Call Me in a Hurry

“My husband and I both were teachers—he was a college professor, and I taught elementary school and still teach adults. We both believed that three things were essential for superior teaching: a solid knowledge foundation, the ability to communicate clearly and enthusiasm. Liesel Soley is clearly endowed with each of these attributes, making her an exceptionally gifted teacher. One has only to recognize the achievements of her students and to observe the expressions on their faces—including Liesel’s—when they are music-making. Lucky is the violin student who crosses paths with Liesel Soley.”
—Jennifer Soley Gaden, grade-school and Natural-History Teacher

“After our first encounter with Liesel, we knew that we had found that special person with whom we could entrust our son’s musical and artistic development. She showed, as we witnessed through her approach to teaching and now illuminated in this book, that her enthusiasm, dedication and patience was the cornerstone of advancing the progress of an artist.

“Liesel’s book reminds us of our son’s first lesson with her. We were pleasantly surprised by her focus on the instrument and the bow. In retrospect, why would it have been any different? Liesel explains that a solid foundation is necessary for communication to fully develop.

“The prevailing theme, which Liesel portrays through art—whether music, painting or illustrations—embellishes her ultimate thesis: everyone has the ability to create.While spending many hours in Liesel’s studio, as described in these chapters, we are immersed in art, not only by music and performance, but by her paintings and drawings. We not only were in the presence of art, but with an artist, too. By reading this book, future musicians and artists will be able to appreciate the importance of a complete education in the arts. Liesel Soley and her love of the arts is an inspiration to us all.”
—Fred Ulrich, professor of English, University of South Florida, and Dorian Ulrich