Hello!  I’m Erik Williams.  I have owned and operated Sacramento Strings for about 4 years now and taught violin professionally for 2 years before that.  In total, I have 15 years of experience playing both violin and viola.  I began playing when I was only 8 years old, and I find that this is the ideal age to start, since the student is mature enough to handle the discipline associated with practicing and focusing during lessons.  Older students are excellent as well (in fact about half of my students are adults), but of course starting young gives you more years of experience to count on. 

I was involved heavily in music from an early age and began composing when I was 11.  This was also when I joined the Napa Valley Youth Symphony.  I made quick progress and when I turned 12 I joined the next best thing: Santa Rosa Youth Symphony.  It was in this year that I got accepted into a composition master class with Kenji Bunch.  I was later forwarded an email that had been sent from Kenji to faculty involved in that program, commenting on how much he enjoyed me as a young composer.  The next year I got accepted into the San Francisco Youth Symphony Orchestra, a prestigious group that is among the best in the United States.  I stayed there for 3 years and the competitive atmosphere helped me to grow as a performer.  During these 3 years, I also attended an intensive composition program at Cleveland Institute of Music.  Only 15 people in the world were accepted. 

After 3 years with the SFYO, I had to decide on what path I was going to take professionally.  Although I originally planned on becoming a performer, either as a soloist or as part of an orchestra, I found that my main weakness was playing in front of people.  I played poorly in nearly every audition I’d ever participated in, despite practicing harder and having learned the excerpts in greater detail than anyone else there.  What they told me after having seen this enough times changed my career path permanently: “It doesn’t matter how well you can play if you can’t prove it in auditions.” 

It was then that I discovered teaching.  All these years that I had spent refining my skills, my repertoire, and my artistic senses had felt like a waste when I auditioned.  But when I taught, an entire world of possibilities opened up.  Not only could I transfer my skills sets onto others, but I could be a role model.  It was a good feeling when young people who I was teaching were having troubles in other areas of their lives and I was able to help them through, while also improving their discipline, fine motor skills, and ability to express themselves.  Not only that, but when students have stage fright, I’m usually able to help them through it with little trouble.  I tell them all the things I wish I’d been told when I was nervous.

Teaching is my passion and I hope to share the joy of music with everyone I can.

-Erik Williams