Monika has teaching/artist diplomas from Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar, Germany, and the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Lyon, France. She came to San Francisco to get her Masters in Music from the SF Conservatory of Music. Her teachers include Ian Swensen, Stephane Tran Ngoc, and Ulrich Beetz. She was awarded first prize at the second International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition in Boston. Before teaching at CMC she worked as Interim violin faculty in the SFCM Prep Division. She regularly plays in local orchestras and a sonata duo.