Ashlie Skidmore

Ashlie Skidmore is a third-generation Suzuki teacher and Suzuki parent. She began her violin studies at the age of three at the Suzuki Institute of Dallas under Dr. Evelyn Hermann. At the age of four, she was privileged to travel with a Suzuki Institute tour group to Japan to study with Dr. Suzuki. The Dallas tour group, along with the Japanese Suzuki students, also traveled to China to introduce the Suzuki method. 

Ashlie was a ten-year member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Association. During this time, she studied with Irene Mitchell followed by Dr. Ronald Neal at Southern Methodist University during her high school years. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education at the University of Texas at Austin. While there, she had the privilege of studying violin with Dr. Eugene Gratovich and music education with Dr. Robert Duke. Following graduation, she taught middle school orchestra in the Austin, Texas area and served as a TMEA Region orchestra coordinator.  She has completed various books of Suzuki teacher training with Marilyn O’Boyle, Judy Bossuat-Gallic, and Rolando Freitag.

Ashlie plays both professionally and in community groups throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area. She has been teaching for over 20 years, and enjoys teaching students of all ages and enjoys working with children with special challenges. Previously, she served on the Executive Board for the Texas Chamber Music Project, the Northeast Orchestra, and the North Texas Suzuki Association. Currently she serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra. She also serves as the Assistant Concertmaster for the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra. She has two children who grew up as Suzuki violinists, with one now pursuing viola and the other pursuing biology while still playing violin.