About me
Hi! My name is Marlene.
I’m a violinist and teaching artist exploring music through creativity, improvisation, and cross‑cultural musical traditions.
My work brings together performance, teaching, and creative exploration.
As a performer, I create musical experiences that connect audiences through storytelling, improvisation, and a blend of musical traditions.
As a teaching artist, I help musicians rediscover creativity and confidence through modern practice approaches.
My experience as both a performer and educator eventually led me to create Violin Bootcamp, a program designed to help adult violinists reconnect with their instrument through my Power Routines practice system — short, focused routines that make consistent practice possible even with a busy life.
This program brings together my teaching philosophy, modern practice strategies, and the Violin Bootcamp app platform used by adult violinists around the world.
Biography
Violinist and teaching artist Marlene Cruz Lozano, based in the Ottawa–Gatineau region, creates performances that bridge improvisation, storytelling, and music education.
Born in Mexico City, she began her formal musical training at the Escuela Superior de Música of the Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, where she initially pursued piano before transitioning to violin. She later moved to Canada and completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Music from Bishop’s University, studying piano with Montreal pianist Brigitte Poulin, violin with Geneviève Beaudry, and composition with Canadian composers Andrew Paul MacDonald and Stewart Grant.
After completing her degree, Marlene continued her violin studies in Ottawa with violinist and pedagogue Jerry Csaba. Her musical interests span classical, world music, jazz, and contemporary styles, and she enjoys exploring improvisation, composition, and cross‑genre collaboration.
Marlene has more than twenty years of experience as a teaching artist and has worked with students of all ages in private studios, community programs, and educational settings, including her work with OrKidstra.
She is also the creator of the Violin Bootcamp app and coaching program, an educational platform designed to help adult violinists reconnect with their instrument through short, focused practice routines.
Her approach to music education emphasizes creativity, improvisation, and the development of each student’s individual musical voice.
She continues to expand her artistic practice through ongoing study and mentorship, including participation in the Creative Strings workshops led by violinist Christian Howes and occasional mentorship with him, Berklee College of Music’s improvisation certificate program, and ongoing study with Strum Bowing pioneer Tracy Silverman.
Alongside her teaching work, Marlene is currently developing performance projects that combine violin, storytelling, and live looping, including Roots & Resonance, exploring Mexican musical traditions through contemporary performance and improvisation.
Her performances range from intimate solo sets to collaborative programs, adaptable for festivals, cultural events, and community concert series.
She is also interested in collaborative and cross‑disciplinary performance opportunities within Ottawa’s music and cultural community.