Born in Waukegan, Illinois right outside of Chicago, Marial Williams began playing violin at the age of 6. Always a lover of music, she grew up going to Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera performances regularly with her family. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in violin from Drake University in 2017, where she studied with Dr. Sarah Plum. During this time, she also participated in masterclasses with some of today’s most distinguished violinists, such as Robert Chen, concertmaster of Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Marial has had a versatile education in music and violin pedagogy with experiences in group string classes, mariachi, Alexander Technique lessons for strings players, and Suzuki’s “Every Child Can!” course. One of her main focuses in teaching is making sure students are in the best position with their instruments so they can have long-lasting musical careers without discomfort or pain. Marial is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Boston University, planning to specialize in musician’s injuries after graduating.