Welcome to the String Academy of Idaho Falls
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit public charitable organization.
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
Meet Our Teachers
JESSICA
COOLEY
VIOLIN
EMMA
RUBINSTEIN
VIOLIN & VIOLA
CHRISTINE
HUTCHINGS
CELLO
Jessica Cooley actively teaches and performs in both the Salt Lake City and Southeastern Idaho areas. Jessica earned two master’s degrees in pedagogy and performance from the Hartt School of Music and Miami University of Ohio after completing her bachelor’s degree at Brigham Young University-Idaho. In addition to a graduate emphasis in Suzuki pedagogy with Teri Einfeldt, Jessica teacher trained at both Indiana University with pedagogue, Mimi Zweig, and at Northwestern University. Jessica also took classes in Kodaly Pedagogy and Dalcroze Eurythmics. Jessica has maintained a private studio for 16 years and has been teaching as an adjunct violin instructor at BYU-Idaho since 2017. She previously taught as faculty at Hochstein School of Music and Dance in Rochester, New York and in the Glick Young Musician’s Program in Oxford, Ohio. She also assisted in Suzuki classes and lessons as a graduate student in the community division at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.
Jessica currently enjoys performing in weekly radio and television broadcasts of Music and the Spoken Word with the Tabernacle Choir as a violinist in the Orchestra at Temple Square, where she has been able to collaborate with guest artists such as the King’s Singers, Sissel, Metropolitan Opera soloists, Stephen Beus, Kristen Chenoweth, and many others. Jessica also enjoys being a violinist in the Idaho Falls Symphony and in various other community and professional ensembles in Southeastern Idaho and along the Wasatch front. Principle teachers include Anton Miller, Harvey Thurmer, and Emma Rubinstein.
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Jessica enjoys spending time with her 16 nieces and nephews. She also has fun camping, hiking, reading, sewing, and traveling to visit interesting museums and places. Jessica randomly develops project skills in genealogy, home remodeling, historical research, and bookbinding.
Violinist Emma Rubinstein has had a varied career as chamber musician, soloist, professor of music, and private violin instructor. Currently concertmaster of the Idaho Falls Symphony, Emma’s students have won numerous local, state and national awards, competitions, scholarships and top honors over the past two decades. She regularly works as string mentor with the IFS Youth Orchestra program. Current and recent students have received scholarships as college music majors in violin performance and music education, won first place in senior strings division of Idaho Music Teachers Association competition, won first place in junior strings division of Idaho MTA, been appointed concertmaster and assistant concertmaster of Idaho All-State orchestra, and been accepted to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy. Emma’s students regularly participate in All-State and All-Northwest orchestras, have won the Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, been accepted to many prestigious summer programs including National Youth Orchestra of USA, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Interlochen National Music Camp, and Sewanee Summer Music Festival, among others. Her former college students have won numerous concerto competitions, including the Idaho Falls Symphony Young Artists Competition, and were accepted to prestigious Master of Music degree programs, in addition to being successful string music educators.
Emma was formerly assistant professor of violin at Miami University of Ohio, and visiting professor of violin at BYU-Idaho for two years. A specialist in chamber music, she was first violin and founding member of the Santa Barbara-based Anacapa String Quartet for nine seasons. ASQ had New York management, toured widely, received a number of of awards and commissions, and appeared on numerous radio broadcasts and television. She was first violinist of the Oxford String Quartet at Miami of Ohio before relocating to Idaho Falls. Emma has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, South Korea, Japan and Israel. Born and raised in Chicago, Emma received her Master of Music degree in violin performance from Yale University, a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University, and her high school diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy. Her principal violin teachers included Roman Totenberg, Sidney Harth, Ronald Copes and Paul Statsky.
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Christine Hutchings received a B.M. in Cello Performance with an emphasis in pedagogy from the University of Wyoming and holds a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Montana State University.
Christine moved to the Idaho Falls area in 2019 after a successful public school string education career in Casper, WY where she also served as conductor of the Wyoming Ambassador String Orchestra representing the state of Wyoming across seven countries on three summer European tours. Christine is the conductor and director of the Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra. Christine has been teaching private cello lessons for over 25 years. Some of her private students have gone on to study cello at music schools around the country and globe: the Boston Conservatory, Interlochen Arts Academy, Indiana University, and Milan Conservatory’s Liceo Musicale.
Christine is also an active performer and chamber musician, she is the principal cellist with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra and a section cellist with the Idaho Falls Symphony.
When not teaching, practicing, or performing Christine enjoys gardening, exploring Idaho on foot, and spending time with her husband, 3 bonus kids, and their 2 dogs and 3 cats.