Years ago, a student couldn’t remember my name and yelled, “Hey, Orchestra Lady!” across the room.

My name is Audrey John Melzer, and I’m the Director of Orchestras for Oberlin City Schools in Oberlin, Ohio. I am beginning my 18th year of teaching overall and I have been teaching in public schools for 13 years. I am a double bassist and a string specialist. I have had successful private studios in the Cleveland area since I started my career. I earned my BME from Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music and I have Suzuki bass training.

My teaching approach is under the umbrella of social justice, equity literacy, and cultural competency. I get excited about exposing my students to diverse genres and composers and making time to create. I also promote restorative practices in my district and I use them daily when I interact with my students.

I am a loud and proud mother of two who introverts hard enough to have a “no peopling” voicemail message. I care for all my students like they are my own kids, and I have students who call me “Mama Melzer.” To be fair, some of them know me as “Crazy Aunty Audrey.” In this job you wear many hats. <shrug>