Stephen Sims

Stephen Sims teaches applied violin for Case Western Reserve University, and for the Cleveland Center for Suzuki Studies.  A registered Suzuki teacher for over 30 years, he has taught at numerous Suzuki workshops and institutes around the country.  His students have won concerto competitions, served as concertmasters and section principals for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and various All-State and national youth orchestras, and continued to successful careers in music. Stephen’s principal violin teachers were Leopold LaFosse, Linda Cerone, David Russell, Catherine Tait, Sergiu Luca, and Barbara Jackson.  During the pandemic, Stephen has taken up viola lessons, studying with Laura Shuster.  He lives in Cleveland Heights with his wife, Kimberly Meier-Sims, and his two Shetland sheepdogs, Maia and Keeva.

BM in violin performance, University of Illinois

MM in violin performance, Cleveland Institute of Music

DMA in violin performance and pedagogy, University of Iowa