Teaching Artist Statement
As a teaching artist, I see the violin as a powerful bridge to art, culture, and human emotion. My teaching balances nurturing support with clear expectations, creating a space where students feel safe to explore and excel. My goal extends beyond technique. I help students develop listening skills, musical understanding, and the confidence to express their unique voice. Nothing compares to the moment a student connects a technical idea to musical expression—that spark of discovery is why I teach. I believe the arts are essential to education, cultivating discipline, collaboration, and empathy. Through music, students grow into thoughtful, well-rounded individuals. It is my greatest privilege to guide each student in finding their own voice within the inspiring world of classical music.
Teaching Bio
Xiao Fu is a dedicated violinist and educator with over 20 years of experience teaching violin, viola, chamber music, and orchestral studies to students of all ages. She holds a Master of Music and an Artist Diploma from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus. Her teaching is deeply influenced by his methods. Xiao’s career includes private teaching and roles in community music schools. For six years, she served as a faculty member for Louisiana’s Music for Life Program, a comprehensive youth orchestra and chamber music initiative. She has also served as a juror for state youth competitions, and represented the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the Carnegie Hall Play USA Teaching Conference. Her training was further enriched through coaching with artists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Michael Frischenschlager, and Sandra Rivers. Currently, Xiao is on the violin and viola faculty at the Concord Conservatory of Music where she teaches private lessons and leads the West Side Strings group program for young students. She joined the faculty of South Shore Conservatory in 2026.
Performance Bio
Violinist Xiao Fu enjoys a versatile career as an orchestral leader, chamber musician, and soloist. For fourteen years, she served as Principal Violinist for Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Opera, appearing frequently as a soloist and serving as Acting Concertmaster in the 2012–2013 season. Previously in Ohio, she performed with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Dayton Symphony Orchestra. Since moving to the Northeast, Xiao has performed with Boston Ballet, Boston Festival Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Cape Cod Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and Portland Symphony Orchestra. She has earned several honors, including first place in the Dorothy Starling Foundation Violin Competition and Louisiana’s Classical Arts Award for Best Chamber Music Presentation. She is also a fellowship alumna of the Aspen Music Festival. An avid chamber musician, she has performed at the Linton Chamber Music Series, Salzburg International Summer Academy, and Colorado Music Festival, collaborating with artists such as Paul Huang and Edgar Meyer. Her work also includes recording violin tracks for feature films.