About
B.M. in Violin Performance: Bradley University 2018
M.M. in Violin Performance: DePaul University School of Music 2020
Violinist Molly Nogaj is a dedicated performer and educator, holding a Master of Music degree from DePaul University, where she studied with violinists Janet Sung, Ann Setzer, and Carolyn Stewart. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Bradley University, studying with Marcia Henry Liebenow, and was honored as the winner of the Concerto-Aria Competition and the 2017-2018 Presser Scholar, recognizing her academic and musical achievements.
Molly has been a featured soloist with the Peoria Municipal Band for several summers and she has had the honor of playing in masterclasses with renowned violinists including Rachel Barton Pine, Paul Kantor, Peter Zazofsky, Won-Bin Yim, Lynn Chang, and Katie Lansdale. She has also participated in summer festivals with the Chiara String Quartet and the Ariana String Quartet, and toured internationally with the Hilltop String Quartet and the Bradley University Chorale in Denmark and Norway.
A native of Illinois, Molly has an extensive presence in the Midwest music community. She is a tenured violinist with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, violinist with the Heartland Festival Orchestra, and has held leadership roles as concertmaster, president, and librarian of the Bradley Symphony Orchestra. At DePaul, she was a violinist in the DePaul University Symphony Orchestra and served as orchestra librarian for both the DePaul Concert Orchestra and the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago. She was also a core member of 5th Wave Collective, a Chicago organization promoting works by womxn composers. She frequently plays for weddings and events via her own event contracting and with the River City String Quartet. You can often find Molly performing at community events and churches, sharing her love of music.
Molly’s passion for teaching is a central part of her career. She is trained in Suzuki Books 1-4 and is an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Molly was a dedicated and enthusiastic faculty member at Youth Music Illinois Suzuki School of Music in Peoria from 2020-2024, in addition to running her own private studio. Before relocating to Indianapolis in 2025, she taught over 50 private students weekly in the Peoria area and has taught violin and viola since 2012. Her warm, supportive teaching style and commitment to excellence have led her students to significant musical and personal successes.
After being based in Central Illinois for many years, Molly recently relocated to Indianapolis and is excited to explore her new home and music community. When the violin is in the case, Molly enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family and cat.