Melissa (née Tatreau) Holtmeier earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and a Masters in Violin Performance/Pedagogy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She studied pedagogy with Darcy Drexler through the Wisconsin String Academy and has studied violin with Dr. Paul Todd, Dr. Laura Kobayashi, Ms. Anne Nagosky, and Dr. Myron Kartman. Holtmeier has registered Suzuki training in books 1-4 with Susan Kempter and book 5 with Ruth Meints.  Melissa has attended Mark O’Connor’s fiddle camps in San Diego and New York City. She was in the very first teacher certification class of the Mark O’Connor Violin Method, books 1 and 2 in NYC and later made use of the lockdown by completing books 3 and 4 training online.  She was also thrilled to host Mark and Maggie O’Connor for a student workshop and performance at the Omaha Conservatory of Music (OCoM) in January of 2020.

Melissa has a passion for education and mentorship.  Since 2005, Holtmeier has been a full-time Artist-Faculty member at Omaha Conservatory of Music.  She is also the String Department Chair and sits on the DEIA committee.  In addition, “Mrs. Holtmeier” is the music specialist at Phoenix Academy (grades K-8) and also has her 200 RYT in yoga. Melissa has taught yoga at OCoM’s summer camps and has presented “Yoga for Musicians” to musicians all over the country including the Omaha Symphony, the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras and at the American String Teachers’ Association (ASTA) national conventions in Louisville, Tampa, and Atlanta. In 2019, Holtmeier was awarded Outstanding Private Teacher of the Year by the Nebraska chapter of ASTA.  She also served as NE-ASTA’s state president in 2020-2022.  Holtmeier is currently serving on ASTA’s national studio teacher committee and is a board member of the Omaha Musicians’ Union (local 70-558), the Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha, and the Omaha Conservatory of Music.  

As a professional musician, Holtmeier has performed on violin/viola with Mary J. Blige, Bobby Vinton, Frank Sinatra Jr., Rod Stewart, Josh Groban, Pam Tillis, The Lettermen, Michael W. Smith, Johnny Mathis, Michael Buble, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jane Lynch, Idina Menzel, The Eagles and Mannheim Steamroller. You can catch Melissa on Mannheim’s PBS special: 30/40 LIVE!.  She both plays and is orchestra contractor for several cities on their annual tour. She is a founding member, 1st violinist and manager of the Mahr String Quartet for which she books 70+ events each year. In her years of experience playing with the Omaha and Lincoln Symphonies, Holtmeier has had the opportunity to play both great works and accompany some of her violin heroes–Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Philippe Quint, Sarah Chang, and Midori. She has also toured China and the U.S. with the Mantovani Orchestra and performed the Salute to Vienna New Year’s 2010 concert tour in Southern Florida.  Holtmeier has been hired as a local with the Broadway shows Little House on the Prairie, Westside Story, The Lion King, The Book of Mormon (3x), Kinky Boots, Newsies, Cinderella, Phantom of the Opera (3x), Something Rotten, The Sound of Music, The Little Mermaid, The King and I and Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.  

In her free time, Melissa likes to practice yoga, go to sushi with friends and hang out with her family: photographer hubby, Chris Holtmeier, their equestrian daughter, Ella, and goofy-floof goldendoodle, Bowie.

Debbie has served as Orchestra Director for Millard North High School and Millard North Middle School since 2001. Her students have performed in Omaha, Lincoln, Chicago, and New York City. She has also worked as an elementary string specialist for the Omaha and Westside Public School Districts.

Mrs. Martinez holds degrees in Music Education and String Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Florida State University. She is currently on the board of the Nebraska chapter of the American String Teachers Association. In 2005, she was honored with the “Outstanding School Music Educator” award from the Nebraska ASTA chapter.

A product of public schools, Martinez has played the viola since fourth grade, and currently performs with the MAHR string quartet. She has also appeared with the Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux City Symphony Orchestras, and has performed with orchestras in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.