Violin, Viola, Piano
Equally comfortable on the stage and in the classroom, Ashley Offret began exploring her musical interests as a 
young student on the piano, an instrument she continued to appreciate even after she discovered her voice on the violin. She graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin performance from the University of Maine, where she studied with Dr. Anatole Wieck. Additionally, she studied with Timothy Lees, Michael Avsharian, Joanna Kurkowicz and Max Hobart. In 2009, she completed her Master’s degree in Music History from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with her thesis “A Dozen Little Farinellos: A Reception History of Farinelli in London, 1734-1737”. Although the violin remains her first and favorite musical outlet, she continues to enjoy practicing the piano and giving mini-lectures in music history to her family and friends.
Ashley has been teaching for 14 years in various locations throughout New England and the Midwest. She appreciates and is attracted to the diverse musical interests and talents of her students, as they help to mold her into a better teacher and inform her own playing. She also firmly believes in teaching her students the value of supporting and attending live performances. In addition to private lessons, Ashley has coached chamber groups and taught group string classes to all ages and skill levels.
Since moving to the Boston area last fall, Ashley has been seen substituting with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Maine Pro Arte, Wellesley Symphony and Boston Civic Symphony. As a Michigan resident, she worked with the Jackson and Adrian Symphonies. She also founded the Shar Apprentice String Quartet, an educational outreach ensemble based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which gave assemblies to school children to expand their appreciation of classical music. A few years ago she was also fortunate to spend a summer studying chamber music in Lucca, Italy, where she worked with members of the Berlin Philharmonic. She continues to expand upon her love for Italian culture by practicing her Italian and cooking large amounts of Italian food.