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ABOUT KAT

Kat began to play music at the age of eleven when she was offered a viola from the public school collection. It was love at first sight, and she has enjoyed three decades of playing since that time. She began teaching strings in 1994 and discovered the Suzuki method in 1998.

 

What inspires Kat most about the Suzuki method is the strong knit community of teachers, students, and families, the solid technical foundation built through “one point focus” and positive reinforcement, and the focus on developing a beautiful heart and soul. In the words of Dr. Suzuki, “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”

 

Kat studied viola performance at Lawrence University Music Conservatory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and pursued a Masters of Viola performance degree at Southeastern Louisiana University.  She developed her strings pedagogy and Suzuki teaching skills with Mimi Zweig of Indiana University, Rebecca Henry of the Peabody Conservatory, Doris and William Preucil of Preucil School of Music, and nationally acclaimed Suzuki teacher trainers Ed Sprunger, Marilyn O’Boyle, and Yuko Honda.

PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE

As well as maintaining a private studio, she is a lifelong learner and world music enthusiast. She enjoys studying and performing many different styles of music in addition to classical music including Argentine tango, American Old Time fiddle music, Scottish music, Mexican Tierra Caliente music and Brazilian percussion. She is currently a Boulder area freelance musician and plays in the Boulder-based samba percussion group, Bateria Alegria.


Over the years, Kat embraced many opportunities to develop programs for players young and old. A few of the arts organizations where she served as director or board member include the  New Orleans Suzuki Forum, New Orleans Youth Orchestra, Island Strings, Music Together of Whidbey Island, Whidbey Island Orchestras, Suzuki Association of Washington State, and Center for Musical Arts & Colorado Music Festival. She is currently the board president of the Suzuki Association of Colorado, and co-founder of Old Town Suzuki Teacher Association in East Boulder County.

" By encouraging listening to music and stressing good form while letting our son play the music he enjoys, Kat's helped him develop a solid sound and a love for violin and making music in general.  Playing regular recitals at community gathering places has also made performance a joy for all of us."


- ERIN  (mother of a young student)

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