Alumni Page

Hi, my name is Helen. I trained in violin performance under the tutelage of Natalia for 10 years. I received multiple top prizes in solo competitions, including the NVMTA Concerto Competition for Strings, Kirkwood Young Artist Competition, Bland Music Scholarship Competition, MSMTA Festival of Solo Instruments, PWSO Young Artists Competition, and AAMS International Competition. Additionally, I served as concertmaster at McLean High School and held concertmaster and principal violinist positions in the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras.

As a biology major at Haverford College, I continued my musical journey as concertmaster at the Haverford-Bryn Mawr Bi-College Orchestra, participated in chamber music, and received training from Charles Parker. Currently, I am an MD-PhD student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC. I am writing my dissertation on vaccine design for Zika and dengue viruses and deciding on my medical specialty. Over the past few years, my classmates and I have enjoyed playing chamber pieces for fun, and our school has hired us to perform at white coat ceremonies and alumni events. In my spare time, I also enjoy trying various solo and partner dance classes in the city.

Natalia teaches with meticulousness and great care. Every lesson was structured with short-term and long-term goals, providing a comprehensive approach that balanced technique and artistry. My violin studies with Natalia profoundly shaped my professional qualities and personal growth. The ups and downs of playing the violin and competing taught me how to manage stress, maintain discipline, practice patience, learn effectively, and prioritize self-care. Through violin performance, I learned early on about the rewarding feeling of working hard for something and trying my best because I'm passionate about it.

NYC is a fantastic place for music, medicine, and research. Reach out if you want to chat!

I studied under Mrs. Yampolsky for about nine years. Mrs. Yampolsky is an outstanding violin teacher who really knows how to break down and explain what needs improvement. She focuses on building a solid foundation, better technique, and more musicality in her students' playing. Her experience with and knowledge of the violin is excellent. She has provided me and some of her other students with many opportunities for performance, such as regional competitions, and she has assisted me and some of her other students with entrance into youth orchestras and music schools. Under Mrs. Yamposlky's instruction, I was able to win 1st place in the elementary division of the violin section in the NVMTA 2012 Caurine Easterling String Achievement Award Competition, win 1st place in the intermediate division of the violin section in the NVMTA 2013 Concerto Competition, be a National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellow from 2014 to 2018, and be a first violinist in the American Youth Philharmonic from 2017 to 2018. Her instruction is also what helped me get a scholarship from the Jacobs School of Music, which I accepted.

I highly recommend Mrs. Yampolsky because she provides enough encouragement and challenges to each student so that he or she can reach his or her highest ability and enjoyment in playing the violin. I give her five out of five stars.

Sarah Slate, 17, violinist, has been a student of Mrs. Natalia Yampolsky since 2007 and a member of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Youth Fellow since 2014, where she was mentored by Karen Lowry-Tucker, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra violinist, and Teri Lee, first violinist of the NSO. Sarah performed solo and chamber music on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, participated in Masterclasses with Nurit Bar-Josef, James Ehnes, Alexander Kerr, Natasha Bogachek, and Carol Evans, and played side by side with the NSO on stage of the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Sarah has won prizes in number of competitions including 1st prize in Philadelphia International Music Festival Bach Double Competition in 2016, 1st prize in Northern Virginia Teacher's Music Association Concerto Competition in 2013 and 2017, 1st prize in Caurine Easterling Strings Competition in 2015 and received a scholarship award at the 46th Annual Joseph and Goldie Feder Memorial String Competition. Last summer, she attended the NSO Summer Music Institute and performed in a string octet at the capitol Hill, and in an orchestra on stage of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra in American Youth Symphonic Orchestra and currently is a member of the American Youth Philharmonic. Sarah will attend Indiana University Jacobs school of Music with Premier Young Artist Award Scholarship in the fall.

I have had the incredible fortune of being a student of Ms. Natalia Yampolsky for over eight years, where I learned not only musicianship but also the value of discipline and perseverance. Under her guidance, I cultivated both technical skills and a passion for the violin and classical music that I have carried into college at Washington University in St. Louis, playing chamber music each semester and teaching violin to local students.

I most appreciated Ms. Yampolsky's personalized teaching style, which adapted to meet my abilities and maturity I grew under her tutelage. She had a unique ability to recognize my strengths and pinpoint specific areas for improvement. Her highly understandable and effective teaching methods and exercises helped me push my limits and reach my full potential as a musician.

Beyond her teaching, Ms. Yampolsky encouraged me to share my music and build confidence in my skills through performance. She motivated me to participate in recitals, competitions, and orchestras, which built my confidence and helped me develop a sense of community with fellow musicians.

I am truly grateful for her mentorship, as she not only developed my skills as a violinist but also instilled in me a lifelong love for music and ability to meet challenges in all aspects of life. By approaching each new endeavor with enthusiasm and determination, I continue to grow as a musician, student, and individual.

Over 7 years at Mrs. Yampolsky's studio, I've been able to grow in leaps and bounds as a violinist and performer. Mrs. Yampolsky's meticulous technique training and incredible attention to detail during our lessons have always led to impressive results outside of the studio. My awards and accolades include 2nd place prize at the prestigious Feder Memorial String Competition, co-concertmaster in the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra, and selection as a first violinist for the VA All-State Orchestra as a high school freshman, where I made history as the first to play both piano and violin at our performance. Mrs. Yampolsky's training not only sparked my passion for music, but also paved the way for my continued success — I was a first violinist in the Penn Symphony Orchestra for all four years of my undergraduate study University of Pennsylvania, where I played demanding symphonic repertoire under the baton of a Curtis-trained conductor. Mrs. Yampolsky truly cares about the growth and success of her students, but also teaches discipline and responsibility. I can't thank her enough for bringing me where I am today both as a musician and a person!

I started playing in Natalia Yampolsky's studio when I was 13 years old. By that point, I had been playing violin since age four and had grown to love making music and performing. As I started learning more difficult repertoire, however, I struggled to keep up with other students as I had never perfected my technique when I was young. Pieces I longed to play were continually out of reach because I simply could not handle the most difficult technical passages. I was frustrated and losing hope on my violin career as I thought I would never be able to progress any further.

As soon as I joined Natalia's studio, she immediately identified the weaknesses in my technique and helped me unlearn the harmful habits I had developed throughout my first nine years of playing. Crucially, technique was not something to just think about when I picked up a violin, but to incorporate into my daily life. I remember thinking about my bow hold as I picked up my toothbrush every day and practicing my spiccato bowing with my pencil during breaks in class.

This period of relearning my technique was deeply humbling, as I was forced to return to the basics of something I had been doing most of my life, but the payoff was immense. I quickly returned to advanced repertoire, which was much more accessible. Natalia helped build upon my newfound technical skills to attack the most difficult passages in Bach partitas, etudes, and Mozart's and Bruch's violin concertos. I became the concertmaster of my high school Northwestern and now at NYU Law. Learning how to work deeply and intensely on the technical aspects of violin playing at a young age was essential in orchestra and was accepted into Virginia Regional and State orchestras.

Most importantly, my years with Natalia helped develop my passion for classical music and a strong work ethic that has carried me through my years at building an academic rigor that helped me excel at the IB program in high school and the challenging coursework beyond. The violin will also now always be a part of my life and has been a meaningful way to connect with others both in college, Washington, D.C., and now in New York.

Working with Natalia was a truly unique experience that made me a better violinist, student, and music-lover. I can only wish that I had started with her at a younger age!

My ten years of study with Mrs. Yampolsky were invaluable to my development as a violinist and musician. Her vibrant artistic imagination and unparalleled dedication to detail inspire students to strive for the highest technical facility and express their unique musical voice. Over the years, I've found myself continuously referring to the lessons I learned from her guidance, and I could not be more appreciative of her support of my musical journey - I give my highest recommendation to Mrs. Yampolsky for any aspiring musician.

Evelyn is a winner of many awards and competitions including NVMTA Concerto Competition in Elementary, Intermediate and Senior Divisions, and Achievement Scholarship Award Competition in Intermediate and Senior Divisions. She won 1st place in the Intermediate Division of theWashington Performing Arts Society Feder String Competition and was the recipient of WPAS Women's Committee Award for Outstanding Musicianship and Potential. She has performed in venues like National Gallery of Arts and Harman Center of the Shakespeare Theatre, and has played in the concert of cellist Zuill Bailey. Evelyn was a finalist in the Fairfax Symphony Feuer Concerto Competition, and performed with the Landon Symphonette as a finalist of the Landon Symphonette Concerto Competition. Evelyn attended Harvard University where she continued to play Chamber music as a violinist and pianist.

My name is Anna-Luisa Mirto, and it is truly a privilege to write a testimonial for Natalia Yampolsky, whose influence on my musical journey cannot be overstated. I studied violin performance with Natalia for 11 years, from the age of 7 to 18, during which I received private lessons and was coached in multiple chamber ensembles. These years of intensive training were not only formative in shaping my technical skills on the violin but also instrumental in developing my deep passion for classical music—an appreciation that continues to enrich my life today.

One of Natalia's greatest strengths as a teacher is her unwavering attention to detail and her commitment to excellence. She maintained a high standard throughout my training, ensuring that I understood every nuance of technique, whether it was bowing, intonation, or phrasing. Her exacting nature pushed me to constantly refine my playing, always striving for precision and musicality. This meticulous approach instilled in me a deep understanding of the violin and a respect for the discipline required to achieve technical mastery. While her standards were high, Natalia's teaching was also deeply encouraging. She knew how to challenge me while also providing the guidance and support I needed to grow.

Under Natalia's tutelage, I was the recipient of multiple top prizes in various competitions, including NVMTA Concerto Competition for Strings, Loudoun County Concerto Competition, MSMTA Piano and Violin Duo Competition, All-State Virginia Orchestra, as well as an invited performance at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington DC. I additionally served as co-associate concertmaster of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra's flagship orchestra. At the age of 12, I had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall as a winner of the American Fine Arts Festival.

Though I chose a career outside of music, playing the violin has remained an essential part of my life. In college while studying pre-medical sciences, I continued to play in the university orchestra. Today, while I am professionally a child adolescent psychiatrist, I perform with Camerata Notturna, a NYC community chamber orchestra where I find great joy and fulfillment. Music continues to bring meaning and connection to my life, and I often enjoy reading chamber music with friends—many of whom I met through my music experiences.

I am deeply grateful for the years I spent learning from Natalia. She not only taught me the technical aspects of the violin but also instilled in me a sense of discipline, resilience, and passion for music that has lasted a lifetime. I cannot recommend her highly enough to anyone seeking a teacher who holds the highest standards, pays attention to every detail, and fosters a lifelong love of music.

Anna-Luisa Mirto, 17, was born in New York City, New York. She moved to Virginia when she was 6 years of age. Two years later she began taking violin lessons with natalia Yampolsky in her private studio in Reston, Virginia.

Anna-Luisa has participated in numberous festivals and conpetitions throughout the metropolitan area. She received the second prize in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association Strings Achievement Awards in two consecutive years. She participated in the Soesterberg International Music Festival in the Netherlands under the baton of the acclaimed conductor Sidney Harth. Anna-Luisa had the great honor of performing as a solo artist and a chamber ensemble member at Cornegie Hall in New York City after winning an audition that included international performers. In 2007, she performed at the Kennedy Center with the Sonori quartet as a part of the American Fine Arts Festival. After auditioning for North Central Regional Orchestra, Anna-Luisa was chosen as the Concertmistress. In 2008, as a member of a duo with Kimberly Hou, she won 1st prize in the Dr. Horwitz Memorial Competition for Violin and Piano Duo. As a member of Trio Aleto, she performed in the Alden Theatre in Mclean in February of 2010 after winning the Young Soloist Recitals audition. In 2009 and 2010, she was selected for the Virginia All-State Orchestra. She is the recipient of the 1st prize in the Loudoun County Excellence in Arts Competition. Anna-Luisa also had the honor of being selected to participate in the Virginia Summer Residential Governor's School for Visual and Performing Arts. As a winner of the Levine Chamber Ensemble Competition, she was invited to perform at the Young Musical Stars Gala at the Bulgarian Embossy in Washington DC in February of 2010

Currently, Anna-Luisa is a Co-Associate Concertmistress of the prestigious American Youth Philharmonic. She is a senior at Potomac Falls High School and the Academy of Science, a rigorous and selective math and science Loudoun County school program. In the fall she will be attending Columbia University where she will study Biology, as well as minor in violin performance.

"I studied cello and chamber music with Miron and Natalia Yampolsky for 4 years. With them, I gained the discipline and confidence I needed to make anything I wanted in life, both cello related or otherwise, a reality. Together, they instilled a love for music in me that has carried me through my studies. Their dedication and care for their students is truly unrivaled."

Influenced by his father's poetry and collaborations with visual and performing artists,Palestinian-Italian cellist Karim Maggio began playing cello as a way to connect with his middle eastern roots. He continues to find musical enjoyment and community in chamber and orchestral experiences.

Currently based in New York City, Karim studies with Natasha Brofsky at The Juilliard School, where he is an Otto G. Storm scholarship recipient. Before this, Karim studied with Dr. Melissa Kraut at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he holds a bachelor's degree in cello performance, and Miron Yampolsky.

Recently, Karim was a recipient of the Sidney D. and Nina Josephs Chamber Music Fund as well as the 2024 Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award.

Previously, Karim was a member of the Canton Symphony Orchestra as well as the Astro String Quartet, which completed a tour through Florida and South Carolina in 2023. He has also performed with chamber groups under the direction of Si-Yan Darren Li, Phillip Setzer, Todd Phillips, and Natalia Yampolsky.

Karim regularly attends music festivals, including the Heifetz International Music Institute, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Aronson Cello Festival, Sitka Cello Seminar, and Boston University Tanglewood Institute. There, his mentors included Astrid Schween, Yeesun Kim, Steven Doane, David Ying, and Zuill Bailey, as well as prominent conductors, including JoAnn Falletta, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Rafael Payare, and Mei-Ann Chen.

Working with Miron really brought my playing to the next level, and prepared me to enter into the music profession. His teaching not only encapsulates the technicality of playing cello, but the soul of it as well. I am incredibly grateful for all that I learned from him, in music and in life.

Rachel holds a Bachelor's degree in Cello Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins, where she studied with Amit Peled. She is currently pursuing her masters degree at the Jacob's School of Music with Emilio Colon. Rachel has attended various festivals including Interlochen, the Philadelphia International Music Festival, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Orford Musique Academy, Vivace Festival, the Fundacao Franz Schubert, and Heifetz Institute. She has studied with notable professors such as Astrid Schween, Hai Ye-Ni, Melissa Kraut, John Marshall, Mark Summers, Zvi Plesser, Steven Doane, Raman Ramakrishnan, Hannah Roberts, Seth Parker Woods, Mihail Jojatu, Guy Fischman, Hans Jorgen Jensen, Peter Stumpf, Maria de Macedo, and Marc Coppey. She has performed and worked with notable musicians and composers like Paul Neubauer, Ann Schein, Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Qing Li, and performed under conductors Marin Alsop, Thomas Wilkins, and Carl St.Clair.

Rachel is an active performer in Washington, Virginia, and Maryland, and Indiana. She has been featured as a solo and collaborative artist on WVTF radio, and has performed on NPR Washington with the Peabody Cello gang. She has also performed at the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and the Kreeger Museum. Additionally, she works as a performer and concert coordinator for the Heifetz institute, working with students and faculty to create cross-genre performances and introduce students to music and styles outside of the classical literature. She also collaborates with students and guest artists to create educational experiences and to arrange and compose for their own performances. Rachel also has been heavily involved in new music collaborations, helping to compose and perform new pieces and scores for films, video games, and interdisciplinary performances. She strongly believes in the power of the arts to create change and impact individuals and communities. She hopes to bridge the gap between audiences and performers by educating listeners and supporting fellow artists.

Mr. Yampolsky was an amazing cello instructor to me for 10 years. He taught me musicality, was endlessly patient, and never failed to challenge me even when I didn't believe in myself. He gave me so many wonderful opportunities to get involved with chamber music including quartets and smaller orchestras, where I made some of my best friends. I became such a strong cellist in college where I received a Performance Art minor in cello. I currently play in SONOVA (Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia) and I have Mr. Yampolsky to thank for my strong foundation.

A truly inspiring teacher shapes more than just your technical skills—they shape how you see yourself and approach the world. Mr. Yampolsky embodies this definition in his teaching philosophy. He first taught me to embrace diligence and focus, to look closely at the details. But more importantly, he showed me that this deep attention to detail is a means to an end: the ability to step back and see the larger picture; to allow the energy of the music—and life itself—to lead. The goal is to be free, as he always emphasized.

This lesson has transformed how I approach challenges in all areas of life. Freedom—the ability to trust the process and move intuitively—is not something that can be taught through words alone; it must be felt, nurtured, and guided. The pursuit of this freedom is a lifelong endeavor, one that can only begin in a space where growth feels possible, meaningful, and deeply rewarding. For creating such a space, I will always be grateful to Mr. Yampolsky.

Whether or not you plan to pursue music, studying under Mr. Yampolsky offers immeasurable cross-disciplinary value. Life is a constant exploration of skills, each one a path that begins unclear and uncertain. A good teacher can guide you through terrain with which they are familiar. A great teacher, however, equips you with the confidence and clarity to chart your own course through the unknown. What begins as learning to play the cello with Mr. Yampolsky becomes something far greater: the ability to approach any path with creativity, resilience, and courage.

Moreover, music is more than a means to an end—it is a gift in itself. To open one's ears to its stories and emotional depth, to uncover its invisible beauty, is to cherish life more deeply. Mr. Yampolsky teaches not just how to play music, but to be a musician—to live with freedom, curiosity, and an appreciation for the extraordinary. Through his teaching, music becomes not only an art but a lens through which to see the world anew.

Derrick Liang has studied the cello for six years with Mr. Miron Yampolsky.

His music accomplishments include:

1st place winner at the NVMTA Concerto Competition for Strings Intermediate Division in 2017
1st place winner at the 2017 NVMTA Achievement Awards Competition for Strings Intermediate Division
1st place winner at the 2017 MSMTA Bach-Baroque Competition
2nd place winner at the 2017 WPA 45th Annual Joseph and Goldie Feder Memorial String Competition
Invited to perform as a soloist at Reston Community Orchestra in 2017
Accepted by Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) Summer Cello Workshop Program in 2017
1st place winner at the 2016 NVMTA Concerto Competition for Strings Intermediate Division
1st place winner at the 2016 MSMTA Bach-Baroque Competition
2nd place winner at the 2016 NVMTA Bach-Baroque Competition
2nd place winner at the 2016 WPA 45th Annual Joseph and Goldie Feder Memorial String Competition
Invited to perform as a soloist at Philadelphia International Music Festival (PIMF) in 2016

Derrick has been a recipient of MIT Emerson Scholarship for Music Studies. He completed a Bachelor Degree at MIT with top honors, currently working on a Graduate Degree there.

Mr. Yampolsky has been an incredible mentor, shaping both my musical journey and my life. From high school onward, he not only honed my cello technique but also inspired my artistic imagination and deepened my love for music. His guidance enabled me to attend prestigious programs such as Virtuoso & Belanto (Italy), the Vienna Opera Music Festival (Austria), and the International Holland Music Sessions (Netherlands). Beyond music, his teachings instilled discipline, resilience, and a pursuit of excellence that continues to guide me. I am deeply grateful for his unwavering support and the lasting impact he has had on my life.

I studied with Mr. Yampolsky for over seven years. Mr. Yampolsky's teaching philosophy always emphasized preparation through meticulous practice and dedication to always trying your hardest. When I graduated high school, I made the difficult decision to attend Williams College for liberal arts over attending music school. Mr. Yampolsky trained my musical skills, taught me to strive for success, and grew my character; no career choice could take this from me. Although in medical school now pursuing a passion of healing, I am so glad that the cello introduced me to Mr. Yampolsky, who taught me invaluable lessons that I will use wherever my career takes me. I highly recommend Mr. Yampolsky as a cello teacher, and recommend him even more as a life mentor. It is not an easy task to find good music teachers who can impart lifelong guidance, nor is it easy to find good music teachers that deeply care about their students' success beyond the music. I am proud and honored to have been a student of Mr. Yampolsky.