teaching. She holds Master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and University of Michigan. Her teaching experience includes public school teaching, and private lesson teaching at the former Performing Arts School of Worcester, the Joy of Music Program, and eighteen years as the Director of Strings at Bancroft School where her duties covered a wide range of music classes. She conducted orchestras and chamber groups, taught violin lessons, hand drumming, and handbells.
Past performing experience included section violist in the Memphis Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, and the Worcester Orchestra. She currently specializes in traditional Swedish folk fiddle music and the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. She has taken numerous trips to Sweden to study with traditional fiddlers there. She is the music director for Nordic Fiddles and Feet in Ogontz, NH and regularly performs at the New England Folk Festival and area dance events. She and Amy Matherly enjoy playing together and continue to develop their repertoire of music from various traditions as a duo.