Violinist Nina Merulla Canestrari began playing in elementary school orchestra in the Liverpool Central School District near Syracuse, New York. She quickly grew to love Classical music.  Her first formal studies were with violinist Petia Radneva-Manolova of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. She attended the Crane School of Music, obtaining degrees in Music Education and Violin Performance. Her Master’s degree is in Music Education with a Suzuki Pedagogy concentration from The Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut. Nina’s additional violin teachers include Ioan Harea and Linda Case. She also has trained in the Suzuki Method under Carrie Reuning-Hummel and Sarah Hersh.
 
While at Crane, Nina studied in Prague, Czech Republic, participating in the Ameropa Chamber Music Festival and studying with Vadim Mazo. She also received the Kobialka Scholarship for excellence in performance and education. Nina later served one summer as Community Concerts Manager at the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Brunswick, Maine.
 
Nina has taught orchestra at all levels, and really enjoys watching her students grow in musicianship, confidence, and leadership over the years. Since 2022, she has worked at the middle school level at the North Colonie Central School District in Latham, New York. She is currently serving on the Wellness Committee for the American Strings Teachers Association.

Nina lives in Albany with her husband and her musical chocolate lab! She also maintains a private teaching studio in the Albany area. In her spare time, Nina enjoys yoga and meditation, and frequently includes wellness and mindfulness practices in her teaching and in her classroom. As a member of the Chordial String Quartet, she enjoys bringing different styles of music to the community.