Mary Vanorny is a fiddler, violinist and educator with a diverse background in both classical and traditional fiddle music. She began her musical studies through the Suzuki Violin Method, training with John Reed and Emily Campbell, where she developed a strong technical foundation. Alongside her classical training, she was immersed in the rich traditions of Cape Breton, Irish, and American fiddle music through family connections in Minnesota and Nova Scotia, as well as through festivals, camps, and concerts across the United States, Canada, Scotland, and Ireland.

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Mary furthered her study of Irish music under the guidance of esteemed New York fiddler Brian Conway, and trained in Irish step dancing with Rince na Chroi. In 2015, she joined the faculty of the Center for Irish Music in St. Paul, where she currently teaches fiddle and ensembles, along with programming for CIM summer camps and Minnesota Irish Music Weekend’s Teen/Trad Immersion camps. Mary is deeply committed to fostering both technical development and musical connection in her students. She is passionate about helping students engage with the broader musical community through shared learning and performance.

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In addition to her teaching, Mary has appeared as a guest artist at camps and festivals throughout the country. She performed as lead fiddler for Brass Lassie for over 10 years, and continues to play in the Kickin’ It Irish Band, Two Tap Trio, and in collaboration with her longtime musical partner John McCormick as the Tune Pals. She is the founder of the all-female MNáFiddlers ensemble and serves as director of several camps including the Irish Fiddle for Violinists Camp in St. Paul MN, and Headwaters Fiddle Camp in Bemidji MN

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With the creation of LFIM, Mary has developed a unique approach that mirrors the skills and techniques introduced in the Suzuki Method with a special focus on skills needed for Irish fiddling.  Like the Suzuki Method, music is taught in an immersive way, and there is a heavy emphasis on learning music by ear.