Our String Studio

Maria Emmons is currently the violin instructor at Illinois Central College, a string instructor with the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, violin and viola instructor for the preparatory program at Illinois Wesleyan University, and a violin and viola teacher at Hip Cat Music School. She is also on the violin faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan during the summer. 

Previously she has been the assistant librarian for the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, graduate teaching assistant with the Illinois State University String Project, violin coach with the University of New Hampshire Youth Symphony Orchestras, and on the marketing team for the Portsmouth (NH) Symphony Orchestra. Maria is Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Method certified. As a violinist, she has served as concertmaster for performances with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and Jacksonville(IL) Symphony Society, as well as the principal second violinist for the Blue Lake Festival Orchestra. 

She regularly performs with Sinfonia da Camera, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, MiOpera, Fox Valley Orchestra,and Symphony NH. She also performed on the 2019 PBS special: Tim Janis Celtic Heart, and in the Red Note New Music Festival in 2025 and 2026. 

Maria completed her Master of Music in violin performance at Illinois State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the University of New Hampshire, where she graduated with honors, along with minors in both arts and business administration. 

Elizabeth Coffin is a cellist from Wisconsin who recently finished her Bachelor's of Music in Cello Performance at Concordia College, Moorhead. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and is continuing her education by pursuing her Master's in Cello Performance at Illinois State University under the tutelage of    Dr. Cora Swenson Lee. 

Previous to relocating to Illinois, Elizabeth played in the Concordia Orchestra as principal and assistant principal cello. She played in the Inferno String Quartet while at Concordia and has given masterclasses to high school players in the Fargo ND area.

Elizabeth is a firm believer that anyone can start playing the cello regardless of their age, background, and previous musical experience. She started taking cello lessons her sophomore year of high school, and since then has competed in numerous chamber and solo competitions and attended chamber music festivals in Wisconsin all the way to Arizona.

Her teaching style is extremely collaborative-- it is important the student has just as much of a say in repertoire. She loves bringing chamber music into lessons also because it is a chance for students to learn collaboration and independence. 

When not thinking about cello, Elizabeth is an avid runner, reader, and writer. If you're thinking about taking up an instrument, there is no better time than now! 

Daniel Haan is originally from Oklahoma where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and is a licensed teacher. While an undergraduate, he had the opportunity to become Suzuki certified for the first three books of Suzuki Violin/Viola. 

He moved to Illinois to pursue a double Masters’ degree in Viola Performance and String Pedagogy, studying with Dr. Kate Lewis at Illinois State University. While at ISU he worked as one of the graduate assistants of Illinois State University’s String project. He also taught private lessons for the Community School of the Arts.

Through his time in college, Daniel was fortunate to work with a few of the biggest names in the viola world such as Paul Neubauer, Lynn Ramsey, Jefferey Irvine, and Sheila Brown. He has recently graduated from ISU in the Fall of 2025 and is excited to continue his private teaching at Hip Cat Music School. 

Daniel enjoys working with students of all ages and skill levels. He is a firm believer that when both teacher and student collaborate on the process, the student will achieve more than they ever thought possible.

When not thinking about music or teaching, Daniel enjoys being outside, golfing/disc golfing, reading, or playing board games with friends.

Joy Rattan is a passionate musician, performing cellist and conductor. They are presently at Illinois State University working towards a double major in Music Education and Cello Performance. Joy will also be pursuing a career as a conductor, something they are quite passionate about.

They performed in the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony, serving as principal cellist for two years. Joy was also active in the Illinois Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra for three years. They have attended camps such as the Illinois Summer Youth Music Festival and Heart of Illinois Honors Orchestra performing as principal cellist. Also, the Illinois Wesleyan Chamber Music Festival from 2018-2024, interning in 2023. In the summer of 2025, they attended the Lawrence Chamber Music Festival in Appleton Wisconsin. 

Joy has been teaching at Hip Cat Music School since 2024 and is committed to instilling musical, technical, and lively aspects of music and cello playing in students. They believe that students can achieve, with the guidance of a supportive teacher, whatever they put their mind to.

They served as conductor from 2022 to 2024 for Normal West’s Holiday Strings and Madrigal Strings Orchestra. Joy was a guest conductor at the Normal West Orchestra’s yearly Halloween concert and has also been a guest conductor of Illinois Wesleyan University’s Tri-Colligate Ensemble and Wesleyan’s Internal Symposium in 2024.  

Joy was awarded the Normal West Director Musicianship Award in 2024, along with being inducted into the Music National Honors Society and graduating with top 12 GPA honors. Throughout their cello studies, Joy has learned from Nina Gordon, Zora Yo, and Dr. Cora Swenson Lee. They will continue to study with Dr. Lee while at ISU. Their primary conducting instructor has been Logan Campbell since 2023. Joy looks forward to helping students of all ages and abilities achieve their goals.

Diego Martinez is from Normal, Illinois and is currently a Junior Music Performance major at Illinois Wesleyan University studying Double Bass under Dr. Renata Caceres and Dr. Reginald Lewis. He is involved in many aspects of music, playing with Choirs, Orchestras, Wind Ensembles, Experimental Ensembles, Opera, musical pit and Jazz Bands during his College career. Diego has worked with many great young performers during his time as both head Counselor for the Illinois Wesleyan Chamber Music Festival and as a current intern for the Bloomington-Normal Youth Symphony under Music Director Logan Campbell. He is an active performer in the Bloomington-Normal area having performed with Thaddeus Tukes, Darius Botley, Jameel Stephens, Dr. Reginald Lewis and with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons. Diego looks forward to helping students of all ages and abilities achieve their best. 

Eliana Woodman began developing her passion for the violin at the age of 5. Both the Suzuki Method and ISU String Project were instrumental in her foundation as a musician. She has enjoyed performing with the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony, Peoria Youth Symphony, ILMEA All-State Honors Orchestra, District 3 Orchestra, and Cornerstone Orchestra, holding Concertmaster, Assistant Concertmaster, and Principal positions. Eliana has been selected for summer intensive trainings at the Conservatory of Annie Moses (Columbia, TN), Belmont University (Nashville, TN), and Credo National Festival (Chicago Symphony Center). She loves sharing her joy of music by performing with JoyElle Strings, her professional violin and cello duo, at various settings such as weddings, fundraisers, nursing homes, and holiday events. 

Major highlights of her musical career thus far have been performing on the stages of the Chicago Symphony Center and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In her free time, Eliana also loves singing, playing volleyball, and serving with her church. Currently, Eliana is a student at Belmont University, where she is pursuing a major in Music Performance and a minor in Spanish.

Eliana is passionate about sharing the gift of music with others. For the past few years, she has loved teaching young violinists in her private music studio, and she now enjoys teaching summer lessons at Hip Cat Music School!  She is both excited and humbled by the opportunity to encourage and train younger musicians in a manner which they achieve success, while also learning the value of practice, persistence, and performing. Eliana is looking forward to the opportunity to get to know your child and begin making music together!