Mary Bell
Piano, viola, violin instructor
Mary Bell grew up in Tallahassee in a home filled with music. Her father played the cello, majored in music theory in college and her mother played piano. When Mary was in fourth grade she chose to play the viola because she wanted to be different from the hundreds of violins she had seen on stage before. When she got her first viola she was so small they actually had to string up a violin with viola strings because they couldn't find a viola to fit her! As soon as she laid her hands on it, she fell in love with it's rich sound and never looked back.
As she continued her viola studies her father encouraged her to take piano lessons. He had regrets about never taking piano himself and knew the benefits it could bring her. She picked it up very quickly and her instructor was impressed with her natural talent. It didn't take her long to fall in love with the piano, too.
Throughout middle and high school Mary participated in several All-State orchestras. While Mary was first chair violist at Lawton Chiles High school, her orchestra won 1st place in a national orchestra competition.
Though her love for playing continues strong, she has developed undiagnosed pain in her arm and cannot play as often as she would like to anymore. However, that has not stopped her from making music part of her every day life. She still plays hymns for her church, participates in community orchestras, and volunteers wherever music is needed, but teaching others brings her the most joy of all.
She is now married to Zac Bell and they will celebrate their second wedding anniversary this coming November. They also have a seven month old daughter whom Mary fully expects to inherit their love of music.
Piano, viola, violin instructor
Mary Bell grew up in Tallahassee in a home filled with music. Her father played the cello, majored in music theory in college and her mother played piano. When Mary was in fourth grade she chose to play the viola because she wanted to be different from the hundreds of violins she had seen on stage before. When she got her first viola she was so small they actually had to string up a violin with viola strings because they couldn't find a viola to fit her! As soon as she laid her hands on it, she fell in love with it's rich sound and never looked back.
As she continued her viola studies her father encouraged her to take piano lessons. He had regrets about never taking piano himself and knew the benefits it could bring her. She picked it up very quickly and her instructor was impressed with her natural talent. It didn't take her long to fall in love with the piano, too.
Throughout middle and high school Mary participated in several All-State orchestras. While Mary was first chair violist at Lawton Chiles High school, her orchestra won 1st place in a national orchestra competition.
Though her love for playing continues strong, she has developed undiagnosed pain in her arm and cannot play as often as she would like to anymore. However, that has not stopped her from making music part of her every day life. She still plays hymns for her church, participates in community orchestras, and volunteers wherever music is needed, but teaching others brings her the most joy of all.
She is now married to Zac Bell and they will celebrate their second wedding anniversary this coming November. They also have a seven month old daughter whom Mary fully expects to inherit their love of music.