Expertise • Enthusiasm • Excellence
"Allison cares deeply about her students, about their progress, and about their involvement in music beyond simply attending their private lessons. She is highly attuned to and concerned about their enjoyment and engagement as young musicians. She is extraordinarily enthusiastic and encouraging of each of her students.
Allison is also a highly creative and outside-the-box thinker. She recently was one of the true stars of the pandemic, among the first to have her students continue making music remotely by harnessing and learning audio/video mixing technology. Any musical institution, particularly one that prides itself on encouraging young students to challenge themselves and discover their musical potential, would be fortunate to have Allison Dobbs join their ranks as a teacher."
~ Supervisor, Brookline Music School
Allison Dobbs
Violin/Viola, Suzuki Violin/Viola; Multi-Media Music and Art Enrichment
Allison received her B Mus from Texas Tech School of Music, and her M Mus and Graduate Performance Diploma from Boston Conservatory of Music, where she was a member of the BCM Honors String Quartet. Her principal teachers were John Gilbert, Markus Placci and Lynn Chang. She is certified as a Suzuki Instructor through Book 3, and also has training in Alexander Technique for musicians.
Allison also holds a BFA from Cooper Union College, and loves to combine music and art for students in multi-media projects such as “Night at the Ballet” chamber music, art, and dance workshop; Chamber Music and Puppetry: Pirates; Virtual Chamber Music Story Telling. She is the Creator of the PlayTogether GO! chamber music/game design project, hosted at WSM and supported by the Wayland Cultural Council/Mass Cultural Council.
In addition to Wayland School of Music, Allison teaches at Brookline Music School and at the Powers School in Belmont. She was after-school lesson instructor for the Needham Public Schools from 2013-18. Her students have been successful in youth orchestra auditions including the BYSO, and Junior and Senior District Orchestras.
Allison has performed with multiple ensembles in the NE area including the Waltham Philharmonic (concertmaster), MassOpera (principal), Promisek Bach Festival and many others.
Meet Allison
- How/what age did you start your instrument?
I started in first grade. - Did you come from a musical family?
My parents both played instruments when they were young, but for most of my childhood, I was the only active musician at home. My mother shared her passion for music through recordings. For her, music was always in the foreground, and listening was a singular activity. From this, I became so attached to the violin's sound. - Best or funniest (or even worst!) musical memory from childhood?
Getting my real violin after being on a practice violin - a macaroni box with a paint stirrer! - A highlight or two from your performing career:
Recent highlights include performing The Lark Ascending and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. - What do you love about teaching?
There are many things I love about teaching. Right now, after an extended time of remote teaching, I see the in-person lesson with fresh eyes, and am grateful for the opportunity to have this vantage point. - What would you like your students to know about you?
I am really excited to be teaching at Wayland School of Music and look forward to meeting everyone! - Can you share a non-musical fun fact about you?
Since moving to Boston, I have lived near the red line, orange line, and green line trains. Besides Massachusetts, I have lived in Ohio, Indiana, Texas and New York.