Brenda Simmons
Violin, Viola, Cello, Awesome After School Orchestra
Brenda Simmons received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Eastern Washington School of Music in 1999 and her Masters of Music Education from Boston University in 2013. Ms. Simmons spent many of her formative years studying the Suzuki Methodology of string pedagogy at the Suzuki Institute Pacific University, and has attended workshops with John Kendall, US Suzuki founder, Dr. Suzuki, and Issac Stern. Moving to Bend in 1999, Ms. Simmons has been actively teaching and building the orchestra program in the Bend LaPine School District where she is the veteran orchestra teacher. During her tenure in Bend-La Pine Schools, she spent 10 years as the Oregon Music Educators Middle School All-State Honor Orchestra manager. In 2000, Ms. Simmons piloted the Cascade School of Music's Awesome After School Orchestra and remains the primary teacher of this successful program.