Renee Botton
Mozart String Project Director and Teacher at The Church at Briargate (TCA)
Renee Botton started her musical journey before birth while listening to her mother play and teach piano. She started piano lessons at age 4 and then switched to violin at age 8 when she realized how much her grandfather loved the sound of the violin. After studying both Violin and Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas and getting her MSEE from Stanford University, Renee spent several years working as an engineer for Bell Laboratories and MCI. She also continued to explore her love of music and improvisation, playing in various fiddle bands and working with organizations such as The Black Rose Acoustic Society, dedicated to spreading the joy of acoustic music.
In the early 2000s, Renee retired from engineering and focused on her love of studying and teaching music and wellness. She became a certified Suzuki teacher and started working with the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony’s Mozart Strings Project, eventually becoming the Director. She enjoys helping new teachers and tweaking curriculum to find the most efficient and fun way to teach. She especially loves seeing a child’s eyes sparkle when they master something new and the joy of music lights them from within.
When she isn’t ‘fiddling’ with her Mozart kids or teaching privately, Renee can be found playing gypsy jazz and swing music around town, traveling to music festivals, and enjoying Colorado with her husband Brian and 2 grown children. She is also a student, practitioner and teacher of Jin Shin Jyutsu Acupressure and loves seeing people’s joy as they learn how to take control of their own wellness.