Julie Ralston began teaching music in 2005, driven by her lifelong passion for music, which started in her family. Fun memories of her grandpa playing the accordion and organ, alongside her mother’s guitar playing, sparked her love for music. She took up the violin in grade school, and orchestra became one of her favorite classes. Julie went on to study violin performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), further nurturing her passion.
Her teaching style is centered on structure, encouragement, and adaptability. Julie uses the Suzuki repertoire to provide a solid foundation while setting clear, achievable goals to keep students motivated and on track. She tailors her teaching to each student’s unique learning style and focuses on helping them master effective practice tools and strategies. Julie is passionate about fostering a positive mindset and empowering her students to overcome challenges with confidence.
Julie particularly enjoys guiding beginners as they transition to intermediate players. Her favorite part of being a music instructor is witnessing her students’ breakthroughs in mindset and watching them grow in confidence. Inspired by her elementary music teacher, who made music fun and interactive, Julie finds great joy in sharing her love for music with her students.
Julie has experience helping students with audition preparation and has a broad appreciation for various musical genres, from dramatic classical pieces to fiddle numbers and jazz standards. She’s also a wife and mother of five children, and she has a very snuggly black cat, which adds to the warmth of her home.
In addition to teaching, Julie performs with Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra, where she continues to share her music with the community.
"We are so grateful to be a part of Nissa's String Academy! [They are] absolutely wonderful to work with and [have] embraced both of our daughters' learning styles and their passion not only for playing the violin, but also for composing beautiful music. We've had the opportunity to learn from Julie for over a year, and Julie's patience, kindness, and expertise have helped our youngest daughter thrive. I cannot emphasize enough how happy we are to have found Nissa's String Academy!"
Elizabeth S.
"We appreciate Julie and her teaching skills. She has been excellent in building a good foundation and fun experience. We are thrilled to be on are way to skillfully play the violin."
Teresa S.