Bertrina’s teaching goal is to cultivate and nurture hope and optimism. She began teaching Suzuki violin in 2008 and has worked with youth of all ages since her teenage years in various capacities. Bertrina has been involved in the Suzuki method since age 7 when she started lessons with Mark Mutter and had been active in the Suzuki and traditional music community by attending Blue Lake Fine Arts and Interlochen’s summer camps. Her Suzuki teacher training has been done with notable teacher trainers, Mark Mutter and Ronda Cole. Additionally she has studied the violin with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra. Bertrina, with a deep passion for children and musc, has a degree in Early Childhood Education and is in the process of completing a degree in Music Therapy at Eastern Michigan University.
Bertrina is a proud Detroit native. Her fervor for music has led her to perform at many prestigious events within the U.S. and around the world. She has received special recognition from President Bill Clinton, Governor John Engler (Michigan), State Senators Jackie Vaughn III and Joe Young, Jr., Mayor Dennis Archer (Detroit), Detroit City Council, and Wayne County Commissioners to name a few.
Bertrina is the founder and director of Circle of Arts Performing Arts Academy, a non-profit organization providing music education that is accessible, equitable, and relevant to our city since 2015. They utilize the Suzuki Method to nurture students’ abilities to persevere, be creative, embrace hope, collaborate, and empathize with others. Their purpose is to provide the knowledge of the benefits of the arts to give students the necessary building blocks to be brilliant musicians and succeed in life.
“One skillset can change the trajectory of a child’s life.” -Bertrina Thomas
SAA Registered Training – Core Units
- Every Child Can!
- Violin Unit 1
- Violin Unit 2
Supplementary Units
- Growing Equitable Music Studios
- Teaching Strategies
smaofmichigan.org 