Elmhurst Park District Welcomes New Strings Music Instructor

Submitted by the Elmhurst Park District.

Elmhurst, IL - The music scene at Elmhurst Park District’s Wagner Community Center just got more exciting.

The Park District recently hired Taylor Ingro to give music lessons for violin, viola and cello.

Taylor is a recent graduate of Elmhurst College and started offering lessons this January. She is hoping that more lesson opportunities will help the string community in Elmhurst grow and thrive.

Taylor began playing cello around 5th grade, but only really got interested in playing seriously when she reached high school. Thinking about a career after high school, she realized that the fine arts was a world she wanted to work in. In Elmhurst, and at Elmhurst College she found a place to dive deep into music and her interests. While majoring in music, she began picking up other string instruments to expand her skillset, including violin and viola. She also spent a lot of time outside of class working in the music department, volunteering for music events and playing in the Philharmonic Orchestra at Elmhurst College.

Most think music lessons are a child’s game and while kids do make up most of her students, Taylor’s students range from 6 years old to 66. She’ll teach “anyone who’s brave enough to jump in” and enjoys the variety that comes from working with students of all ages. Students at any age can get something out of learning an instrument. Kids, especially, see improvement in their dexterity and the 66 year-old student is finding that learning to play the cello is therapeutic, helping him with his arthritis.

She’s ready to hit the ground running when it comes to building the string programs at the Park District and is especially excited about working with kids this summer saying, “a lot of students put away their instrument during the summer and they lose some of what they learned,” Taylor says. Currently, she is accepting private students and working with Susan Smentek, Cultural Arts Program Manager, on creating group violin classes for the summer season.

Those interested in learning more about string lessons with the Park District should visitwww.epd.org/music or contact Susan Smentek at ssmentek@epd.org or (630) 993-8670.

The Elmhurst Park District is an Illinois Distinguished Agency dedicated to promoting “lifetime enjoyment” by providing a variety of parks, recreation facilities, and affordable programs in the Elmhurst community. For more information on the Elmhurst Park District call (630) 993-8900 or visit epd.org.