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Program/Workshop

Suzuki Strings Program (3 yrs.) Little Listeners: Suzuki Early Childhood Education (Birth- 3 yrs.) Suzuki Workshop

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Suzuki Workshop 2027

Friday and Saturday, March 5-6, 2027

Clinician Biographies:

Alyssa Avery

Alyssa Avery is a versatile violinist whose work explores the intersections of jazz and improvisation, folk music, and classical traditions. She has been playing violin for two decades and holds a Bachelor’s in Music with an emphasis in Jazz Performance from Webster University. She regularly with hip-hop producer tristaño , with folk ensemble Greenwood Trio, and many diverse musical group throughout the St. Louis area. Additionally, she teaches at Jazz St Louis and previously taught fiddle classes at the Folk School Alyssa is one of the founders of the St. Louis String Collective.

Winifred Crock

In demand as a pedagogue and clinician, Winifred Crock has been the featured clinician across the country and abroad. She was the Director of Orchestras at Parkway Central High School for almost 30 years and has maintained a private violin studio in St. Louis for many decades as well. She is a graduate of SIUE, Kent State University and the Talent Education Research Institute under the tutelage of Shinichi Suzuki in Matsumoto, Japan. Winifred is a SAA teacher trainer and is certified in the Kodaly Method. She has received numerous teaching awards including the St. Louis Symphony Arts Educator Award, Missouri ASTA Private Teacher of the Year and Secondary Educator Awards, the NFHA Outstanding Music Educator of Midwest, the Singer Prize for Excellence in Secondary Teaching, and the ASTA Elizabeth Green National School Educator Award. She is the author of popular music publications including the Learning Together Series and Pattern Play for Strings. Her most recent publication is Foundations of Tone and Technique for Violin. She is dedicated to the betterment of music education for all children.

Dr. Yvonne Davila-Cortez

Yvonne Davila-Cortes is originally from Chicago and began Suzuki violin at the age of five. She attended DePaul University and received her B.M. in Music Business and Violin Performance under Joseph Genualdi. During that time, she had the opportunity to substitute with the Chicago Civic Orchestra. She received her M.M. in Violin Performance at UW-Madison under Vartan Manoogian. Dr. Davila-Cortes has appeared as a soloist at the AIMS Music Festival in Solsona, Spain and at the Rural Musicians Forum in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Dr. Davila-Cortes was a member of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and a substitute with The Madison Symphony Orchestra. She served as an Adjunct Instructor at Ripon College, conducted an elementary string orchestra in McFarland, Wisconsin and established Suzuki violin studios in both Madison and Spring Green, Wisconsin. Dr. Davila-Cortes moved to Texas to pursue her Teaching Certification and Doctorate in Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. During her time in Texas, Dr. Davila-Cortes was Orchestra Director of a middle school in Round Rock ISD. She was also the Director of the Austin Youth Concertante Orchestra. She maintained a private Suzuki studio and served on the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin String Project, for which she has served as Preschool Coordinator and Assistant Director. Dr. Davila-Cortes’ research interests focus on children’s musical development, parent education, and children’s musical achievement. Dr. Davila-Cortes has presented her research at the Suzuki of the Americas Association, American String Teachers and Texas Music Educators Association conferences.

Mu-Chi Hsieh

Mu-Chi Hsieh is a violinist and educator. She is a native of Taiwan. There she holds a Bachelor double major in Art Management and Special Education, as well as a Minor in Music. Mu-Chi received her Master degrees in Violin Performance and Conducting with an emphasis on Suzuki pedagogy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). At SIUE, she studied violin with Lenora-Marya Anop, and conducting with Michael Mishra. Mrs. Hsieh has taught violin in Taiwan for over 10 years. She has tremendous experience helping students as young as three learn how to play the violin. Mu-Chi began learning violin in Suzuki pedagogy at the age of five from her mother. Mrs. Hsieh was selected as one of the 2019-2020 Competitive Graduate Award (CGA) Winners from a highly competitive applicant pool. She conducted a research project in cooperation with Ms. Vera McCoy-Sulentic and Dr. Andrew Greenwood during her first year in the Master’s program. Mu-Chi won the 2019 SIUE music department concerto competition. Since Mu-Chi came to United States, she got the graduate degree, got married, moved to Springfield, Illinois and is now the proud mother of a daughter and a son. She has her violin/viola studio, works with the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, and plays with different orchestras around central Illinois. She is also teaching her husband Mandarin and her four-year-old daughter violin. Both prove difficult pupils if hungry and past their naptimes.

Ranya Iqbal

St. Louis cellist, Ranya Iqbal maintains a busy performance schedule and an eclectic mix of musical output. Currently, she plays full time with the 314 Quartet in local St. Louis Candlelight Concerts. She is also the principal cellist and co-founder of the conductor-less chamber orchestra, the St. Louis Chamber Soloists. She performs regularly with Union Avenue Opera, Winter Opera, the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, Stages St. Louis, and is a substitute for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. She is also a member of the Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra, St. Louis’ premiere silent film accompaniment ensemble. Additionally, she is a founding member of the Zafira String Quartet, the first and only full electric string quartet in St. Louis.

In addition to orchestral and chamber work, Ranya loves collaborating with local musicians in special concerts and on albums. She regularly records as a session cellist in many of the St. Louis recording studios and also provides remote recording work out of her personal home studio. Outside of performing, most of Ranya's time is spent working with the St. Louis String Collective, an educational non-profit she co-founded with two other St. Louis string musicians, where she teaches lessons, classes, and organizes community events. She maintains a full cello studio comprised of students ages 5-85.

Dr. Jennifer Mishra:

Jenn Mishra teaches violin and viola at the Community Music School of Webster University and through her independent studio in Edwardsville. She is pursuing Suzuki violin teacher training through the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute and SIUE. An experienced educator specializing in music learning, practice, memorization, and sightreading, she is the author of iPractice: Technology in the 21st Century Music Practice Room, published by Oxford University Press. An active freelance violist, Jenn performs regularly with the St. Louis Philharmonic, Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Landolfi String Quartet. She holds a PhD and MM in Music Education from Kent State University and a BME from the University of Northern Colorado.

Dr. Laura Shaw:

Laura Shaw is on the cello faculty of the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City, IA, and is a registered Cello Suzuki Teacher Trainer. Dr. Shaw earned her DMA from the University of Iowa, her Masters of Music from the University of Hartford, and has a BA from Luther College. Dr. Shaw is Associate Principal of the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra and has performed with numerous orchestras and chamber music groups, including Orchestra Iowa, Cedar Falls Symphony, and the Corridor Piano Trio. Dr. Shaw has been teaching for over 25 years and is in high demand as a teacher and clinician. She has taught in workshops at the UNI Cello Day, the Quincy Suzuki School, and the Wheaton College Suzuki School. She is on the faculty of the American Suzuki Institute in Steven’s Point, Wisconsin, and has been on the faculty of the Chicago Suzuki Institute. Students of Dr. Shaw have won numerous concerto competitions, including the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Concerto Competition, Fort Dodge Concerto Competition, and the Southeast Iowa Orchestra Concerto Competition. Her students have also won auditions with National Youth Orchestra and have earned first chair positions at Iowa All-State Orchestra.

Workshop Schedule:

Friday, March 5: Dunham Hall

3:30-4:30 Advanced Ensemble skills for Violins Book 5+, Violas Book 4+, and Cellos Book 4+

4:30-6:30 Masterclasses with guest clinicians for those who sign up

4:30-6:30 Teacher Symposium featuring Winifred Crock

Saturday, March 6: Founders Hall

Student classes will include Suzuki repertoire, technique, alternative styles, masterclasses, ensemble playing, music and movement (for our youngest students), and parent education, taught by our esteemed Guest Clinicians and SIUE Suzuki Teachers.

9:00-10:00 Masterclasses with guest clinicians for those who sign up

10:00-2:30 Classes for most students

10:00-12:00 PreTwinkle Classes

11:00-2:30 Classes for Violins Book 5+, Violas Book 4+, and Cellos Book 4+

2:30-4:30 Masterclasses with guest clinicians for those who sign up

Registration

Registration for workshop, masterclasses, and ordering t-shirts for students outside the SIUE Suzuki Program is here: COMING SOON

SIUE Suzuki Students do not need to register for the workshop (we'll plan on you to be there!) but DO need to follow this link to buy t-shirts or to register for Masterclasses: COMING SOON

Registration for students will close on February 10. Please email us at suzukiprogram@siue.edu if you have any questions!

Review Lists

Follow this link to access the Workshop Review List (TBA). Our more advanced students will also be asked to learn pieces from outside the Suzuki repertoire; they will be sent to you when you register.

Master Classes

Master Classes are like a short lesson with one of our guest clinicians- they are a wonderful chance to hear some new ideas, hear old ideas communicated in a new way, and have a very focused experience to bring your playing to a higher level through a piece you already know well. Master Classes will be arranged in small groups of 3-4 students in an hour, and each student will receive 15-20 minutes of the class while then observing their classmates' lessons for the rest of the time. Master Classes are not a time to learn notes to a new piece; make sure to bring a piece that is already polished so the clinician can focus on you and your playing- not notes! The extra fee for any student enrolling in a Master Class is $40.

Student Workshop Pricing

SIUE Suzuki Students: Workshop is provided at no additional cost to you if you are an SIUE Suzuki Student!
- You do not need to register if you are an SIUE Suzuki student. We'll plan for you to attend- there are no regular Saturday Classes this weekend.
- We suggest a donation of $50 per student, if you are able, to help cover our Workshop costs. You can donate through the registration link.
- All students beyond PreTwinkle receive three classes.
- PreTwinkle students will receive two classes.
- SIUE Suzuki Students DO need to let us know if they wish to buy a t-shirt or enroll in a Masterclass by following this link: COMING SOON
- Make sure to register by 2/10!
Students from other Suzuki Programs: For students outside our program, tuition for workshop is $125 ($100 only for PreTwinkle students) ($85 per student for outside teachers who send five or more students from their studio)
- All students beyond PreTwinkle receive three classes.
- PreTwinkle students will receive two classes.
- Workshop Registration and Payment is online at the following link: COMING SOON
- Make sure to register by 2/10!
Masterclasses are $40 for any student
T-shirts are $20 each for any student. SIUE Suzuki students will need to purchase a shirt if they wish to have one.

Teacher Symposium

As part of our workshop, we host a teacher symposium for the continuing education of our area teachers- and this year, thanks to Zoom, we are happy to offer it to anybody who wants to join us from wherever you live! Symposium is 4:30-6:30 on Friday, March 5.

Bring your instrument!

Winifred Crock will share her recently published book, Foundations of Tone & Technique for Violin!

Deadline to register will be February 25.

Teacher Symposium tuition is $45 for Teachers, $25 for College Students.

Teachers are also welcome to observe our classes and Masterclasses on Friday and Saturday. Let us know if you're interested and we can provide you with a schedule!

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is authorized to operate as a postsecondary educational institution by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.