Nayyirah Wood
Violin and Voila Teacher

Nayyirah Wood started her venture with string instruments at the age of seven in the second grade, when she started playing the violin. She trained with this instrument for five years, and in the seventh grade, she transitioned to the viola. In June 2020, Nayyirah graduated from the High School of Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), where she was the second chair in the viola section of the orchestra. Now, she is attending Rowan University as a Music Education Major.

In High School, she held her passion by being involved in several music programs during each school year. Not only was she accepted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth for five years, but Nayyirah was also the principal violist at the end of her senior year of High School. In the Summer of 2018, she was accepted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY) and was in the Chamber Players Orchestra. Further, she was a student at the Philadelphia Youth Artist Orchestra and a member of the All-City Philadelphia High School Orchestra.

Throughout her high school career, she had several mentors and influences. In her Freshman year, she had the pleasure of being taught by Adelya Shagidullina at CMSP, where she developed more control over her craft. In her Sophomore year, she was instructed by Yecheskel Francis at CMSP, where she learned different genres of music and the functionality of music in any given period. In the Summer of 2018, Nayyirah was instructed by Michael Casimir at the Curtis Institute. He assisted her with audition pieces and helped her understand the emotion in these pieces. From the Summer of 2018 to 2020, at Temple Prep, she was trained by Sam Quintal from the Jasper String Quartet. She continued to focus on audition pieces, intonation, and rhythm. During the fall of 2019, she was an Honorary in the Philadelphia Orchestra All City Fellowship and was trained by Philadelphia Orchestra Member Marvin Moon to help her with the upcoming college audition.

At Rowan University, she worked with Dr. Timothy Schwarz and Dr. Ana Tsinadze to improve her craft to become a future educator. She was Founder and President of the Rowan University Student chapter of the American String Teachers Association and President of Sigma Alpha Iota in 2024-2025. As well she stays as an active member of the American Viola Society.

Nayyirah is now pursuing her dream as a String Teacher in New Jersey and striving to give her students opportunities to learn to make music.

Nayyirah teaches: Violin Lessons and Viola Lessons

Lessons with Nayyirah are available on Wednesday at the NJ School of Music in Medford.