“Molly has a wonderful way of making lessons both fun and relaxed while still helping students grow. She’s so patient and encouraging, and her positive energy made my child, a beginner, feel completely at ease with the violin. Molly not only helps kids learn music but also builds their confidence. After each lesson, they always left feeling proud and excited to play more! ”
— Jing Y.
“From introductory classes with our youngest violinist, to technique, advanced repertoire, and performances with our oldest musician, Molly consistently demonstrates exceptional depth and range in violin pedagogy. Her flexibility in accommodating individual learning styles means lessons are always joyful and encouraging, and the generosity of spirit with which she shares her love of music with students and the community is inspiring for parents and students alike. It is a delight and a privilege to have Molly mentor our young musicians as they explore their own journeys in music.”
— Elizabeth B.
“Molly taught two of my children over about six years during their elementary and junior/senior high school years. She is not only knowledgeable about the violin and music, but also very encouraging, warm, and personable. One daughter is now continuing to play violin in college thanks to Molly’s good instruction!”
— Mary E.
“Molly brings a very positive attitude towards lessons and growth of the student. She is always able to find something constructive to identify and encourages the student to continue to improve their playing skills. My son felt the energy she brought to each lesson helped him want to do his best for the next lesson.”
— Marcia M.
“As an artist, Mrs. Nogaj beautifully expresses her passion and mastery for this craft, while inviting others to join into the excitement at even the beginner level. Her positive and encouraging demeanor is motivating for the student, yet without flattery.
As the mother of a homeschooler, I appreciated Molly’s flexibility in offering lessons earlier in the day.
My recommendation comes wholeheartedly and without reservation to families who wish to enter into a learning environment that will stimulate and foster creativity in young hearts and minds.”
— Amy M.
“Not only is Molly a phenomenal musician, she is a kind hearted and caring teacher! Molly has a wonderful way of connecting with my child on a personal level. She always seems to know when to offer words of encouragement to keep children motivated. She was also great at offering fun and unique ways of learning, like color coding music, which was really helpful to my child with dyslexia. Molly was a delight to work with on every level!”
— Emily S.
“Molly was our son’s first violin teacher. She was a great teacher for our son because she motivated him to not only learn violin skills but to be creative and have fun with the violin. She is very patient and listens to students as well as gives them helpful, constructive feedback. Our son enjoyed his lessons with her because she listened to him and taught him new techniques. She tailored her lessons to fit his learning style very well, and he progressed very quickly in learning the violin. She also made sure he had extra opportunities to play the violin and attend performances. She is a great teacher!”
— Jennifer G.
“Our girls started their violin journey with Molly several years ago. Our youngest, Kate, was only 4 at the time and Molly skillfully engaged her interest with playful, creative, developmentally-appropriate instruction. She was a challenging student; she wanted to play, as her older sister had also started, but wasn’t ready to dedicate the effort. I cannot express how grateful we are for Molly’s patient teaching style. As she has gotten older, Kate is now regularly practicing, of her own volition, and moving forward with joy. It would have been easy to squash her love of music, but Molly’s patience has allowed her to flourish. Our older daughter, Claire, has steadily gained confidence and skill, while also enjoying the journey. They both look forward to their lessons every week. We wholeheartedly recommend Molly and miss her back here in Illinois. ”
— Liz B.
“Molly was my children’s first music teacher. They were 8 and 6 when they started with her, and she was ideal for them. I appreciated her gentleness and attentiveness to the children. She catered lessons to the individual child’s strengths, weaknesses, and personality. I felt like she was always sensitive to the balance of pushing the children forward musically yet celebrating the progress they made.
I appreciated the depth of knowledge, musical insight, and technical care that permeated even the beginner lessons we had with her. She also plays beautifully. We all always enjoyed the times in the lessons where Molly played for the children. She’s very talented, and Molly was and still is an inspiration to our family and children.”
— Kelli R.
“You were the perfect teacher for Amelia just starting out on the violin. You are so kind and patient and always found new ways to engage Amelia’s interest. I loved your games to get Amelia to practice when she didn’t feel like it was practicing. Amelia really loved the ornament with buttons and the friendship bracelet. I learned a lot about teaching and working with Amelia and the violin because you always focused on something positive about what she was doing, even if it was the smallest thing. This is such a great lesson for everyone but particularly parents (like me) who tend to point out flaws first! ”
— Johanna C.
“Molly was our violin teacher for many years. She is a great instructor, patient, positive, encouraging and fair. She always made learning to play the violin fun. We miss having her around now that she moved away to college.”