Welcome!
We offer violin, fiddle, viola, and cello lessons as well as early childhood music classes.
Grow Music is home to the Cello Mafia, Viol Conspiracy, String Mafia, and the Nearly Spring Strings Festival. Our hub is in Missoula, MT but we serve learners worldwide!
We offer violin, fiddle, viola, and cello lessons as well as early childhood music classes.
Grow Music is home to the Cello Mafia, Viol Conspiracy, String Mafia, and the Nearly Spring Strings Festival. Our hub is in Missoula, MT but we serve learners worldwide!
A note from Jessica:
I love music and I love teaching music. Music is my passion, my joy, my muse, and my solace. As an educator, it is my honor to share what I've learned and all that inspires me about music. I started Grow Music as a way to promote healthy, well-rounded, high-level musical development. I enjoy individual lessons as much as group classes! Individual lessons are excellent for refining technique, building support, trust, discipline, and lifelong mentorship. Group classes are fun, engaging, they build camaraderie, friendship, and teach ensemble skills essential to any musical path. The sheer joy of making music together promotes socialization, connection, community, and a wonderful sense of belonging. Music making is a natural outlet for creativity and self-expression. The practice of music supports a growth mindset, shapes identity, and fuels discipline and focus while also calming and aligning one's body and mind.
Welcome to Grow Music and thanks for stopping in!
I love music and I love teaching music. Music is my passion, my joy, my muse, and my solace. As an educator, it is my honor to share what I've learned and all that inspires me about music. I started Grow Music as a way to promote healthy, well-rounded, high-level musical development. I enjoy individual lessons as much as group classes! Individual lessons are excellent for refining technique, building support, trust, discipline, and lifelong mentorship. Group classes are fun, engaging, they build camaraderie, friendship, and teach ensemble skills essential to any musical path. The sheer joy of making music together promotes socialization, connection, community, and a wonderful sense of belonging. Music making is a natural outlet for creativity and self-expression. The practice of music supports a growth mindset, shapes identity, and fuels discipline and focus while also calming and aligning one's body and mind.
Welcome to Grow Music and thanks for stopping in!
Grow Music Teaching Artists:
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Jessica Catron (Grow Music Founder) spent the first part of her professional life in Los Angeles where she worked as a freelance performing artist and educator. Some of her musical adventures include touring, performing, and/or recording with artists including Carla Bozulich (Geraldine Fibbers/Evangelista), Nels Cline (Wilco), Devotchka, The Eels, FUN, Trevor Hall, The Heavy, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Eleni Mandell, Dave Matthews, Tim Meyers (One Republic), Alexi Murdoch, Sheila Nicholls, Linda Ronstadt, Spiritualized, Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney), Steve Vai, the Vitamin String Quartet, VOCO, Wailin' Jennys, Scott Weiland, Emily Wells, The White Buffalo, and Wilco. Jessica has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Late Late Show, the NBC Music Video Awards, KPFK's Global Village, KUSC's Arts Alive, and has been a soloist for feature films Mean Creek, The Strangers, The Covenant, and Levity.
As a sound artist, Jessica was the first distinguished musical-artist-in-residence at the UCLA Hammer Museum (Los Angeles) for an 8-month residency where she created sound installations, experimental performances throughout the museum, created performance art inspired by the museum's collection of Ed Ruscha works, and curated weekly chamber music performances at the museum. She has also worked as a collaborator, performer, and/or music director with exceptional visual artists, composers, and performance artists such as Harold Budd, Vinny Golia, Mike Kelley, Pauline Oliveros, Stephen Prina, Susan Silton, and James Tenney. As a teaching artist, Jessica was the first cello mentor for YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) - an El Sistema-inspired partnership of the Harmony Project and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. During her 8 years at YOLA, she worked regularly with four youth orchestras, string ensembles, conducted youth orchestras, lead fiddle and singing workshops, and had 32 weekly cello students in both group and private lessons. Her students have had the fortune of sitting beside LA Phil musicians in concert, backing up Stevie Wonder, Journey, and The Black Eyed Peas, performing with Grace Potter and Sharon Stone on the Tonight Show, playing chamber music for Condoleeza Rice, and traveling to the White House to play for Michelle Obama, Alisa Weilerstein, and Joshua Bell. Additionally, Jessica has lead music workshops at the University of Auckland (NZ), Universidad de Bogota (Columbia), Western Front (Vancouver, BC), University of Nebraska, Cornish College (Seattle), University of New Mexico, Lake Tahoe Unified Schools, Port Chester School District (NY), Community Music Works (RI), and the California State Summer School for the Arts. In Missoula, Jessica can be seen as a member of both the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Glacier Symphony. In addition to her private teaching studio, she has subbed as a music teacher at Sussex School and for MCPS. Jessica co-founded The Receptionists string duo, founded and arranges music for the Cello Mafia, String Mafia and Viol Conspiracy, and writes music and sings with her avant-folk band Missincinatti. In the summer of 2018, she was chosen as Open Air's sound-artist-in-residence at the Rattlesnake Creek Dam, spending 6-weeks creating a place-based composition from field recordings made in and around the now demolished historic location. In 2021-22 she will be one of four artists-in-residence for "New Songs for Butte Mining Camp" through the Montana Cultural Trust Grant and Silver Bow Archives in Butte, MT. Outside of music, Jessica has been developing her most fulfilling experiment to date - raising two amazing kids - with her sweetie, Jeremy. They love family game nights, traveling whenever possible, snuggling, asking Google random factoids, making tacos, caring for four hens and two cats, taking saunters in the woods, floating rivers, hiking, camping, spending time with their extended family, and eating those potato donuts in Ravalli, MT whenever possible. Jessica is currently accepting students, by appt only, via Zoom. She is available for coaching on performance careers, running a music business, teaching, freelancing, and musical entrepreneurship. |
Anna Walter-Grussling has been studying the violin and piano since she was 5 years old. She continued with her violin studies at the University of Montana under Margaret Baldridge, and graduated with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. She has been an active substitute in the Missoula Symphony since her junior year in High School. Anna was a participant in the Suzuki Institute for 13 consecutive years and has studied under Missoula violin teachers Heidi Martin, Beth Youngblood, Madeleine McKelvey, and Molly Morrison on piano. She currently has a home violin studio with students ages 5 to 15. In addition to music, Anna currently teaches Special Education at Bonner Elementary and works as a dance instructor with the Missoula Irish Dancers. Anna strives to make learning fun, while also maintaining an atmosphere that facilitates learning and reaching goals. Anna is currently Grow Music's lead teacher for all things violin, as well as leading Viol Conspiracy and assisting with String Mafia.
Angelica Kalasz is a Detroit, Michigan native who recently moved to Montana! She started playing cello in the public schools in her hometown, and continued to support public school music education as a middle school orchestra teacher in the Washington, DC area for 9 years. She is excited to be an orchestra teacher for the Missoula County Public Schools. Ms. Kalasz studied music education at Western Michigan University, and is currently working on her masters degree in Arts Outreach and Advocacy at the University of Denver. Angelica enjoys both teaching and performing. She has played with the Capital City Symphony and in the pit orchestras for the Levine Children's Theatre and The Keegan Theatre in Washington, D.C. Ms. Kalasz also enjoys performing outside of the orchestra and has worked with various artists in the Washington D.C/Northern Virginia area. Her most recent adventure was playing cello in a hip hop orchestra.
Bayley Ginnaty was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. It was through the public school system where Ginnaty found the viola. Bayley studied with Jennifer Smith throughout high school and during her time at Charles M. Russell HS, Ginnaty participated in All-State Orchestra, All-Northwest Orchestra, and was a member of the Great Falls Youth Orchestra and Chamber Music Program. Currently, Bayley is a member of the University of Montana Symphony Orchestra, Missoula Symphony Orchestra, Tessitura Trio, and was a winner of UM’s 2021 Concerto/Aria Competition. Serving as the President of the UM Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, Ginnaty believes that studying music leads to not only skillful musicians, but well-rounded and team oriented individuals. She is currently pursuing a degree in Viola Performance under Dr. Margaret Baldridge. Outside of music, Bayley enjoys cooking, gardening, cross stitching, and moseying through farmers markets.
Britta Thomas was raised in Montana and began playing the cello at the age of eleven through the public school music. She received two degrees from the University of Montana: a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance under Fern Glass Boyd and a Bachelor of Arts in German language and culture. During her undergraduate studies, she was an active solo, chamber, and orchestral performer. Her success within the university earned her several awards and scholarships for her outstanding performance in the field of music. She has a particular fondness for orchestral ensembles and has performed in many orchestras throughout the state of Montana, often as principal cellist. In addition to performance, she is an avid teacher of both private and group cello lessons, teaching a variety of music genres and techniques. Britta is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Cello Performance at UC Santa Barbara under the instruction of Jennifer Kloetzel.
Born into a family of musicians, David Harmsworth has been honing his craft as a classical cellist since he first picked up the instrument 17 years ago. First taking lessons from his father, a former cellist in the Utah Symphony, David has since studied with Jonathan Spitz, Emilio Colon, Stephen Balderston, Jesus Castro-Balbi, Desmond Hoebig, and Michael Mermagen. He has taken part in masterclasses with Matt Haimovitz, Amit Peled, Melissa Kraut, Sharon Robinson, David Requiro, and Brinton Averil-Smith. David has been a featured soloist with the Billings and Great Falls Symphonies and has attended prestigious summer festivals such as the Round Top Festival Institute and the Aspen Music Festival. David is currently studying with Dr. Adam Collins at the University of Montana looking to graduate with a performance degree in the spring of 2023.
Jayla Mitchell currently studies Cello Performance at the UM under Dr. Adam Collins. She began playing the cello at age 10 through Great Falls Public Schools, first starting her private studies with Elizabeth Quinby in 2015 and going on to study under Thaddeus Suits in 2019.Throughout high school, Jayla participated in multiple prestigious orchestras, including four years of Montana All-State Orchestra and one year of All-Northwest Orchestra. She was principal cellist of the Great Falls Youth Orchestra, and worked for a year in the Great Falls Symphony. She is currently a member of the UM Symphony Orchestra, the Tessitura Trio, Missoula Symphony, and sits on the executive board of UM’s ASTA (American String Teachers Association) chapter. Outside of performance, Jayla enjoys baking, crocheting, and spending time with Miso, the house cat.
Larysa Blavatsky is a violinist, pianist, guitarist, organist, and vocalist from Butte, Montana. She has been playing the violin since her early youth and currently studies Music Education and Violin Performance at the University of Montana with Dr. Margaret Baldridge. Larysa enjoys traveling back to her hometown to play violin in the Butte Symphony. She has also been playing in the University of Montana Symphony Orchestra since 2017, and as concertmaster during the 2020-2021 school year. Larysa teaches both violin and viola lessons and enjoys working with students of all backgrounds and ages. Although Larysa has many musical interests, one of her favorite pastimes is writing and performing original songs. She hopes to release an album in 2022. Larysa is very passionate about Music Education and looks forward to expanding her studio through Grow Music Missoula.
Laura Geier is a violinist, pianist, and music educator. Having developed a passion for Romani (Gypsy) and Balkan music, she lived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria for a year supported by the prestigious Fulbright Grant, and subsequently traveled to Romania, Moldova, Turkey, and Sweden to pursue further studies. Her unique approach to teaching encompasses all styles - Eastern European folk, Romani (Gypsy), traditional classical, and jazz. An MFA recipient of the California Institute of the Arts, Laura studied Balkan music, Alexander Technique, Bulgarian folk singing, jazz improvisation, music transcription, and violin. Prior to CalArts, Laura also received a Masters in Music at Ohio University and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Get a little taste of what she offers HERE!
Melinda Rice is a violinist, violist, and music educator. She approaches music learning as a joyous process that can lead to commitment and discovery in many areas of one's life. Born in Pennsylvania to a music teacher, Melinda began violin at a young age. Music has taken her to England, France, and the Netherlands as an orchestra performer, she has studied at the Suzuki camp in Japan and has full Suzuki certification, is certified in the Mark O'Connor method, and began writing music and acting with a Conflict Resolution theatre troupe in Philadelphia. Since receiving her Masters in Violin Performance from California Institute of the Arts, she has both conducted and taught as an LA Philharmonic Teaching Artist with Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. Melinda loves to see students take both joy and ownership of their musical journey. Get a little taste of what she offers HERE!
Summer Boggess loves both performing and teaching cello. She most recently played cello for Mean Girls on Broadway. Previous Broadway shows include Hello Dolly starring Bette Midler, Kristin Chenoweth's My Love Letter to Broadway, the Broadway revival of Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Big Fish, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Scandalous, and Bye, Bye, Birdie. She and her husband, pianist Brian Hertz, have toured internationally with her sister and Broadway star Sierra Boggess performing concerts in England, Germany, Australia, and the US. Summer appeared off-Broadway in The Last 5 Years and The Blue Flower at Second Stage and at Carnegie Hall for Kristin Chenoweth. Other NYC engagements include City Center Encores, the American Ballet Theatre at the Met, Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center’s “American Songbook” series, “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”, “The Today Show,” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Summer received her Masters degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory and her undergrad degree from the Univ. of Colorado at Boulder. Summer completed her Suzuki Training at the School for Strings in Manhattan and has been on the faculty of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and the Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. She also volunteers with Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) and has taught at the Shanti Bhavan school in India. She loves finding creative ways for students to connect with music and all that playing cello has to offer.
