Elyssa Carpenter, a celebrated musician and dedicated educator, has carved a remarkable path in the world of music from a young age. Elyssa started playing the violin at the young age of 2 years old, taught by her mother who was a Suzuki Teacher. Throughout the years, Elyssa’s passion and talent have earned her recognition, including the Woman of Influence Award in 2019 and top honors in performance competitions such as the 1st Place Watson Competition in 2017 and the 1st Place at UOP Chamber Competition in 2018.

A versatile performer, Elyssa performs on the stages of a variety of esteemed orchestras and ensembles, including the Auburn Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, Folsom Symphony, Symphony D’oro, Broadway Sacramento, and Placer Pops Chorale. Her repertoire spans from classical to contemporary, showcased in collaborations with renowned groups like Listeso Music Group, Fourtissimo Quartet, Left Coast Chamber, Romanza Quartet, and the Tower Quartet.

Beyond her performances, Elyssa is deeply committed to music education. With over a decade of teaching experience, she imparts her expertise to aspiring musicians, instilling in them not just technical prowess but also a deep love for music while following Suzuki’s idealogy “Every Child Can”. She continues teaching Suzuki’s Pedagogy outside of private lessons and into her work with VITA Academy where she is able to teach and share Suzuki’s pedagogy to students who may not be able to afford lessons. Her dedication to pedagogy and sustainable playing techniques is evident in her pursuit of becoming a Suzuki Master Teacher, complemented by her training in body mapping and bow techniques.

Elyssa’s influence extends beyond the classroom, as she works closely with local school orchestras, Honors Orchestra, CODA, MTAC, and the Sacramento Youth Symphony, coaching and nurturing the next generation of musical talent. Elyssa’s students have the many performance opportunites, solo and ensemble, throughout each school year at local churches, Historic Folsom, Eskaton, and Land Park. Each student also has the opportunity to participate in the Certificate of Merit every other year. Her students have flourished under her guidance, earning placements at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the University of Madrid, Interlochen, Cal Poly, Sacramento State University, and UC Davis.

Elyssa’s musical journey is deeply enriched by her unique and unorthodox upbringing. Rooted in her upbringing in Japan, where she was surrounded and mentored by esteemed Suzuki master teachers many who have studied with Suzuki before he passed, she learned that Suzukis pedagogy is not just within the Method book but rather it is how each Teacher, Parent, and Student embodies his teaching techniques, Ideology, and passion for learning. As a past representative for the National String Project Consortium, a current teacher with VITA Academy, and a founding member of Music Beyond Borders non-profit, she actively advocates for music education accessibility and cultural exchange.

When she is not performing or teaching, Elyssa loves to read next to her two cats; Mendelssohn and Peter, bake extravagant cakes, explore new restaurants with her husband, and go to concerts with her friends.