FSI Faculty

Violin

Judy Bossuat-Gallic

Stockton, California

A 1978 graduate of Dr. Suzuki’s Matsumoto Talent Education Institute, Judy Bossuat-Gallic’s contact with Dr. Suzuki began in 1974 and continued yearly through 1990. A registered Suzuki Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and the European Suzuki Association, she has also been named an honorary member of ESA in recognition for her 16 years of pioneer work during the early days of the Suzuki Method in Europe.
Bossuat has taught violin and trained teachers for 50 years at over 400 International Conferences, Institutes and Workshops all over the world. Recently she has moved to California/New York and offers lessons and teacher training in Lodi, CA, Geneseo N.Y. and online. She continues as Master Teacher of the String Project at Sacramento State University. Past board member of the American String Teachers Association and National String Project Consortium, she also has held faculty positions at the University of the Pacific and University of Oregon.

Gretchen Grube

Chicago, Illinois

Gretchen Grube grew up as a traditional violin student in northern Wisconsin. She discovered the Suzuki method when she began studying violin performance at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Gretchen holds a B.M. in Violin Performance with Suzuki Pedagogy from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). She completed her M.M. in Violin Performance with Suzuki Pedagogy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).

Gretchen teaches at the Music Institute of Chicago and Music for Youth in the Arlington Heights District 25. In addition, she is an active clinician across the country at institutes and workshops and plays in an Irish rock band called the Gleasons.

Michael McLean

Los Angeles, California

Based in Los Angeles, California, composer and violinist Michael McLean is an internationally noted composer, violinist, and pedagogue. On the faculty of the Colburn School of Performing Arts, he teaches violin and composition while maintaining a lively career as a composer of orchestral, chamber, and film music. He received his B.M. in Violin Performance from Northwestern University where he studied violin, composition, counterpoint, and orchestration extensively. Michael also received a degree from the University of Southern California in “Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television”. Mr. McLean is a popular guest clinician at workshops and institutes throughout the country, and has been invited to teach and perform in Argentina, Singapore, Tanzania, Canada, France, Belgium, Mexico and Peru. Michael was recently asked to teach a seminar on Bach at the Juilliard School for the “Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies”. He is also an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas where he has given various sessions on violin pedagogy and Bach at the SAA’s bi-annual conferences. He has studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Yuko Honda, Barbara Barber as well as John Kendall. Founder and president of Oak Cliff Publishing, he has composed and arranged more than 100 of his compositions and has recorded four CD’s, “Care to Tango?” (with Brian Lewis and Barbara Barber), New World, Pieces and Kokoro (with Yuko Honda). His Violin Concerto, and two large scale Viola works (Viola Suite and the orchestration of Schumann’s “Marchenbilder”) were recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios with Brian Lewis and Roger Myers as the featured soloists. He is currently working on his second Violin Concerto to be recorded with Brian Lewis and the London Symphony and has recently composed the film music for an award winning documentary on the iconic American architect, Louis Sullivan. Michael loves to hike, backpack and basically be outdoors as much as possible.

Ann Montzka-Smelser

DeKalb, Illinois

Ann Montzka-Smelser is a Suzuki Student, Teacher, Parent and Suzuki Teacher Trainer. In between receiving her Bachelors of Music Education and Masters in Performance and Pedagogy at Northern Illinois University, Ann studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki at the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan.

Ann has performed in many orchestras and ensembles and is currently principal 2nd violinist with Camerata Chicago and concertmaster of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Ann is on the music faculty at Northern Illinois University and teaches Suzuki Pedagogy at both Northwestern and Roosevelt University.

Ann is Director of the NIU CSA Suzuki Strings Program and teacher at the Music Institute of Chicago. Ann maintains a studio of 40 violin and viola students and enjoys working with Suzuki families at festivals in Lima, Peru, Singapore, Mexico, Costa Rica and throughout the U.S. Ann lives in DeKalb, IL with her husband, Linc. Their Suzuki-raised children, Benjamin and Genevieve, are both pursuing careers in music.

Lucy Shaw

Seattle, Washington

Lucy Shaw is an active performer, Suzuki teacher and clinician currently based in the Seattle, WA area. A native of Nova Scotia, Canada, she received her Bachelor degree Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada, and her Master of Music in Violin Performance at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Important musical influences include Sergiu Luca, Francis Chaplin, Sydney Harth and Jean-Jacques Kantorow. For eighteen years Lucy was owner/director of the Village Violin School in Houston where she was an active member of the Houston Area Suzuki Strings Association. She was violin coordinator for the Suzuki Association of the America’s 2008 National Conference and served on the SAA Board of Directors 2011-2014. As a guest teacher and clinician Lucy has taught at Workshops and Institutes in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and throughout the continental United States. Lucy currently maintains a private studio in Redmond, WA.

Nicolette Solomon-van Wyk

Dripping Springs, Texas

Nicolette Solomon is the Director of the Monticello Talent Education School of Music. She was the Executive Director and President of the Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas for 20 years and has taught violin, viola, chamber music and conducted string orchestras for over 40 years.

Ms. Solomon was born in Laingsburg, South Africa, to musician parents In 1975 she played at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Scotland and has twice toured Europe as well as and performed in Israel and Taiwan She has also been an Adjudicator/Examiner for music competitions and examinations in South Africa and the USA. Ms. Solomon founded and directed the Solomon Suzuki School in Johannesburg, South Africa, which was the first Suzuki Music School in Africa.

Nicolette Solomon obtained a Bachelor of Music (Honors) and Higher Education Diploma (Post Graduate) at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her violin pedagogy training continued with Christophe Bossuat at the Ecole Suzuki in Lyon, France. Nicolette studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki at the Talent Education Research Institute in Matsumoto, Japan in 1992. During that time, she taught at a private studio in Nagano City, Japan and at Shinshu University.

In 1994, Ms. Solomon played in the Eduard Melckus Baroque Ensemble. She has taught at workshops and Institutes in South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and throughout the USA and Central America. Her studio in Dripping Springs comprises of violinists and violists ranging from 4 year old beginners to College level students. She is married to Carl van Wyk, has 2 adult children and two grandchildren, Leonardo and Julia. She loves gardening, architecture, hiking, film, reading, art, food and wines.

Viola

Lucy Shaw

Seattle, Washington

Ann Montzka-Smelser

DeKalb, Illinois

Cello

Elizabeth Mikhael

Fox Island, Washington

Cellist ELIZABETH MIKHAEL made her Carnegie Hall debut as soloist with Pinchas Zuckerman and the Manhattan School of Music’s Chamber Sinfonia and was a Fellow for three consecutive summers at the Tanglewood Music Center. Awarded the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Karl Zeise Memorial Cello Prize, Ms. Mikhael holds degrees from the University of Southern California, the Manhattan School of Music’s distinguished Orchestral Performance Program, and the Universität der Künste Berlin as a Fellowship recipient from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Highlight solo performances include sold-out classical recitals in New York’s Carnegie Hall and Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes with pianist Santiago Piñeirúa and with Vox Anima London under the baton of James Meaders at Southwark Cathedral. Ms. Mikhael toured the US with Rez Abbasi’s star-studded jazz band, Invocation, and is featured on his album “Unfiltered Universe” with Rudresh Manahthappa, Vijay Iyer, Johannes Weidenmueller, and Dan Weiss.

Equally at home as both a performer and teacher, Ms. Mikhael completed her Suzuki Teacher Training at the School for Strings in New York City with Pamela Devenport and has studied Suzuki pedagogy with Allen Lieb, Carey Beth Hockett, Carey Cheney and Gilda Barston. She has taught at workshops and institutes internationally. After eight years as a faculty member at the School for Strings in New York City, Ms. Mikhael maintains a private studio in Washington. She serves as a board member for the Suzuki Association of Washington State.

Mary Walters

Seattle, Washington

Mary Walters teaches a thriving cello studio in Seattle, Washington. Prior to moving to Seattle, she taught at the Music Institute of Chicago. Mary has been a guest clinician at many institutes including the Chicago Suzuki Institute, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, San Diego Suzuki Institute, Hawaii Suzuki Institute, Alaska Cello Intensive, as a teaching assistant at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and more. In 2018, Mary directed the first cello choir ever gathered at the Suzuki Association of the Americas conference. Mary earned her master’s degree in cello performance and pedagogy from Northern Illinois University, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon Honors College. She has been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Northwest Indiana Symphony. Mary has also performed frequently with the Seattle Symphony, and as a recording studio musician has played on dozens of Hollywood film, television, commercial, and video game soundtracks.

Flute

Noelle Perrin-Bryson

Hackensack, New Jersey

Noelle Perrin-Bryson is founder of the FluteStars®️ Music Studio and director of the Suzuki Flute Program at Thurnauer School of Music. She is a certified Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and the Asia Region Suzuki Organization. In 2016 she had the pleasure of training 12 music teachers at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. She has been guest flute clinician for many additional music institutes including the Cedros International Music Festival, Colorado Suzuki Institute, Boston Flute Institute, and McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. Noelle was also the 2008 Flute Coordinator for the Suzuki Association of the Americas National Teachers Conference in Minneapolis, MN and was accepted into the Professional Flute Choir performing during the 2009 National Flute Convention in New York City. Ms. Perrin has extensive formal teaching experience as well as Dalcroze, Suzuki, and Montessori training. Her students perform widely and have won competitions across the country such as MTNA, NJMTA, Mid-Atlantic Music Teachers Guild and NYFC Young Musicians Competition. Noelle’s many flute choir arrangements have been performed globally including a recent concert in Finland of 94 flutists performing “The Fireflies Chronicles”. She holds a Master’s Degree in flute performance from Manhattan School of Music, Diploma from the Nice Conservatoire, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Noelle made her New York City Solo Debut at Weille Recital Hall in 1994 sponsored by Artists International. She presently enjoys performing and teaching throughout the United States and abroad.

Guitar

Stephen Bondy

Denver, Colorado

Stephen Bondy is an active Suzuki Guitar teacher in Denver Colorado. He runs a full studio, is regularly asked to teach at Suzuki workshops across the country. He also runs his own local workshop every winter for Suzuki Guitar students in the area and beyond. Praised for his powerful and passionate playing, it is teaching where he is strongest. He enjoys every stage of teaching, from the exciting beginnings of the pre-Twinkle levels, to the interesting and sometimes complicated middle school years, and into the rewarding high school years.

Mr. Bondy’s students have twice won ensemble performance opportunities at the Guitar Foundation of America competition and conference, the most prestigious guitar gathering in North America. He is so excited to have been asked back to the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute!

William Kossler

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

William Kossler is a guitarist of uncommon ability in demand internationally as both a teacher and performer. He holds a MM in Guitar Performance from the University of South Carolina where he studied with Christopher Berg. William has placed as a finalist in regional and national competitions and received positive reviews for his compelling performances. He has conducted Long Term Artist Residencies with both the South Carolina and Tennessee Arts Commissions, and as a recipient of a Rotary International Scholarship spent a year in Japan studying with pedagogue Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. A co-author of the Suzuki Guitar Method and Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Mr. Kossler has conducted pedagogy workshops for guitarists throughout the United States, South America, Canada, Europe, and Australia. He currently teaches guitar as the director of the Winston Salem Suzuki School and has served on the North Carolina Arts Council’s Touring Artists Directory as a performer on the guitar, lute, and vihuela. William performs in solo and various ensemble settings, including with his three sons who are also accomplished guitarists. His oldest son Adam was appointed Professor of Guitar Studies at Appalachian State University in the fall of 2022. Middle son Sam is a multi-instrumentalist and performs with various artists out of Nashville Tennessee. Youngest son John is an accountant and also performs with his brother Adam as the Kossler Duo. In 2019, the Kossler Duo released their first album titled Danse Macabre, a collection of their own new transcriptions for guitar duo. The recording debuted at #2 on Billboard’s “Traditional Classical” chart, and #7 on Billboard’s “Classical Albums” chart.

Dalcroze Eurhythmics

Lauren Hodgson

Cleveland, Ohio

Lauren Hodgson teaches solfège and Dalcroze Eurhythmics to undergraduate music majors at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music, piano improvisation, solfège, and pedagogy classes for teachers seeking Dalcroze certification at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies (DSR) as well as classes for children at the BW Community Arts School. She has taught Dalcroze classes at Suzuki institutes in Kentucky, Utah, and Alaska, as well as for pre-college students at the BW Conservatory Summer Institute and future Dalcroze educators at the DSR Dalcroze Academy, as well as collaborating with organizations such as The Music Settlement and the Broadway School of the Arts to lead classes for underserved and vulnerable populations in Cleveland.

Lauren is an active clinician, with recent presentations and workshops at the NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education Conference, the Ohio Music Educators Association Conference, the Dalcroze Society of America National Conference, and the International Conference of Dalcroze Studies. She holds an M.A. in Music Education (Case Western Reserve University) B.M. in Piano Performance (Baldwin Wallace University) and the Dalcroze License from the Dalcroze School of the Rockies. She serves on the board of trustees and professional development committee of the Dalcroze Society of America, chairs the DSA’s National Events Committee, and enjoys co-hosting the podcast “The New Dalcrozian,” which reaches international audiences.

Rhythm Revolution

Sandra Clark

Fairbanks, Alaska

Sandy Clark has been teaching music in the Fairbanks schools for 43 years, first as a full-time band director for 23 years, then as a substitute teacher in band, orchestra, choir and general music after retiring. During that time she also served as an adjunct instructor in music education at the University of Alaska for three years. Currently she works in the FNSB School District teacher mentor program.

Chamber Music

Yue Sun

Fairbanks, Alaska

Ms. Sun has performed recitals and concerts throughout America, Europe, and Asia at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Konzerthaus Berlin, the Sanders Theater at Harvard and Shanghai Concert Hall. She was selected as the concertmaster and associate concertmaster for the Latin GRAMMY® Award Orchestra of the Americas and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra. Christoph Eschenbach praised her as “a rare talent of roaring flame and infectious passion.” In January 2017, her DVD album “Passion” for 8 premiers of Chinese solo violin works was released by Shanghai Audio and Video Publishing House. Shortly after, the album was published by Shanghai Music House with the sheet music, and the CD version of her album was distributed globally in the United States by Skillman Music in January 2018.

Ms. Sun graduated from Stony Brook University with a Doctorate of Music Arts, and earned her Master of Music from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Ida Kavafian on full scholarship. Ms. Sun is a member of DEKA String Quartet. With the quartet, she has been closely mentored by the Emerson String Quartet and David Finckel for the past half decade. Since the fall of 2019, her quartet has serve as Artists-in-Residence through the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government. Ms. Sun played with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra from 2019 to 2022, immediately after, she was appointed as tenure-tracked assistant professor in upper strings of University of Alaska Fairbanks and director of the Northern Light String Orchestra. She is also the concertmaster of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra. In her spare time, she loves to cook and compose.

Pianists

Suzanne McBride-Ruedy

Fairbanks, Alaska

Suzanne McBride-Ruedy is a piano instructor and accompanist from North Pole Alaska. She is the owner and sole proprietor of Suzanne McBride-Ruedy’s Piano Teaching and Accompanying.

She received her B.M. degree, with an emphasis in piano performance from UAF in Dec 2004, under the instruction of Dr Eduard Zilberkant. She furthered her studies in music and received her M.A. degree also from UAF, with an emphasis in piano performance, accompanying and instruction, in May 2012.

She has been teaching piano for approximately 35 years and currently teaches 62 piano students. She currently accompanies at University Baptist Church, Fairbanks Symphony Chorus, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute and UAF Summer Music Academy.

Suzanne loves being a positive role model and mentor to her students to help them achieve excellence and success.

Her husband Mark is her greatest supporter and she loves spending her free time with him, her children and grandchildren.

Evelina Savonin

Delta Junction, Alaska

Evelina Savonin is pursuing a Master of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Alaska Fairbanks under the direction of Dr. Eduard Zilberkant. She completed a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Performance in Piano at UAF in 2021. Before returning to UAF to continue her studies, Evelina has been actively teaching private students of various ages and abilities to play the piano and has been accompanying a local church choir and the community choir in Delta Jct. She is an active member of MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) and a local member of IAKT (Interior Alaska Keyboard Teachers). During the 2022-2023 school year, she has been teaching Functional Piano I-IV classes as well as Class Piano courses at UAF. Evelina is excited to work for the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute as an accompanist.

James Spontak

Fairbanks, Alaska

James Spontak has had a broad and varied musical background. He has studied both piano and trombone at the collegiate level. He began studying piano in his hometown of Chicago and continued his studies here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has served as accompanist for the Fairbanks Suzuki Strings program for more than 25 years and the Aurora Women’s Chorale since its inception. In addition, he currently is accompanist for the Northland Youth Choir and the recently formed Borealis Men’s Chorale. He teaches piano privately and serves as accompanist for many students in Fairbanks.