Who I Am – Violin Lessons Memphis

about me

Diane Zelickman Cohen

I grew up in a musical family and knew I wanted to be a violinist for as long as I can remember. My late mother, Joan, was a violinist in the San Diego Symphony, and I wanted to be just like her! She was my biggest musical influence over the years.

I left home for my last two years of high school to study at Walnut Hill, a Performing Arts High School in Natick, Massachusetts. From there I received my Bachelors of Music at Indiana University in Bloomington in 2007, and Masters of Music from Arizona State University in 2009.

I have been a member of the Tucson Symphony, Knoxville Symphony and currently the Memphis Symphony where I have made my home for the past 8 years. In Memphis, I met my husband David, a software engineer at FedEx. Together we have a daughter Arielle, son Joshua, and dog Cocoa. My hobbies include running with Cocoa, cooking, and spending quality time with my family.

contact me

on your way to musical success

How I Can Help You...

Customized Lessons

Since I customize my lesson for each student, I will make sure you achieve your goals by finding the right teaching style to help you excel.

Orchestral Excerpts

I am able to help my students prepare Orchestra excerpts, whether it's for auditions, competitions, or performances.

Practicing Efficiently

While studying with me, I will teach you how to make the most out of your practice sessions.

My Resume

My Qualifications

Masters, Violin Performance – Arizona State University
Bachelors, Violin Performance – Indiana University

Assistant Principal Violin I – Memphis Symphony Orchestra – (Current)
Section Violin I – Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Section Violin II – Tucson Symphony Orchestra
Substitute Violinist – Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
Substitute Violinist – San Diego Symphony Orchestra

The teaching of Diane Cohen has changed both my violin playing and my life. Because of her wonderful teaching over the years, I have been able to win competitions, attend prestigious festivals, and attend and earn a violin performance degree from the University of Memphis on a full ride scholarship. Mrs. Cohen makes sure all of her students have a good foundational basis for technique as well as giving them the confidence that they need to be a musician. I would recommend anyone to take from Mrs. Cohen whether they were looking for audition help, to better their playing generally, or to just learn a new instrument. You will not regret taking lessons from Mrs. Cohen! She is phenomenal!

We found Diane the summer before my daughter's freshman year of high school. My daughter had been playing violin since she was four years old, and Diane was the perfect teacher to build on my daughter's strong violin foundation and explore advanced repertoire and techniques. Diane is a FABULOUS violin player, and has one of the best understandings of violin technique that I have ever seen. She is able to explain how to adjust arm/hand/finger position or posture or bow hold (or whatever the repertoire requires) to improve my daughter's playing. My daughter loves that she can go into a lesson with a specific question and will come out with a solution that is broken down into achievable steps. I highly recommend Diane as a teacher, and will forever be grateful that my daughter spent her high school years studying with Diane.

Diane Cohen, or as known to me, “Miss” Diane, is an excellent teacher and always encouraging. I have been with her for almost 2 years and I have never had such a wonderful violin experience! She is very personable and makes lessons both educational and fun! Not only is she a wonderful teacher but also an amazing violinist- hearing her play is inspiring!

I have truly enjoyed my years studying with Mrs. Cohen. I remember coming into my first lesson not knowing what to expect but leaving feeling very motivated and ready to learn the violin. Mrs. Cohen has shaped me into the musician I am today and has open up many doors for my future by helping to get accepted into the Lamont School of Music thanks to her teaching. Not only have I enjoyed my lessons, but I feel that I have truly left with a good understanding on how to continue my progress, to grow, and learn in the field of violin playing and music.