Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Archer.
Hi Erin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Becoming a musician at the age of 10, I fell in love with music and never looked back. I started with the violin and a few years later, added the viola. While being traditionally trained in both instruments, an opportunity to create and perform original music came in college.
I toured around the country and performed with Jag Star; a female-led original pop band. Viola was an uncommon sight in pop music at the time. Performing in a band allowed me to explore my creativity without the traditional boundaries laid out in my foundation. When I graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2000, I began teaching private lessons and, soon after, the Knoxville Symphony and their youth orchestra program.
I continued to create, record, and perform with different artists during this time. After having triplets, I became fascinated with early childhood learning, as I learned firsthand how learning and ability could start at birth! I fell in love with Suzuki Early Childhood Education and have been teaching it for four years.
Recently, I began incorporating the elements of SECE into original compositions and collaborated with singer-songwriter, tv personality, and children’s book author Erick Baker. I’ve also co-founded Muze, a music education platform designed to help teacher and student instruction in an online environment.
Suffice to say, It’s a broad spectrum of music creativity, and every piece has been woven into the fabric of where I am today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If the journey was always smooth, wouldn’t we get bored? There were some bumps, but lessons and growth came through the challenging moments.
When I first began teaching, I didn’t prepare myself for the emotional attachments I would have with each student. When I started performing, I didn’t know the time and rigor it would take to tour.
Over time, with re-evaluations, tweaks, and sometimes difficult decisions of closing chapters, each step provided opportunities in my musical journey through education, creation, performing, and entrepreneurship.
I never imagined being a founder of an up-and-coming music education tech company, nor did I imagine creating music for young children!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Music instruction is my primary work. I teach the Suzuki Method and work with all age groups, from infancy through adulthood. My main areas are early childhood music education and private and group violin and viola instruction, and I also conduct a youth orchestra with the Knoxville Symphony.
I currently perform (viola, violin, and vocals) with Erick Baker and spend lots of time on the creative end of things, while we continue furthering the development of Muze.
What sets me apart is that I try not to put too many boundaries with my work, which allows more creativity to flow, whether it be through performing and creating with other musicians or teaching. It opens me to connect more with others, and work never feels boring.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
In music education, I love collaborations with other musicians and people who want to help develop the whole person, whether that be through literacy, music, movement, or building connections with others.
Also, having the support of signing up or sharing Muze with others would be fantastic!
While we have much broader plans, our goal with Muze is to create a community of musicians and teachers by providing a platform that offers all the tools needed to create a successful teaching business and professional environment.
Contact Info:
- Website: Learnwithmuze.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnwithmuze/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learnwithmuze
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/learnwithmuze
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCJqnp7QfRApx00gtICuCz1w
- Other: Erinarcher.com
Image Credits
@BryanAllen.life and @RyanHMartinPhotography
