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S MERIDIAN, EAGLE
DANIKA STARRHARRT Encore Founder-Director (Voice, Piano Alive, Piano, Flute, Oboe, Trumpet, French Horn, Orchestra, Band, Vocal Ensemble, Composition, Musical Theatre) Known for inspiring the highest potential from her students and her welcoming, down to earth nature, Danika has been a full time music teacher for 18 years. As a younger child, Danika gravitated toward the visual arts, always drawing or creating with her hands. By the age of 10 she became the youngest artist to be on the Arts Council of Placer County, CA, showing in galleries and on tours for her abstract photography or mixed media glass and fiber art. By the age of 13, however, she decided to devote her life to music and drama. As she homeschooled herself through high school, she made a habit to wake at 4am every day so she could finish school studies early and then compose music, practice instruments, or write plays for 6-8 hours a day. Her passion for people, composing, writing, and acting soon led her to write and direct 6 musical theater productions at Folsom Lake community theater. During her young adult years of study, Danika was Resident Composer for three symphonies, two choirs, and the William Jessup University wind ensemble in which she also played (respectively) flute, oboe, violin, French Horn, piano, and sang tenor. She directed local music camps for 6 seasons and formed her own 45 piece orchestra from her students for several years. Danika spent a few years involved with West Coast Songwriters. During competition one season, she received the highest commendations for both songwriting and vocals. She also traveled a house concert circuit as a singer-songwriter with her band. Under a different artist name in 2007-2014 she released 12 solo albums, layering herself playing her compositions on 22 different instruments. Danika’s involvement in West Coast Songwriters also brought her an invitation to compose at Disney, but she turned it down — her heart was still always with her students. Since becoming a mom in 2016, Danika founded Song Bugs, an online community of music solutions for parents with children ages 0-5. Song Bugs’ videos and curriculum bring inspiration and tools that allow babies and toddlers to develop their natural human musicality before it is buried due to lack of use and proper encouragement. Using these methods, Danika’s daughter, JV, started showing absolute pitch by age 1 and was playing the piano with two hands by age 2. At age 6 she now plays three instruments confidently, reading music, and likes to sing and write her own songs - especially parodies. In June 2021 Danika’s home studio in Meridian, ID (True Song Studio) had grown to 220 current enrolled students. In July 2021 she incorporated Encore Creative Center in order to bring together a whole team of other passionate instructors. Danika is currently active in the local Idaho indie film community, acting and scoring music. In her spare time, she cuddles kittens and composes for her current performing group, Starrharrt Symphonic. She homeschools her daughter and is passionate about vibrant health and mental clarity. Danika teaches wholistically from a wide range of experience while keeping students laser focused on their goals. She seeks to help her students find joy through every step (even the difficult steps) of the learning process, and to experience what success means, with music simply as a model for life lessons. |
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