Lauretta Werner Merriman, DMA

Dr. Lauretta Werner Merriman currently teaches violin and viola at the Pittsburgh Music Academy, Community Music School of Pittsburgh, and her own studio, Lauretta Violin Studio. Lauretta taught as Assistant Professor of Violin/Viola at Longwood University, Lecturer of Violin at West Virginia University, as a Suzuki violin instructor at the Hope Academy of Music and the Arts in Pittsburgh, as a violin faculty member at Camp Encore/Coda, and as a quartet teaching fellow at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. 

A dedicated performer, Lauretta performs solos in regional concert series and at international conferences. As a chamber musician, Lauretta is a co-founding member of the Huldra Quartet, a Pittsburgh-based, women led quartet. She also plays with a variety of ensembles such as chamber orchestras, regional symphony orchestras, and Baroque period ensembles. In summer 2019, she performed and taught as a quartet teaching fellow with the Montani String Quartet at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. 

As an educator and conductor, Lauretta frequently judges and adjudicates music competitions and orchestra assessments. She also frequently serves as a guest clinician at many high school orchestra programs, and conducted the All-County Orchestra in Henrico, VA. During her five years at Longwood University, Lauretta received multiple teaching awards, such as the 2022 Longwood University Citizen Leader Award, the 2023 Princeps Honors Society Award, and the 2024 Assistant Professor of Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship.

As a researcher, Lauretta researches and explores the topic of mindfulness for musicians by reinterpreting mindfulness-based therapies and sport psychology models for musicians. In May 2019, she completed her dissertation, “Mindfulness for Musicians: Bringing sport psychology and mindfulness-based therapies to the practice room and the concert stage.” She has presented her research at the International Research Symposium on Talent Education, the American String Teachers Association National Conference, the American Viola Society Festival, the HERO Conference, and at various universities and institutions.  

Lauretta began her studies in Suzuki violin at age seven in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Ohio University, a master’s degree in Suzuki violin pedagogy from Ithaca College, and a doctoral degree in violin performance from West Virginia University. Lauretta studied with Solomiya Ivakhiv, Stephen Miahky, Mikylah Myers, Carrie Reuning-Hummel, and Susan Waterbury.