Michelle Hatcher

String Teacher and Clinician
Michelle Hatcher, violist and string specialist, with her positive and encouraging spirit shares her knowledge and expertise through mentoring aspiring young teachers from William Paterson, Montclair State and Kean Universities. As a clinician, Ms. Hatcher works with new and experienced instrumental music teachers, throughout the tri-state area, exploring ideas, inspiring each other, and enhancing everyone’s Teacher Toolboxes.

Ms. Hatcher earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Viola Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and received her Suzuki certification from the School for Strings in NYC. While freelancing in NY, she found her true passion: sharing her love of music with musicians of all ages as a
teacher, chamber coach, and conductor.

Throughout her career, Ms. Hatcher has specialized in creating new string programs. She founded the Suzuki Program at Rutgers Preparatory School and built programs at the Rafael Hernandez School in Newark, the MSU Suzuki Program at the Pre-College, and the South Orange Maplewood school districts in NJ. She served as the Artistic Director of the NJSO CHAMPs, an El Sistema-inspired program in Newark, and was the conductor of the NJYS Primo and Concertino String Ensembles. She is presently Director of the NJIO Outreach Ensemble and is both Founder and Director of Summer Chamber Intensives, a chamber music camp for young musicians. In 2019, Ms. Hatcher received the The Samuel Antek Award for Music Education from the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
As a performer, Ms. Hatcher freelances throughout the tri-state area and with the Amaryllis Ensemble, which she co-founded.