Betsy Hinkle is a professional violinist and educator who has extensive experience teaching in a variety of formats, locations and programs. In 2007, she founded musiConnects and the Boston Public Quartet. 

For 15 years, Hinkle used the knowledge previously gained from working with string students in wealthy communities and carefully and intentionally created programs and curricula specifically for youth and families in Boston’s historically excluded neighborhoods.

This body of work is now called the Hinkle Approach and is being used successfully with many learners.

The Hinkle approach addresses these key issues in Community Youth Development (CYD) music education:

• Representative Repertoire and, in the future, Visuals

• Nurturing Excellence for ALL enrolled

• Equity between peers, programs, and approaches

• Curricula that are cost effective, flexible and have built-in measurable goals