Who else can know the needs of students but teachers themselves!
...and
so Strings Music and More (SMM) was developed from a nucleus
of teachers who taught orchestra in the public schools and who know the
needs of young aspiring string students. The mission of SMM is to provide students with exciting, new, and innovative music and products. The
goal of SMM is to see students continue their musical training beyond the
elementary level. The main product line of SMM includes the newly patented
PSR Family of Shoulder Rests (Patent Number: SN 11/517,636), the book “Wings” a wonderful
resource that teaches string techniques through original songs composed by Cathie Lowmiller, and our new method book:
"First Step Method for Beginning Strings" which is an all-inclusive book that fulfills many state objectives through lessons that accommodate the Visual, Audio, and Kinesthetic learners. "First Step Method" includes an extensive repertoire of music and an accompaniment CD.
Cathie Lowmiller loves teaching and performing as a violinist and violist in the Phoenix, Arizona, musical community. The composer of the series "Wings", Cathie studied music at Arizona State University and Indiana University, and got her Master's degree in music performance from Northern Arizona University. After university training, she studied privately with Raphael Bronstein.
She has taught string classes in Arizona public schools, and currently has a private studio of about 25 students. She is happy to be the fiddle coach for Jam Pak, a children's bluegrass band in Chandler, Arizona.
She is currently associate concertmaster of the West Valley Symphony in Phoenix, Arizona, and a busy freelance chamber musician. She enjoys performing with her string-and-woodwind trio, Julemar, and as a Celtic fiddler in The Black Velvet Band.
When she is not performing or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her three grown up children and looking after her three dogs and three cats.