Eric has been playing violin since age 5, when he learned to play using the Suzuki method. He studied classical music through high school and college. All the while, he had a love for fiddle music and teachers who  supported the passion by providing a wide variety of music, from bluegrass to ragtime. His fiddle forays included the formation of bluegrass bands in high school and college, where he practiced familiar fiddle tunes and tried his hand at gathering, arranging, and singing songs from a variety of American musical traditions.

In 2010, Eric joined his long time friends and musical partners, The Steel Wheels, as the Americana roots band hit the road. In 2013, after playing in bluegrass and folk music festivals across the country, the band co-founded Red Wing Roots Music Festival, which they host every year. The festival has been a way to connect with local organizations and  build a community around traditional music. In an effort to bridge his classical roots with his love of old-time and bluegrass music, Eric reached out to his former Suzuki program, Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music. They partnered to form a fiddle workshop, which has grown into Red Wing Academy.

Kelly Wiedemann, a native of the Shenandoah Valley, began her musical training with the Suzuki violin method in EMU’s Preparatory Music Program at age 4. Thanks to the program’s curriculum, she developed a love of both classical and fiddle music from an early age and sees these two worlds mixing beautifully in string playing. Kelly’s passion is multistyle strings; embracing many styles and genres on string instruments as a way to help her students strengthen their technique, better connect to their instrument, and improvise with confidence.

Kelly received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Washington Adventist University in Maryland where she played violin with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and percussion with the Columbia Concert Winds. In 2014, Kelly completed her Masters in Music Education from James Madison University, writing her thesis on the growing multistyle movement in string education, particularly fiddle, jazz, and rock. Kelly currently teaches in EMU’s Preparatory Music Program, the Harrisonburg City Public Schools Strings Program, and is the Orchestra and Strings Director at Shenandoah Valley Academy. Kelly is also currently working on a certification in therapeutic music to enable her to play music in healthcare facilities. When not teaching, she plays with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra, does freelance performances, and continues learning new instruments and genres.

Sharon began playing the violin in fifth grade in the public school strings program in her native Lititz, PA. While being grateful for the opportunity to learn the violin, even as a young student she felt there had to be a better way to learn music. She discovered that better way while observing public school Suzuki classes during her college years in Lynchburg, VA. As soon as she graduated from college, she began pursuing Suzuki training in a variety of settings throughout the United States.

Sharon developed a Suzuki string and orchestra program in a large private school in Baltimore, MD for eleven years before moving to the Shenandoah Valley to join the faculty of the EMU Preparatory Music Program. She enjoys teaching violin and viola to children and adults of all ages. As a Suzuki Teacher Trainer, she is passionate about mentoring young teachers.

Sharon has been inspired by the skills and creativity of the teachers of the Red Wing Academy. She is excited to continue collaborating with the Steel Wheels as they develop this new venture!

Sean Hoffman has been teaching and playing fiddle for many years.  He grew up playing bluegrass with his family in Indiana and studied Irish music with New York-based fiddler Brian Conway.  He plays with many bands in his home state, most notably Debutants, Bobcat Opossum, and Soltre.  He is fascinated by the relationship between Irish music and old-time dance music, those not so distant cousins separated by an ocean and re-imagined in the hills and hollers of the New World.

Sean runs the Fairfield Falcon Fiddle Club in Fort Wayne, IN.  He has also been on staff (2019 and 2020) at the Earful of Fiddle Music and Dance Camp in Rodney, MI, and was the 2023 Guest Artist at the Linda Luebke Strings Festival in Terre Haute, IN.

Peter is a native of Richmond, Virginia where he began his musical exploration merging a traditional classical cello approach with various other musical styles. He attended Shenandoah Conservatory (BM), Eastman School of Music (MM), and Temple University (PhD) studying cello and music education. His most influential teachers have been Cylde Thomas Shaw and Eugene Friesen.

Peter currently teaches music in the Lower Merion School District near Philadelphia.  As a performer, Peter collaborates with a variety of folk and classical musicians, most recently Under the Oak and Adam Monaco. In addition to music, Peter enjoys being outdoors, especially with his dog Ladle.

Eric Hochstetler grew up playing classical music in school and church, and then discovered bluegrass while at Goshen College. Since then, he spends most of his free time figuring out how to play all kinds of music, and getting others interested in it as well. He maintains an active private studio teaching mostly piano and guitar by ear. He also loves jamming with his professional musician neighbors, and staying active in the area’s old time music community. Eric lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife, three kids, and dog Charlie.

Devon is a songwriter and music teacher living in Charlottesville, VA.  She teaches songwriting, guitar, ukulele, and rock band at The Front Porch music school.  In her touring days, she released records with Tin Angel Records in the UK, toured her butt off (including pregnant in Australia!) and collaborated with African musicians in Kenya.  She’s been married to producer Paul Curreri for 17 years and the two live with their funny daughter Ray and good dog Tim in Fry’s Spring, C’ville.  Devon was raised on eco-villages near Kingston, Ontario and Louisa, VA.  She loves the Beatles and can tie her shoes really fast.

Maggie Hagy is a Virginia native with singing in her roots.  She grew up writing songs and collaborating with musicians and her love of music led her to receive a Bachelor of Music Education in Voice from James Madison University. During college, she was in a touring female duo, Maggie & Jordan where she was actively writing and performing across the state. After college, Maggie started teaching and continued to sing with professional choirs such as the VOCE singers and the Valley 7. 

Maggie currently teaches middle school chorus at Short Pump Middle School in Richmond but has experience at all levels. Previously she taught Pre-K- 5 elementary music at Keister Elementary School, worked with the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, and taught choirs at John Champe High School in Loudoun County. Maggie Hagy has her masters in Educational and Teacher Leadership and was the recipient of the Young Music Educator Award from JMU.

Outside of the classroom, Maggie enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and whitewater rafting with her husband Will, and dog Maury.​

Ellen Kasiske | Instructor

James Barnes has played and taught banjo and guitar for over two decades, and has performed in numerous bands playing bluegrass, old-time, and “anything-goes”. He loves teaching and playing folk music, while also mixing the traditional music with other styles to see what is possible. James will be teaching banjo electives and mini-lessons at Red Wing Academy.

Erin Weldon, a native of the Shenandoah Valley, accepted the managerial position for the Prep Music Department in 2021.  Here she helps to oversee the private instrumental lessons, she helps to meet the needs of the teachers and families involved in the HCPS after school violin program, and she also works alongside Y-Ping Chen and Kim Souther with the youth symphony and concert orchestra. Mrs. Weldon brings over 5 years of managerial experience as she also manages the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir. Outside of work, Erin enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, church family and friends.

Kyrie is from Harrisonburg, VA, and studies at Shenandoah Conservatory as a Violin Performance major after taking lessons for the past twelve years. She has been involved in high school orchestras and musicals, the Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony, assistant teaching in elementary Violin Clubs through the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music program at EMU, and many performances with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. She loves exploring alternative musical styles and sharing them with others in her free time, and she attributes that to her time as a Red Wing Academy student in her youth.