Lauretta Werner Merriman
Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Lauretta Werner teaches as the Assistant Professor of Strings at Longwood University and directs the Longwood Center for Community Music's string program. Werner taught as Lecturer of Violin at West Virginia University, as a Suzuki violin instructor at the Pittsburgh Music Academy and the Hope Academy of Music and the Arts in Pittsburgh, and as a teaching fellow at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.

As an active chamber musician, Werner performs with Pastiche String Quartet and RVA Baroque, a Richmond-based period ensemble. In summer 2019, she performed and taught as a quartet teaching fellow with the Montani String Quartet at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. In addition to performing, Werner 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, and at various universities and institutions. 

Werner 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. She studied with Solomiya Ivakhiv, Stephen Miahky, Mikylah Myers, Carrie Reuning-Hummel, and Susan Waterbury.