Michelle Liechti

Michelle Liechti earned her B.A., at Mills College. A student of David Abel and Kato Havas, she is a member of Arcadia Players, Juno Orchestra and is the concertmaster of Windham Philharmonic. She teaches violin and coaches chamber music at the Brattleboro Music Center to all ages and especially enjoys adult beginners. Michelle specializes in the “New Approach to Violin Playing,” developed by Kato Havas to alleviate pain and undesirable tension through preventative exercises that bring attention into the body, helping the player discover and apply healthy motion into their technique. She serves as the North American representative for this approach. Michelle's interest in physiology and the mechanics of playing led her into the world of healing and in addition to "New Approach," she is also a certified Zero Balancing practitioner. Developed by Fritz Fredrick Smith, Zero Balancing is a gentle form of bodywork that focuses on the skeletal system to release held tension and promote positive healing. Michelle's personal musical journey is deeply informed by the melding of these two systems. In addition to teaching at BMC, Michelle teaches at Northfield Mount Hermon School.