About Mikaela
Mikaela Nilo has recently moved to Eugene, Oregon after four years of teaching and performing in Northeastern Kansas. She performed regularly as an orchestral violinist for the Salina Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley, Sioux City Symphony, and others. Mikaela grew up in Newberg, Oregon into a musical family and began playing violin at the age of four. She received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from Biola University in Los Angeles where she studied with Elizabeth Larson-Freeman and was a member of the Honor's String Quartet. Throughout her undergrad career, Mikaela had opportunities to debut several student compositions, solo with the orchestra, serve as concertmaster, as well as teach String Sprouts - a free after-school program for young children in underserved areas. Mikaela graduated from Biola in the spring of 2021 with multiple outstanding musician awards. She has participated in many summer festivals including the Credo Chamber music festival in Ohio, Interharmony Music Festival in Italy, Heartland Chamber Music Festival in Kansas City, and Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina where she received a fellowship to work in the faculty orchestra under Maestro Gerard Schwarz. Since graduating, she’s studied with several teachers including Oleh Krysa, David Colwell, Madeleine Jansen, and Benjamin Sung. Mikaela deeply values the concept of being a lifelong learner. One can find her practicing for an upcoming performance during her teaching breaks, talking on the phone with other teachers to figure out solutions to each other's teaching questions, and attending summer festivals and workshops to enrich her own musical abilities. When teaching her students, she seeks to foster not only their musicality but nurture them in their confidence, responsibility, and maturity as human beings. She pulls from several different teaching methods and has received training in the Suzuki method from Elizabeth Freeman and Elizabeth Faidley. Mikaela values good technique, beautiful tone, and a joyful spirit in her studio. She currently lives in Eugene, Oregon with her husband, Jared, and their rabbit, Smudge.