Beginner, intermediate, and advanced violin lessons are taught by Esther Roestan, Rebecca Hou, Liuwenji Wang, and Karalyn Harper. Strings Ensemble will hopefully be offered this year! Cello lessons are taught by Keats Rivas and Christine Traywick.
Violin lessons are currently offered Monday – Friday from 1:00 – 6:00 PM. Space is limited. The suggested starting age for these lessons is 5 years old – Adult. Violin lessons are held on the 3rd floor of Building C, in Room 305. Cello lessons are held in Room 309 and 312 and Strings Ensemble TBA.
ESTHER ROESTAN
Ms. Roestan was a resident of New York and received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at Jacobs School of Music, (Bloomington, IN), attended Oberlin Conservatory, receiving an Artist Diploma and then received her Master’s degree in Performance at The Orchestra Now in New York. She currently is a member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Section First Violin.
Ms. Roestan currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Violin on Mondays and Tuesdays. Her lessons are held in Room 305, Building C. Her email is eroestanviolin@gmail.com
LIUWENJI WANG
Liuwenji Wang is a dynamic and accomplished violinist with extensive experience as both a performer and educator. She holds degrees from three of the nation’s leading music institutions—Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music (Performance Diploma in Orchestral Studies), the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (Master of Music), and the Oberlin Conservatory (Bachelor of Music)—and has studied with renowned teachers.
Liuwenji currently performs with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra as a section second violinist and is a tenured member of the Britt Music Festival Orchestra. Before relocating to Alabama, she held associate concertmaster positions with both the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra and the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, acting associate concertmaster at Britt Festival Orchestra.
In addition to her performance career, Liuwenji is a dedicated educator with a deep commitment to nurturing young musicians. At Indiana University, she trained under Professor Mimi Zweig in the Violin Pedagogy program, gaining hands-on experience with Suzuki group classes, private lessons, and beginner-level instruction. She has also coached advanced students and led chamber music instruction. Earlier in her career, she served as a teaching assistant at the Central Conservatory of Music in China, where she developed strong foundational teaching skills that continue to inform her approach.
Ms. Wang currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Violin on Tuesdays. Her lessons are held in Room 305, Building C. Her email is liuwenjiwviolin@gmail.com
JINGYI REBECCA HOU
Violinist Jingyi Rebecca Hou has been a member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra since 2025. She has performed with several renowned ensembles, including the Minnesota Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Shanghai Philharmonic. Ms. Hou made her concerto debut with the Hangzhou Philharmonic in 2013 and has since appeared at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, Stiefel Theatre, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, performing both as an orchestral and chamber musician.
In addition to her performing career, Ms. Hou has been teaching for over ten years. Her students have been accepted into top institutions such as the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (with full scholarship), the Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Most recently, one of her students was admitted to Juilliard with a $40,000 scholarship. Her students have also won top prizes at prestigious competitions, including the Hong Kong International Violin Competition, VIVO International Music Competition, and the Golden Classical Music Awards, among others.
Ms. Hou currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Violin on Mondays. Her lessons are held in Room 305, Building C. Her email is rebecca1992hou@yahoo.com
KARALYN HARPER
Karalyn M. Harper is a classically trained violinist from Birmingham, Alabama, with over a decade of experience performing in orchestras, chamber groups, and as a soloist. She recently earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Samford University, where she played in the university orchestra and chamber ensembles. Her education from the Alabama School of Fine Arts also played a tremendous role in sculpting the musician she is today. Karalyn has performed at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and the New World Center as part of the National Youth Orchestra 2 and has also participated in programs such as the Interlochen Arts Camp and Sewanee Summer Music Festival. In addition to classical music, she plays gospel and sacred music, regularly performing for weddings, church services, and community events. Karalyn also serves as a music leader in her church and is passionate about using her violin to inspire and uplift others.
Ms. Harper currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Violin on Wednesdays – Fridays. Her lessons are held in Room 305, Building C. Her email is karalyn.harper7@gmail.com
KEATS RIVAS
Keats Rivas is originally from Birmingham, Alabama. He began his musical studies on piano, following cello a few years later. Mr. Rivas recently completed his Master’s in Music in Cello Performance at Ohio University in Athens, OH (2023). Mr. Rivas completed his Bachelor’s in Music in Cello Performance at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL (2021), cum laude. This past year, Mr. Rivas pursued a cello Artist Diploma with Prof. Wendy Warner through the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, GA.
Mr. Rivas has played as an extra musician with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, the Gadsden Symphony Orchestra, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Northwest Florida Symphony, and the River Cities Symphony (Marietta, OH). He has attended many music festivals and served as an RA and Technical Intern, including the University of North Alabama Summer Music Camp, Stringendo (Florida), Cincinnati Young Artists Chamber Music Festival, the MasterWorks Festival (Spartanburg, SC), and Brevard Music Center (North Carolina), and Camp-of-the-Woods (NY). Mr. Rivas’s principal cello teachers have included Jose Rocha, Ronald Gardiner, Samuel Nordlund, Alan Harrell, and Carlton McCreery. Also, as a private teacher, Mr. Rivas has privately taught through several mediums, including churches, local music stores, and online. He previously attended Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
From 2022-2023, Mr. Rivas also served as the Church Pianist for First Presbyterian Church in Waverly, Ohio. This year, Mr. Rivas will attend Birmingham Theological Seminary this fall for a master’s in church music/worship. He enjoys exercising and playing video games in his free time and has completed a few half-marathons.
Mr. Rivas currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Cello on Tuesdays – Fridays. His lessons are held in Room 309, Building C. His email is keats.rivas@gmail.com
CHRISTINE TRAYWICK
(Soprano) is a graduate of the University of Mobile with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a concentration in Voice and Cello. During her time at the the University of Mobile, she was in an all-female Celtic touring group, where she played cello and sang. Alsongside this, she participated in many performances with the Center of Performing Arts as both a singer and cellist. She also participated in the NATS competition at the University of Alabama and the University of South Alabama. In high school, Ms. Traywick was a part of the Alabama All-State SSA Choir as well as Gardendale HS Chamber Choir.
Christine previously taught music at Erwin Intermediate School and Brook Hills Early Learning Center. She has previously taught private lessons in string bass and continues to teach private voice lessons. She is currently the Worship Assistant at NorthPark Baptist Church. Christine believes that technique is the basis for all styles of music, from Classical to Modern music. She has a passion for sharing her love of music with each student so all can embrace their God-given talent(s). Psalm 33:3 – Sing a new song to the Lord, play skillfully before Him, and shout for joy.
Mrs. Traywick currently teaches Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons in Cello and Voice on Mondays. Her lessons are held in Room 312, Building C. Her email is christine@nponline.org.
The Conservatory at First Baptist Trussville 