Rafailia
Violin
Rafailia was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. She started violin at the age of six under the tutelage of the concertmaster of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra. Rafailia is a graduate from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Omiros Yiarounis. She participated in numerous masterclasses in Europe and Russia, where she mastered her craft and attended prestigious summer workshops. Rafailia received the Greek National Diploma Certificate in Violin Performance in Thessaloniki at the age of sixteen and claimed first prize. In August of 2016, Rafailia moved to North Carolina and attended the Hayes School of Music, where she achieved a degree in Violin Performance, under the guidance of Professor Nancy Bargerstock. Additionally, Rafailia attended the DePaul School of Music in Chicago; where she studed with Janet Sung. In the same year, Rafilia was awarded the Hayes Young Artist four-year scholarship.
Rafailia has performed side-by-side with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra as Principal Second Violin. In the summer of 2017, she attended the Mountaintop Mastercourse Violin Festival in New York; where she studied with David Russell. Rafailia is an active member of the American String Teachers Association and attends conferences in various states annually. She has been invited to attend the world-renowned, Famous Festival in Northern Europe, along with the Alion Baltic International Music Festival in Estonia.
Rafailia believes in keeping her lessons fun and exciting! She loves exposing her students to different aspects of music and developing self-growth. Rafailia teaches students of all ages and is passionate about fostering curiousity and imagination in younger children. She encourages all of her students to express their feelings through music while improving upon core techniques.