ABOUT ME
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa native, Taryn Kroymann began playing the violin at 10 years old. Throughout middle school, Taryn participated in many ensembles, honor festivals, and chamber groups. Eventually, she began taking lessons from Jessica Altfillisch at the Cedar Rapids Suzuki Academy, studying the violin through the Suzuki Method. While in high school, Taryn spent time as an intern at the Academy, learning as much about the violin, the Suzuki Method, and teaching as she could. In 10th grade, she gained her very first beginning violin student. It was then that her love of teaching music was discovered.
Now, Taryn has completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa as of December 2019. In addition to studying the violin with Dr. Ross Monroe Winter, Taryn also studied piano with Dr. Michelle Swanson, harp with Professor Gretchen Brumwell, guitar with Professor Robert Dunn, and composition with Dr. Alan Schmitz while attending UNI.
Taryn primarily played with the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra during her four years, under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Burkhardt. Additionally, she played in the pit orchestra for productions Susannah, Into the Woods, and Hänsel und Gretel. Taryn also participated in several Bach Cantata series performances with members of UNI Cantorei, UNI Wind Ensemble, and the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra; under the direction of Dr. John Wiles. In March of 2018, Taryn travelled with NISO to Caxias do Sul, Brazil, to collaborate with the Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade de Caxias do Sul. Taryn's last performance with NISO was in April of 2019, during UNI's debut performance of Beethoven's entire Symphony No. 9 (better known as the "Choral" Symphony, or "Ode to Joy").
During her time at UNI, Taryn was involved in many student organizations on campus. She served in several leadership roles: President, Vice President, and Editor for the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity; President for the Bruce Eilers Memorial Chapter of the American String Teachers Association; and as a Senator for her dorm hall. In addition, Taryn was a member of the University Honors Program, the UNI chapter of the National Association for Music Education, the Student Literacy Association, and the student-led community garden: the Panther Plot.
Taryn also served as the music librarian for the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, an educator with the Kaleidoscope Connections program through the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, and a private violin teacher for students in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area.
In partial fulfillment of her University Honors with Distinction Designation, Taryn additionally worked with Dr. Michelle Swanson to complete a thesis entitled: "Learning and Literacy in Music: Activities for Integrating Children's Literature into the General Music Curriculum."
Taryn is currently serving as the 6th and 7th Grade Orchestra Director at Harding Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
