About Me

Megan Poppe holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Violin Performance degree from Texas Tech University. She has been playing the violin for 24 years, both as a classical musician and as a bluegrass fiddler.

While at Texas Tech, Megan earned a Master's Degree in Violin Performance, a Master's Degree in Music Theory and a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree in Violin Performance. She studied under the tutelage of Dr. John Gilbert, violin and Dr. Matthew Santa, music theory. She was employed as a teaching assistant for the School of Music in both violin and music theory. Megan served as a concertmaster of Texas Tech’s University Symphony Orchestra for several years and was also selected, by audition, to be first violinist in the Texas Tech Graduate String Quartet which is actively engaged in performing outreach concerts in conjunction with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Megan won the 2013-14 String Area Concerto Competition and soloed with Texas Tech’s University Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2014.

In August 2013, Megan received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The University Minnesota under the tutelage of Sally O’Reilly. Prior to transferring to the University of Minnesota, Megan attended Washburn University and studied under Dr. Larisa Elisha. Megan was the concertmaster for the Washburn University Symphony Orchestra and a member of Washburn University’s Honors Fetter Quartet that both performs and competes nationally. She was also selected to perform in both the 2010 and 2011 Washburn University Honors Concerts. The University Department of Music awarded Megan the 2009-10 Most Outstanding Freshman Music Major of the Year and the 2010-11 Most Outstanding Sophomore Music Major of the Year.

Megan has auditioned and attended many summer music programs over the last few years, including the Quartet Program directed by Charles Castleman, the Blanche Bryden Sunflower Music Institute, the Soundfest Quartet Institute directed by the Colorado Quartet, and the BRAVO! Summer String and Keyboard Institute directed by Sally O’Reilly, to name a few. In 2008, she was selected, by audition, as a member of the National High School Honors Orchestra sponsored by the American String Teachers Association, (ASTA). She has competed throughout the Midwest as a fiddler, winning several competitions. Megan is a member of Mortar Board, Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key at The University of Minnesota as well as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda at Texas Tech University.

Curriculum Vitae

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Poppe Studio 2008 - present

Private Violin & Piano Instructor

Freelance Violinist / Fiddler & Studio Session Player 2018 - present

Justin Kemp Band 2018 - present Fiddler

University of Texas of the Permian Basin Fall 2018 - Fall 2020

Adjunct Violin Professor

Ramirez Elementary School, Lubbock Texas Fall 2018 - Fall 2019

Suzuki Violin Program Director

EDUCATION:

DMA in violin performance 2018

Texas Tech University, studied with Dr. John Gilbert

MM in music theory 2016

Texas Tech University

MM in violin performance 2014

Texas Tech University, studied with Dr. John Gilbert

BM in violin performance 2013

University of Minnesota, studied with Sally O’Reilly

Georgia Southern University Fall 2011

Completed first semester of junior year as a violin performance major

studied with Dr. Larisa Elisha (followed Dr. Elisha to GSU)

Washburn University 2009 – 2011

Completed freshman and sophomore year as a violin performance major

studied with Dr. Larisa Elisha

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Private Violin Studio 2008 – present

Graduate Assistant in violin fall 2017 – spring 2018

Department of Music, Texas Tech University

Teaching undergraduate violin students – music majors
- Technique – scales, bowing, shifting and etudes
- Repertoire – pieces and ensemble parts

Graduate Assistant in violin and music theory fall 2016 – spring 2017

Department of Music, Texas Tech University

Taught undergraduate violin students – music majors
- Technique – scales, bowing, shifting and etudes
- Repertoire – pieces and ensemble parts
Taught undergraduate aural skills I for music majors and minors
- Sing major and minor scales, intervals and triads using solfege
- Sing tonal melodies while conducting
- Identify types of intervals, triads and seventh chords by ear
- Notate melodic and harmonic dictation exercises
- Improvise tonally and rhythmically
Taught undergraduate aural skills III for music majors and minors
- Sing major and minor scales, intervals and triads using solfege
- Sing modal, chromatic and non-tonal melodies
- Identify quality of intervals, triads and seventh chords by ear
- Improvise tonally and rhythmically
- Demonstrate basic and advanced conducting patterns

Graduate Assistant in music theory fall 2014 – spring 2016

Department of Music, Texas Tech University

Taught aural skills I & II for music majors and minors
- Sing major and minor scales, intervals and triads using solfege
- Sing tonal melodies while conducting
- Identify types of intervals, triads and seventh chords by ear
- Notate melodic and harmonic dictation exercises
- Improvise tonally and rhythmically
Taught aural skills III & IV for music majors and minors
- Sing major and minor scales, intervals and triads using solfege
- Sing modal, chromatic and non-tonal melodies
- Identify quality of intervals, triads and seventh chords by ear
- Improvise tonally and rhythmically
- Demonstrate basic and advanced conducting patterns
Taught written theory I for music majors and minors
- Read music in treble, alto, tenor and bass clefs
- Indetify and write sclaes, key signatures, intervals, triads and seventh chords
- Compose short pieces
- Understand fundamentals of part writing
- Understand the fundamentals of harmonic function and progression

Graduate Assistant in violin fall 2013 – spring 2014

Department of Music, Texas Tech University

Taught undergraduate violin students – music majors
- Technique – scales, bowing, shifting and etudes
- Repertoire – pieces and ensemble parts

AWARDS / CONTRIBUTIONS / PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:

Fiddler for Justin Kemp Band 2018 - present
Violinist for UTPB String Faculty Trio 2018 - present
Fiddler for the Cactus Theater, Lubbock, TX 2017 – present
Violinist at Indiana Avenue Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX 2016 – present
Violin Faculty soloist for the premiere of the Southwest Suite 2019 by Lowell Hohstadt at UTPB
J.T. and Margaret Talkington Fellowship Recipient fall 2016 – spring 2018
Golden Key International Honour Society at Texas Tech University 2016
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at Texas Tech University 2016
Violin soloist with Mark Wood and the Texas Tech University 2015

Symphony Orchestra for TMEA conference performance

Concertmaster of the Texas Tech University Symphony Orchestra 2013-17
Violinist at Southcrest Baptist Church 2013-16
Substitute section violinist for Roswell Symphony Orchestra 2013-15
1st violinist of the Texas Tech Graduate String Quartet 2013-15
- Represented TTU by performing at events on and off campus
- Played weekly education concerts for grade schools and assisted

living facilities

Substitute section violinist for Big Spring Symphony, TX 2013-14
Winner of the Texas Tech Music Department’s String Area Division 2013

Concerto Competition

J.T. and Margaret Talkington Fellowship Recipient fall 2013 – spring 2015
Golden Key International Honour Society 2013
at The University of Minnesota
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at The University of Minnesota 2013
Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society 2012

at The University of Minnesota – treasurer

President’s Honor Roll at Georgia Southern University fall 2011
Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honors Society 2011

at Georgia Southern University

Omicron Delta Kappa, The National Leadership Honors Society 2011

at Georgia Southern University

Selected by live audition to perform on the Georgia Southern 2011

University Music Department Student Showcase Concert both as

a soloist and with the Magnolia String Quartet

Concertmaster of the Georgia Southern University Symphony Orchestra 2011
1st violinist of Georgia Southern University Honors Magnolia String 2011

Quartet as well as the quartet coordinator

President’s Honor Roll at Washburn University spring 2011
Selected by live audition to perform on the Washburn University 2011

Music Department Honors Concert

Selected by Music Department Faculty as Outstanding Sophomore 2010-11

Music Major

President’s Honor Roll at Washburn University fall 2010
Concertmaster of the Washburn University Symphony Orchestra 2010-11
Member of Washburn University Honors Fetter String Quartet as 2010-11

well as one of the quartet coordinators

President’s Honor Roll at Washburn University spring 2010
Selected by live audition to perform on the Washburn University 2010

Music Department Honors Concert

Selected by Music Department Faculty as Most Outstanding Freshman 2009-10

Music Major

Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Academic Honors Society 2010

at Washburn University

President’s Honor Roll at Washburn University fall 2009

MUSIC CAMPS / INSTITUTES / PROGRAMS:

BRAVO! Keyboard and String Summer Music Institute 2013

directed by Sally O’Reilly

Italy Summer Music 2011

directed by Wen Zhou Li

BRAVO! Keyboard and String Summer Music Institute 2011

directed by Sally O’Reilly

LyricaFest 2011

directed by Laura Bossert and Terry King

The Castleman Quartet Program 2010

directed by Charles Castleman

Blanche Bryden Sunflower Music Festival 2010

directed by Washburn University – Drs. Steven and Larisa Elisha

The Castleman Quartet Program 2009

directed by Charles Castleman

Blanche Bryden Sunflower Music Festival 2009

directed by Washburn University – Drs. Steven and Larisa Elisha

Soundfest Chamber Music Festival and Quartet Institute 2008

directed by the Colorado Quartet

BRAVO! Keyboard and String Summer Music Institute 2007

directed by Sally O’Reilly