AMANDA TURNER
Viola, Violin
Amanda holds a Bachelor of Music (1998) and Master of Music (2005) in Music Education, both from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2008, she was awarded National Board Certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Currently, Amanda teaches orchestra at East Mecklenburg and Ardrey Kell High Schools, both located in Charlotte. Orchestras under Mrs. Turner's direction have consistently earned Superior ratings at the North Carolina Music Performance Adjudication and at a variety of other performance venues. Students in her ensembles are chosen to participate in auditioned orchestras including North Carolina Honors All-State Orchestra, and Western Regional Honors Orchestra Clinic. She has served as Guest Clinician and Conductor for the Western Regional Repertory Orchestra (NC), the Robeson (NC), Onslow (NC), Rock Hill (SC) All-County Orchestras, South Carolina Region 1 Junior Orchestra and the UNCG Summer Music Camp. She is currently the NC Orchestra Division President for NC Music Educators Association (NCMEA). Amanda has been a free lance violist in the Charlotte area for years. She has taught violin and viola privately for thirteen years. Amanda holds professional memberships with MENC, NCMEA and ASTA. She currently resides in Indian Trail, NC with her husband Chad Turner, also on faculty at the Academy, who is the band director at Albemarle Middle and High Schools. They have a beautiful three year old daughter Addison, a future cellist!
Amanda writes, “Music is my life! I love my job and my students are great! It is with high expectations and great enthusiasm that I work with your children. I welcome visits and communication from parents for in order to help our young people excel, we must all join forces.”
My son’s teacher Amanda Turner is a fun and energetic instructor. He never played an instrument before he started with Amanda. She taught him everything he knows. Now, after 18 months, he plays so well that he even made it to the CMS Honors Orchestra and has played 1st violin and solos.
~Niza, Academy Parent
Amanda Turner is an amazing teacher! This is my second year taking viola lessons from her. In that time I have gained more confidence, my bow has gotten straighter, I can play treble clef on the viola, and I have gotten better at sight reading as well as my scales. I have just become an all around better viola player! Amanda has also helped me prepare to audition for several orchestras. I was recently accepted into the Union Symphony Youth Orchestra (USYO), Charlotte Youth Chamber Orchestra (CYCO), and I participated in Western Regionals.
Amanda is not one of those teachers who is too strict or pushes you too hard; she is a cool teacher who can open up many different opportunities for you. My parents like her so much, my mom started taking violin lessons from her! Again, Amanda is an incredible teacher and I wouldn’t want to take viola lessons from anyone else. ~Delaney, Academy Student
