Mikaela Nilo

Violin Teacher and Performer in Eugene, Oregon

 

*NEW: Now offering private violin lessons in Eugene, Oregon starting July 2025

Testimonials

“My daughter, Emily, took violin lessons with Mikaela from Fall 2021 until her recent move in 2025. Emily decided to play the violin in 6th grade, and our family is not musicaly skilled so I knew I would need to find someone. Mikaela has truely supported her orchestra studies and helped her grow in skill level. An achievement to them both, Emily made it into Chamber Orchestra for her 10th grade year. Her schedule and communication has always been great. I often would request additional lesson/time and we could find something that worked for both of us. We wish you all the best Mikaela. You will truely be missed by our family.” -Arin Espinoza: mom of Emily, age started 11.

“My child has been lucky to have Mikaela as his first violin teacher. From the very beginning, it was clear that Mikaela not only has exceptional musical talent but also a genuine gift for teaching children. She makes lessons fun and has unlimited patience with her students, while also challenging them to achieve their best potential. She is structured, but also flexible. She adjusts easily to different styles (or even moods) to maximize performance, and she pays great attention to detail. Mikaela truly supports and motivates her students to play the most beautiful sounds and music! Over the last year, I’ve seen remarkable growth in my child's technical ability and also confidence. We are so grateful for the care, encouragement, and dedication Mikaela has brought to every single lesson. I highly recommend her to any parent looking for an inspiring and skilled violin teacher, and for that matter, to any adult who might be interested in learning how to play violin. I got some free violin lessons myself, which felt like a great bonus and made it even more fun, while my child learned from observing and helping her teach me!” -Doina Caragea, mom of Alex (who started to play violin at 12)

“My daughter was very fortunate to have received violin lessons from Mikaela. She started as beginner when she was in 6th grade, and she is now first chair in the Williamsburg Youth Orchestra. She is now going into her Sophomore year in the fall and still relies on the fundamentals she learned from Mikaela. She loved their lessons together and we enjoyed the recitals. She had a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend Mikaela!” -Denise/ mom Vanessa started at age 12

“The growth I've seen in both my children since learning from Mikaela has been truly amazing. What started as a simple interest in music turned into a real passion, thanks to the nurturing and inspiring environment Mikaela created in her studio. Mikaela is incredibly kind, patient and truly gifted as a violin teacher. Highly recommend to any parent looking for quality instruction and genuine care.” -Rona: mom of Alena who started at age 13 and Andre who started at 10

“We had the pleasure of taking violin lessons from Mikaela for a little over a year, and our experience was absolutely wonderful. She was always warm and welcoming to our large family, even including several of my children in occasional lessons. My wiggly 8-year-old son truly enjoyed his time with her. Mikaela consistently encouraged him to do his best during lessons and at home, holding him accountable in a gentle and respectful way. I especially appreciated how she gave him ownership over his own learning—it helped him grow in confidence and responsibility. Mikaela also created many opportunities for students to showcase their progress, which was a huge motivator for my son. Overall, we loved having Mikaela as our violin teacher and feel incredibly blessed to have met her.”

“A teacher with a heart. She taught my daughter for almost 3 yrs. I believe. Her patience and enthusiasm inspired not just my daughter, but also me as a parent to work hard. She saw the potential of my child and made sure to train her to be the best version of herself everyday. She will always be part of my daughter's violin journey. Mikaela can make anybody fall in love with music everytime she plays. I believe it's one of the reason why her students is always one of the best. She sets an amazing example of what a great musician should be.” -Cathy Austin, mom of Aica. Age started: 11