Our Staff
Beth Allison
Individual lessons-Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Mandolin and Guitar
Beth is a classically trained violinist turned Irish and Old Time fiddler. She loves all stringed instruments and teaches violin, cello, viola, bass. Beth is a mega-multi-instrumentalist who also plays guitar, mandolin and more! Playing since age 7 and still learning from others, Beth hopes to spark students to practice, perform and find the fun in making music!
Becky Deters
Individual lessons- violin and viola
Executive Director
Becky started playing the violin at age 6 with the Suzuki Strings program in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She played for 4 years with the All State Orchestra and with the 1992 Iowa Ambassadors of Music. She had Suzuki Book 1 teacher training at UW-Stevens Point and started giving lessons in 1994. In 2003, she had training for Suzuki Books 1-8 at the University of Denver under James Maurer.
Emily Kormann
Individual lessons -violin
Emily received a Bachelor of Arts at UW-Superior, majoring in music with an education emphasis. Piano is her primary instrument and violin her secondary. She has played violin with the Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra and the UW-S Orchestra. Emily also plays mandolin and regularly plays folk, gospel, and fiddle tunes with her siblings in their family band.
During her high school years Emily was a student member of the NorthWoods String program, taking lessons and playing with the ensembles. She is excited to continue to be teaching for the program. Emily enjoys teaching music and working with kids of all ages.
Lauren Cody
Individual lessons - Cello, violin, viola
Lauren was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, where she had a great music program in her school district with wonderful teachers and plentiful opportunities. She had private lessons, attended music camps, played in all-state orchestras, master classes, and was even a cellist in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. She knew fairly early that she wanted to have a career in music so she went on to get a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After college she began teaching privately out of her home and eventually helped to build a cello program in an elementary school with the Merit School of Music.
Lauren lives in Stanley with her husband and son, and plays with the Red Cedar Symphony and the Chippewa Valley Symphony. She has always felt that the person she is today is because of the experiences, friendships, and encouragement that being involved in music gave her, so she is very excited to teach strings and introduce others to the same enriching benefits!
Sarah Adair
Individual Lessons - Violin
From Motley, MN and now residing in Hayward, WI, Sarah has been fiddling since she found her great-grandfather’s violin in the closet at the age of 9.
From fiddling at the farmer’s market, singing and playing piano and pipe organ, Sarah enjoys playing a variety of music and encouraging others to share their passion for music.
Graduating from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota in 2019 with a degree in business administration and management, she had the opportunity to study with Allison Ostrander (Concertmaster of the MNOpera) while serving as the principal second violin in the St. Thomas Orchestra for 3 years. Currently a graduate student at UWEC for her master’s degree in public health, she enjoys creating opportunities for healthier lifestyles, including through the joy of music.
Sarah believes that music is a powerful tool to communicate with others, gain emotional intelligence and create stronger neural connections. Teaching violin and piano, she enjoys helping students understand real-life applications to lessons learned, in addition to developing important life-skills such as managing tough emotions, making realistic expectations, goal-setting and learning how to “let-go” and have fun when it is time.
When she’s not playing or teaching music she enjoys spending time with her husband Dylan, 4 children, and their dog, being outdoors, hiking, camping, biking, gardening and going to the lake.
Annie Johnson
Individual Lessons
Hello! My name is Annie Johnson and I am thrilled to be a part of Northwoods Strings again! I have been playing fiddle for nearly 30 years and a day rarely goes by where I’m not running through at least a few tunes.
American folk music is my first love but I also really enjoy Scottish, French-Canadian, Irish, and Old-Timey tunes. I am the fiddler in a band called “Annie & the Oakleys” and we specialize in playing live music for “folk dances” which include squares, contra, world dances, and more!
When I’m not practicing fiddle, I love reading, knitting, being outside, hanging out with my family, and playing with my dogs, Vera and Smidgen.
I hope to pass on what I have learned to anyone who wants to listen and hope to be a part of building our ever-growing musical community in the Northwoods!