“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso
Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Hilary Soderling. I would describe myself as a right brain creative with two passions I’ve had since a young age- art and music. It wasn’t until I voluntarily started teaching piano through a community service project in highschool, that I realized I had a third- children. It was through this experience that I realized I have a knack for being able to break down material and put it into simplistic terms and an innate ability to connect and form relationships.
I pursued two of my passions to obtain an art education degree and k-12th license. This degree was obtained in my hometown Fort Collins at Colorado State University. I have close to 3,000 hours working with children ages one to eighteen! I obtained these through my teacher licensure program and other professional empoyment endeavors working in the field of children instruction. I have worked for two private art lesson companies; as the art teacher at Baker elementary school in San Diego, CA and recently as the summer art camp instructor, head curriculum developer, “luxcursion” tour guide, and teacher for (4-7) years old resident programs at Lux Art Institute.
I have been playing the piano since elementary school and although I didn’t like it at times, am most grateful to my mother who made me stick with it! I have had my fair share of playing in recitals and concerts and the privilege of being the ‘on call’ pianist for the Poudre Canyon Chapel. I have two years experience teaching beginning/intermediate lessons. In high school I voluntarily taught piano to five children for a year through the IB program and held a final concert which demonstrated student’s cumulative understanding and progress while also raising $1,000 for the oncology department at the Children’s hospital in Denver. In 2016, I taught five children ages (4-7) as a traveling instructor through California Music Studios. This included preparing students for two recitals a year where, even as beginngers, a memorized peice was required.