A passionate advocate of mentorship, education, and accessibility, Josephine began playing viola at the age of 8 and began teaching private lessons at the age of 14, when her family lived in rural Kansas. Her first students were two young beginning violin students and an accomplished adult musician who hadn’t had lessons in ten years. She loves teaching violin and viola technique to beginners of all ages as well as advanced students, and is committed to facilitating her students’ musical and personal growth through discipline, self exploration, and artistic expression. 

Josephine Stockwell earned a BM (Bachelor of Music) from Oberlin Conservatory and an MM (Master of Music) from Northwestern University, where she was chosen to be one of Helen Callus’ Graduate Assistants and completed a year of String Pedagogy Classes with Mimi Zweig’s previous Teaching Assistant, Stacia Spencer. She has coached, mentored, and taught musicians in many different circumstances, ranging from weekly mentoring of the freshman viola class at Northwestern, to teaching private lessons and chamber music in Spanish to children in Panama, to creating community and collaboration among high school and college aged musicians around the world in her role of Student Experience Assistant Manager at the Heifetz International Music Institute’s 2020 virtual festival.

She is currently pursuing her DM (Doctorate of Music) with Li-Kuo Chang and Atar Arad at Indiana University where she plays the role of a Teaching Assistant in both studios and is minoring in Music Education. and Arts Administration.

While at Northwestern, Stockwell earned multiple credits in “Alexander Technique'' classes which she applies when coaching students in posture and the discerning use of muscle tension and release. Stockwell’s teaching philosophy is also influenced by ideas she was exposed to in multiples courses at Oberlin Conservatory, including “String Pedagogy” with Joanne Erwin, “Fit for Life for Musicians,” “Physical Wellness in Musicians’ Lives,” “Intro to Body Mapping,” and “Music and Emotion.” She is devoted to making music in a way that is sustainable for the musician, both for herself and her students. 

While Student Experience Assistant Manager for the 2020 virtual season of the Heifetz International Music Institute, Stockwell worked closely with Adam Hockman, Behavior Analyst and Learning Architect. Together they facilitated coaching sessions designed to support student musicians with goal setting, accountability, and follow through, about which she is particularly passionate.

She is also a registered Violin and Viola Book 1 Suzuki teacher.