Meet Blerina Foto – Wiingy’s consistency champion violin tutor
By Wiingy on Apr 09, 2026
Updated Apr 09, 2026
In this article
Blerina Foto · Violin Tutor · Toronto, Canada
Part of the Wiingy Tutor Spotlight Series – where we go beyond the profile page and introduce you to the real people behind your lessons.
Some tutors teach because it’s a job. Others teach because it’s who they are. Blerina Foto is firmly in the second camp.
Originally from Albania, now based in Toronto, Canada, Blerina has spent over a decade showing up for her students with the kind of quiet, unwavering dedication that earns a title like Consistency Champion. She’s a performing violinist with Orchestra Toronto, a Master’s student in Global Business Management, and a mother of two – and somehow, she still never misses a lesson.
She sat down with us to talk about what consistency really means, why violin is a long journey worth taking, and the eight-year-old student who asked her the funniest question she’s ever heard.
Who is Blerina Foto?
Blerina holds a Bachelor’s in Music Performance from the University of Arts in Tirana, Albania – where she was born, raised, and built the foundation of her entire career. She brought that expertise to Canada and hasn’t stopped growing since. She currently performs with Orchestra Toronto while simultaneously pursuing a postgraduate degree and raising a family.
Her approach to teaching covers everything from classical to modern repertoire, and her philosophy is as straightforward as it gets: keep practicing. Not because it’s easy, but because that’s the only thing that actually works.
The interview
Beyond being a Wiingy tutor, who are you in real life?
“I’m a violinist currently performing with Orchestra Toronto, and at the same time a student pursuing my Master’s degree in Global Business Management here in Canada. I’m also a mother of two and a happy wife – I try to balance family and work life as much as I can. I’m originally from Albania, where I was born, raised, educated, and began my professional career. I learned everything I know there and became who I am today. I’m happy to bring that experience here to Canada and continue to grow.”
Take us back to your first Wiingy lesson – were you calm or in full “please don’t let the WiFi crash” panic mode?
“I was a little nervous, but not panicked – I’d done online lessons before. The real challenge was winning the student’s trust. The internet was also a concern because it’s something we can’t always control, and I had my fingers crossed about that. But fortunately, everything went smoothly.”
How has teaching 500+ lessons changed you as a person?
“Teaching online differs from teaching in person in many ways. Through this experience, I’ve become more organized and intentional in how I structure my lessons. I’ve also learned to be clearer and more precise in my explanations, ensuring students can fully understand the concepts even without physical presence. It’s strengthened my communication skills and helped me become a more thoughtful and effective teacher overall.”
The secret behind her consistency
Blerina has taught over 500 lessons on Wiingy. We had to ask – what’s the secret?
“Consistency comes from commitment and responsibility. Because I care about my work and my students, I just keep showing up – and of course, they keep showing up too. I love what I do. That’s why I’m consistent in every class.”
No complicated system. No motivation hack. Just genuine care for her students, showing up every single time.
What’s one small moment that made you feel like, “This is why I teach”?
“There are many moments like that – students make improvement all the time, so it’s a feeling that comes naturally to me. But recently, one of my student’s mothers sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you for bringing her to this level.’ That moment was incredibly rewarding.”
What are your top tips for students who want to improve faster?
“I have some tips: keep practicing, keep practicing, and, the last one, keep practicing. The more you practice, the faster you’ll improve.”
“Keep practicing, keep practicing, and, the last one, keep practicing.” – Blerina Foto
What’s your trick for making boring topics interesting?
“I usually share stories from my own experience, and sometimes I try to make them funny. I want students to feel like they’re not alone in this journey. I’ll admit that things can be boring or difficult, and I want them to understand that’s totally normal. After I share my experience, I see that they feel better.”
If your teaching journey was a movie, what would the title be?
“‘Surviving Students: A True Story.’ Because I have many students who are bravely surviving the challenging journey of learning violin. I’d like to celebrate them with this movie title, because it really is a true story – trying to survive the long and difficult journey of learning violin.”
What kind of student were you – top scorer, last-minute procrastinator, or somewhere in between?
“I definitely wasn’t a last-minute procrastinator – I get anxious when I leave things until the last minute. I’d say I was more of a top scorer because I always tried to do my best at school.”
On AI and learning
Blerina’s take on AI was the most clear-cut of anyone we’ve interviewed.
“AI isn’t really related to learning a musical instrument, so we don’t use it in our lessons. It’s not really the case here.”
And on lesson planning? Pure experience, no shortcuts.
“With my long experience in teaching, I don’t feel like I need AI to plan lessons. I already have everything in my mind. In this case, I trust myself more than AI.”
The story that says everything about her as a teacher
Every tutor has a moment that stops them in their tracks. For Blerina, it came from an eight-year-old.
“One of my students, she was about 8 years old – asked me, completely sincerely, ‘What’s the fastest and shortest way to learn violin in one month?’ That was unexpected because we all know violin is a long journey. You can’t learn it in a short time. But she was so genuine about it.”
The fact that Blerina laughs about it rather than being frustrated tells you everything about how she sees her students.
Rapid fire with Blerina
| Strict or Chill? | Strict |
| Coffee first or Class first? | Class first |
| Planner or Improviser? | Planner |
| Handwritten notes or Typed notes? | Handwritten |
| Googled something mid-class? | Yes |
| Early bird or Night owl? | Early bird |
| Homework: Essential or Optional? | Essential |
| Movie or Reading? | Movie |
| Life’s warning label? | “Enjoy the music, and of course, practice a little bit.” |
10 seconds to convince you
We gave Blerina ten seconds. Here’s what she said:
“If you want to play the violin and actually enjoy it, join my class. I make learning fun, practical, and rewarding from the very first lesson.”
Ready to learn violin with Blerina?
If you’re looking for an online violin tutor who brings real performance experience, genuine warmth, and the kind of steady commitment that gets students results – Blerina is your person. Whether you’re picking up the violin for the first time or working toward a specific goal, she’ll meet you where you are and keep you moving forward.
Book a lesson with Blerina Foto
Explore more spotlights in our Consistency Champion series, or browse all Wiingy tutors to find your perfect match.
Apr 09, 2026
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