Carol Sharar, music educator and violinist, teaches String Instrumental Techniques at Rutgers University and New York University. She served as an orchestra director, chamber music coach and string specialist for the Ridgewood (NJ) Public Schools for over 30 years. During her tenure in Ridgewood, she received the prestigious “Best Practices in Teaching” award from the New Jersey State Department of Education and was honored to receive a full year sabbatical from the Ridgewood Board of Education to research music performance styles across the United States and to further pursue her professional performing career as an improvising violinist.

Sharar has toured Japan with the acclaimed New York Symphonic Ensemble and has appeared in concert with a wide range of artists including Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett, legendary jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli, Waylon Jennings, David Wilcox and Sarah McLachlan. She also appeared as the solo violinist in CIVIL WAR on Broadway, and as a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and actress in the Off-Broadway show Oil City Symphony. Sharar has served as guest conductor for the New Jersey Region I Orchestra, and is an active member of numerous professional music education committees and organizations.

She holds an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from William Paterson University and degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Carol Sharar has been an award nominee and featured presenter for the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA) for her work addressing performance anxiety in K-12 music settings.