Suzuki Summer Institute
Suzuki Guitar & Piano Institute
The Suzuki Institute offers masterclasses, group classes and performance opportunities for piano and guitar students, and teacher training sessions. Students experience musical growth through stimulating teaching from our excellent faculty, the motivating presence of their peers, and the nurturing support of their parents. The week’s inspiration can invigorate the children’s musical studies throughout the year.
Summer 2025 Schedule: Monday, July 21 – Friday, July 25
Who May Attend
- Suzuki piano and guitar students of all ages. Students must have completed the Twinkle Variations.
- Students under 12 must attend with a parent or responsible adult.
- Classes will include 3-5 of the below offerings:
- Instrument Specific Applied Study
- Guitar Ensemble
- Theory/Reading Skills
- Music History, Composition
- Improvisation
- Master Classes
- Performance classes
- Suzuki Group
- Movement classes
Class Offerings 9 courses shown
Important Course Information
All student classes are in person. The registration deadline is June 18, 2025. Refunds will not be issued after July 7, 2025. MacPhail may cancel classes if enrollment is insufficient. Please enroll by June 18 so we do not cancel a course you want to take. If a course is canceled due to insufficient enrollment, you will be notified by June 26. If you choose to purchase a non-refundable plane ticket before June 18, MacPhail will not be liable.
Questions?
Contact Susan Sophocleus, Institute Coordinator, at [email protected]
Guest Faculty
Yumy Lee Kim
Yumy Lee Kim, a Korean pianist born and raised in Germany, made her debut with the Hamburger Sinfonietta at the age of 15 at the Laeiszhalle Hamburg. She appeared at various German TV and radio stations and was accepted at the age of 16 at the prestigious preparatory division of the University of Music in Luebeck. After receiving diplomas in piano performance, piano pedagogy, and a post-graduate performance certificate in Germany, she finished her studies at Northwestern University with a doctoral degree (DMA) in Piano Performance as a scholarship recipient of the Dorothy L. Pound Award. Dr. Kim performed as soloist with the Hamburger Sinfonietta, Hildesheim Philharmonie and Ahrensburg Orchestra and performed in Germany, Spain, Hungary, Swiss, Denmark, South Korea and the U.S. Being a devoted and passionate educator as well, she currently serves as faculty member at DePaul University (CMD) and the Music Institute of Chicago.
Sara Stephens Kotrba
Sara Stephens Kotrba earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She has studied with Doris Harrel, Betty Mallard, David Renner, Kiyoshi Tamagawa, Sophia Gilmson and Amanda Vick Lethco. She has been teaching Suzuki Piano since 1990. She is especially dedicated to her Suzuki families, helping nurture their love of music through creative practice tools and musical ideas. She is a past president of the Twin Cities Suzuki Piano Teacher’s Guild. She has taught at workshops around the country, including the Heart of Texas Suzuki Institute, the Houston Suzuki Piano Institute and the Colorado Suzuki Institute. She has twice presented at the National Suzuki Conference where her students were also invited to perform in master classes.
David Madsen
David Madsen founded what is now the Hartt Suzuki Guitar Program in ‘90. He is the Chair of the Guitar and Harp Dept. of the Community Division at the Hartt School of Music. He became a registered Teacher Trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2000, and has conducted training courses throughout North America and in Peru and Argentina. Mr. is a member of the SAA Guitar Committee. David teaches the Suzuki Pedagogy courses for the first long term training program in the country for Suzuki guitar at the University of Hartford.