MA Suzuki Festival 2024
Clinician Bios

Daniel Gee Cordova is founder and director of the Austin Suzuki Music School. He has studied the Suzuki Method in Violin, Viola and Suzuki Early Childhood Education extensively with a broad scope of teachers. He holds degrees from the Crane School of Music - SUNY Potsdam and the University of Texas at Austin. In May 2012, Daniel was awarded the Suzuki Association of the America (SAA) Certificate of Achievement, a recognition given to teachers that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to excellence in their teaching. Since 2020, Daniel has been a registered Teacher Trainer of the SAA working to provide professional development to teachers wanting to learn and teach the Suzuki Method in the Western Hemisphere.

     Daniel is an active clinician giving presentations at National Conferences as well as guest teacher at workshops around the country. He has presented his work at numerous conferences including at the Suzuki Association of the Americas, American String Teachers Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Director's Association. Daniel has also been featured as guest conductor for Texas Region orchestras.

     In the summers, Daniel serves a Director for the Greater Austin Suzuki Institute and has been on faculty for Suzuki Institutes around the country including the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute in UT, the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute, the Ozark Suzuki Institute, Acadiana Suzuki Institute, Ithaca Suzuki Institute, Northern California Suzuki Institute, Los Angeles Suzuki Institute, Ithaca Suzuki Institute, and the Chicago Suzuki Institute.

     Daniel performs equally as a violinist and violist, serving as Assistant Principal Viola with the Austin Opera. Mr. Gee Cordova previously served as Orchestra Director at Chisholm Trail Middle School in Round Rock ISD from 2009-2019 infusing the Suzuki approach to students within the public school system.

     Outside of teaching and performing, Daniel enjoys spending time with his husband Jerry and their son Liam who is embarking on his journey as a Suzuki cello student.

Sarah Smale attended the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she received a BA  (honors) in viola performance, continuing postgraduate work at the Guildhall School of  Music and Drama in London, gaining the Postgraduate Diploma. Her musical education eventually took her to the Hartt School where she studied with, and was the assistant to, the  Emerson String Quartet and obtained her MM in viola performance. Ms. Smale has won several awards, including the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire string quartet scholarship  and the Herbert Lumby Viola prize. Her experience includes numerous concerts and  seminars with talented quartets and orchestras including: Takacs Quartet, European  Chamber Orchestra, Russian National Ballet. Ms. Smale has also played with various  ensembles as principal viola, recorded television and radio for work for the BBC and Radio Suisse. She also performs with the Orchestre des Jardins Musicaux in Switzerland, where she is guest principal viola. She regularly performs with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal and guest principal viola. Sarah is currently the Associate Director at the Suzuki Music Schools in Westport, CT and Director of the White Mountain Suzuki  Institute in New Hampshire. She is a frequent guest teacher at educational workshops and Suzuki Institutes around the country.

Blake Brasch is the Suzuki cello specialist and Suzuki cello program coordinator at the Hartt Community Division of the University of Hartford. Director of the Chicago Suzuki Institute. Prior to locating in CT, Blake Brasch was on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago in 1996 where was a Suzuki Cello teacher for over 20 years.

     He is a frequent clinician at Suzuki institutes and workshop throughout the US and Canada and has presented at several SAA conferences. His students have been selected to participate in masterclasses and Orchestras at the SAA conference in MN, to be principal players in area high schools, the Midwest Young Artists Orchestra, CT Youth Symphony, and regional district and statewide orchestras in CT and IL. He has had many students place in many regional music competitions including the Society of American Musicians, Hartford Musical Club, CYS Concerto Competitions, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, American Chamber Orchestra, Hamden Symphony and others. A Suzuki kid and parent, Blake is firm believer in Dr. Suzuki’s message that in a loving and nurturing environment every child will develop ability.

     Blake Studied with Alan Harris The Cleveland Institute of Music and Mark Schroeder at Ohio University. Pre-college teachers: Carol Tarr and Gilda Barston.

Pablo Issa is an active cellist in the Hartford, Connecticut area. He serves as the principal cellist of the Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra; he is a member of 1200 HorseHairs, a cello quartet; and cellist of the Azul String Quartet.

     Mr. Issa also performs chamber music and teaches internationally. He appears throughout the United States, South America and Europe.

     As an educator, Mr. Issa received Long-Term Suzuki Training at the School for Strings in New York City where he studied with Pamela Devenport. He has also received Suzuki pedagogy training from Carey Cheney, Nancy Hair, Blake Brasch and Tanya Carey. Currently, he teaches Suzuki and traditional cello at The Hartt School Community Division and at the Atlanta Suzuki Institute in the summers. Mr. Issa co-directs the Hartt Suzuki Institute which takes places at the en of July at the University of Hartford.

     He has attended Interlochen Arts Academy and holds degrees from Baldwin Wallace University and The Hartt School. His education was possible thanks to *Fundación Arnoldo Schwimmer* from his native country of Bolivia.

Cellist Miriam Bolkosky is a Performer, Teacher, Coach, Alexander Technique teacher, and registered Yoga teacher.  She appears nationally as an orchestral and chamber musician, is the cellist with the Radius Ensemble, and has performed extensively with orchestras in Boston, New York, D.C., and Chicago. 

     A graduate of the University of Michigan and the Cleveland Institute of Music, Miriam maintains a large private cello studio, teaches the Alexander Technique at the Longy School in Cambridge, MA, and has held cello faculty positions at Northwestern University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. 

     Her decades of teaching revealed a need for more in depth conversations with parents, and led to the creation of Practice in Harmony™.  Miriam now coaches parents, executives, and professionals, helping them realize their personal and professional potential, and navigate their most important relationships.  

Rachel Fabulich is a registered Suzuki Viola, Violin, and Early Childhood Education teacher, as well as a former Suzuki student and a current Suzuki parent. She is the director of Suzuki MetroWest, and teaches at the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory School, in Boston, MA.  

     An avid Suzuki teacher, Ms. Fabulich has been a clinician at programs, institutes, and workshops around the country. She was a viola coordinator for the Suzuki Association of the Americas 2014 and 2016 Conferences and has served on the board of directors for the Suzuki Music Association of California, Los Angeles.  She has additionally been on the faculties of the Pasadena Conservatory of Music and Westridge School in Pasadena, CA, as well as the Music Institute of Chicago.  As a performer Rachel enjoys playing in the viola section of the Wellesley Symphony and with her chamber group, Trio Pastorale.  She has enjoyed playing on stages across North America, Europe, and Japan. 

     Ms. Fabulich has a Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance with a concentration in Music in Education from the New England Conservatory of Music.  She earned a double Master of Music degree from Northwestern University School of Music in viola performance and string pedagogy.  Rachel’s primary teachers have been Roland Vamos, Marcus Thompson, Lewis Rosove, and Ann Montzka-Smelser.  

     Rachel currently resides in Framingham, Massachusetts, with her husband and their three children.

Laura Williamson is a string player in the Boston area. She received a masters degree from New England Conservatory following her undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University. Her most influential teachers include Aaron Janse, Kathryn Plummer, and Marcus Thompson. Laura can be heard performing around Boston with the Eureka Ensemble, Cape Ann Symphony, and others. 

     Laura began her graduate studies at New England Conservatory in 2016 and in her second year joined the faculty of NEC’s Preparatory School where she teaches private violin and viola lessons, violin ensembles, and Suzuki Early Childhood Education. She has taken teacher training with Judy Bossuat-Gallic, Teri Einfeldt, Carol Smith, Kirsten Marshall, and Lynn McCall. While at NEC Laura studied pedagogy under Magdalena Richter. Having graduated with her Masters in 2018, Laura endeavors to prioritize working with young musicians for the duration of her career, and to be a “life-long learner” in furthering her pedagogical awareness. In addition to her private studio, Laura teaches at Suzuki Metro West and New England Conservatory Preparatory School.

David Madsen founded what is now the Hartt Suzuki Guitar Program in '90. He is the Suzuki Guitar Coordinator for the Community Division at the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. David graduated with a BM in guitar performance from the University of Connecticut and has since studied with David Leisner and Pepe Romero. His Suzuki guitar training has been with Bill Kossler and Frank Longay, and he has also trained with Lynn McCall in Suzuki Early Childhood Education. He became the 3rd registered Teacher Trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2000 and has conducted courses throughout North America and in Italy, Singapore, Peru, Puerto Rico and Argentina. Mr. Madsen is a member of the SAA Guitar Committee, and he is a
former member of the Board of Directors for the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
    In 2008 he was invited to direct the Advanced Ensemble at the 1st International Suzuki Guitar Festival in Santa Cruz, CA, and he was also invited to direct the Guitar Ensembles at the SAA conferences in 2014, 2016 and 2018. David received a “Creating Learning Community” award in 2014 for his work in producing “The Sound of Success” video for the SAA, an informative video about the Suzuki guitar method.

Brazilian-born tenor and pianist IGOR FERREIRA received his master’s degree in Piano  Performance from the University of Hartford, under tutelage of Prof. David Westfall and Prof.  Frederic Chiu. He was featured in the Brazilian TV show Segunda Musical on TV ALMG in the  years of 2008, 2009 and 2011, which was recorded live at the Teatro da Assembléia Legislativa  de Minas Gerais, in Brazil. He performed as a pianist in many venues and festivals, including the  inaugural concert of the Oficina de Artes Narcio Rodrigues, a new integrated cultural space in  the city of Itapagipe, Brazil. Also, he played on the 90th birthday recital of one of the Brazil’s  most acclaimed composers, Edino Krieger (1928-2022), with the honor of having the composer  in the audience.  

     As a lyrical tenor, Mr. Ferreira was a soloist for the Hartt Symphony Orchestra and Hartt Choirs, the Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Choir, and the CRESCENDO Chorus and Orchestra. He served as the section leader of the Hartt Chamber Chorale. He was a tenured member of the prestigious Coral Lírico de Minas Gerais (CLMG), which is the professional symphony/opera choir of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, housed in the Palácio das Artes alongside the state’s orchestra, the Orquestra Sinfônica de Minas Gerais (OSMG). He has performed in many operatic  super-productions including Carmen, Lucia de Lammermoor, Porgy and Bess, La Traviata,  Rigoletto, Der Fliegender Holländer, Norma, L’Elisir d’Amore, Il Guarany and many others.

     This diversity in formation has made Mr. Ferreira an accomplished teacher, who held a private piano studio for 15 years. Some of his students have been awarded in Brazil and internationally.  Many of them were accepted in top-rated Brazilian universities, being placed first in some of the admission processes.

     As a member of the Suzuki Association of Americas, he has been certified in Suzuki Teacher Training with Prof. Sachiko Isihara. Recently, he was the Piano Clinician of the 2023 Green Mountain Suzuki Institute, in  Rochester, VT, and at 2022 Hartt Suzuki Institute for the Summer at the University of Hartford, where he served as faculty. Currently, he is a piano faculty at the Suzuki Music Schools, in Westport, CT.

Ann Bundy served as Principal Flute with the U.S. Coast Guard Band, and has had the privilege of performing for dignitaries including the President of the United States as well as the King of England. During her time as Principal flute with the Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles, she was fortunate enough to play under the baton of Zubin Mehta, John Williams, Danny Elfman, Elmer Bernstein, Bobby McFerrin, and Merv Griffin. Ann has shared the stage with Eric Idle (Monty Python), Michael Crawford (Phantom of the Opera), and Jodi Benson (Little Mermaid), as well as Sir James Galway at his 60th birthday celebration in London. She was a Yamaha Young Performing Artist and has been an invited soloist with orchestras and ensembles throughout North America. She has been a featured musician on National Public Radio and is a founding member of Trio Pastorale.  In addition to performing and teaching, she does the final voicing of flutes for one of the oldest flutemakers in the country.

Folk Baroque explores the counterpoint and connections between Baroque music and traditional music from around the world.  We perform on period instruments (fiddle, Baroque viola, and Baroque 'cello) and share music old and new, from a variety of traditions. Our concerts offer up anything from Bach to ragtime, and centuries-old fiddle tunes to our own compositions. We love sharing with the audience about the music we play, and discovering how our own musical roots connect with those of listeners.

     Folk Baroque was a featured chamber ensemble of Classical Uprising's 2023 Portland Bach Festival, with sold-out concerts throughout Southern Maine. Other recent performances include the SwitchArts chamber music series in Rhode Island. Please follow our performance calendar, available at emilyrideout.net.

     Joy Grimes, Baroque violin / fiddle, is a versatile performer and teacher of violin and viola. Highlights of her performing career include touring Japan with Cambridge Concentus, serving as principal violist of the Orchestra of the Southern Tier, and touring Ireland with band West O'Clare. Joy is an established violin and viola instructor, has extensive background in Suzuki Method, and holds degrees from Southern Illinois University and Boston University. 

     Emily Rideout, Baroque viola, enjoys an active and varied performing career, on both modern and Baroque viola. She has appeared as guest with the Muir, Emerson, and Avalon String Quartets, and performs regularly with ensembles such as Boston Baroque, the Handel and Haydn Society, A Far Cry, and Grammy Award-winning orchestra Boston Modern Orchestra Project. She has extensive training in Suzuki Method and holds degrees from Boston University, Stony Brook University and Moravian College.

     Daniel Rowe, Baroque 'cello, divides his time between performing as a cellist and programming as a software engineer.  He has performed with the American Repertory and Huntington Theatre companies, is co-principal cellist of the Providence Baroque Orchestra, and has toured internationally with the Renaissance group 'Renaissonics.'  He also plays electric cello with the Guy Ford Band.

Leah Bartell is a passionate performer and educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Her teaching philosophy is that musical expression is fundamental to the human experience. In her work as a teacher, she has combined young, aspiring musicians and seasoned professionals to create performances that are moving, inspirational, complex, strong.

     Leah is the founder and music director of the Great Meadows Chamber Orchestra, and is the music director at the Waldorf School of Lexington. She has conducted young orchestras at New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, and Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.

     Ms. Bartell has performed as a soloist with the Calcutta Foundation Orchestra in India , and with Lexington Symphony in MA where she is a member. She has performed with the Vermont Symphony, Opera North, PORT Opera, National Lyric Opera, Emmanuel Music, and the Portland Ballet. She has played under conductors János Sándor, Jaime Laredo, and Jonathan McPhee. Ms. Bartell has collaborated with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Handel and Haydn Society, and with world-renowned harpsichordist Shalev Ad-El, and has performed in recitals across the U.S. and Canada.

Kathryn O. Bach (she/her/hers) holds music and Arts leadership degrees from the Hartt School of Music, Holy Names University, Fitchburg State University and Harvard University. Since 2011, Ms. Bach has been a significant figure in Cambridge Public Schools, contributing to the pilot Kodály program at the Peabody School. Her teaching, supported by grants, has been researched by Dr. Martin Gardiner from Brown University. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) and Director at the Kodály Music Institute, she showcases leadership in the music education community.

     In 2015, Ms. Bach's students were featured on the Science Channel’s “Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman” in a segment titled “Can We All Be Geniuses?” Her professional engagements include presentations for OAKE, the Cambridge Public Schools Institute of Excellence, and other reputable organizations. Areas of specialization include Early Childhood Music Education, Creating Inclusive Spaces in the Music Room, Singing through Games, Kodály Pedagogy, and Folk Music.

     Residing in Framingham with her family, Ms. Bach exemplifies a commitment to the field of music education and community enrichment.

Sofía Chiarandini is a music educator and performer, fiddling and singing through the styles of traditional American and Jewish musics. Currently performing in Jacob’s Ladder (Jewish, bluegrass), other ensembles, and solo, Sofía has traveled to appear at concerts, residencies, and festivals across the US and Canada. She was the recipient of the Freshgrass Fiddle Award (2021) and Fletcher Bright award (2018), and has collaborated and recorded on over a dozen studio albums. With extensive performance experience, Suzuki Method training, and a passion for sharing musical tradition, Sofía leads workshops, group classes, and teaches private lessons in Cambridge, MA.

Wynn-Anne Rossi is an acclaimed American composer with vibrant educational outreach.  She has a respect for all genres of music, and her diversity of experience and love of discovery reflect in her expressions as a pianist, composer and presenter.  She has over 150 piano publications which are widely distributed online and in music stores.  Her repertoire also includes works for vocal and chamber groups, concert band and orchestra. Commissions include works sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the American Composers Forum.

     Wynn-Anne has a strong commitment to musical education.  She has been offering composition residencies since 2003, inspiring thousands of students to create their own music. Partnerships have included the MUNDI Project (UT), Linda Luebke String Festival (IN) and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (MN).  Her innovative video series, Wednesdays with Wynn-Anne, offers two seasons on creative self-expression and jazz history/improvisation.  Links can be found on her YouTube channel: Wynn-Anne Rossi Music.

     Wynn-Anne owns and manages a piano/composition studio in Wayzata, MN where regional wildlife and 10,000 lakes continue to inspire her music. She brings wildly creative ideas to numerous webinars, lectures and workshops across the country and around the world.

Dr. Chuck Speicher currently teaches general music at Cole Manor Elementary School in the Norristown Area School District of Pennsylvania. Between 2012 and 2014 he was curriculum director to a national nonprofit called Little Kids Rock where he had the opportunity to work alongside popular music icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Lady Ga-Ga, Bryan Wilson, Elvis Costello, and Carlos Santana among others in fundraising efforts for public school music programs across the country. His teaching and performing engagements have included the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival,  the Wellington Suzuki Workshop in New Zealand, the Suzuki Institute of Alaska, the International Music Festival in Ohio, the South Carolina Suzuki Institute at Furman University, the More Than Music Festival in Kingston, Ontario, the Peaks to Plains Institute in Colorado, the Indianapolis Academy of Music Summer Festival, the Summer Jazz Workshop at Montclair State University, and the Stokes State Forest Music Festival in New Jersey. In 2006 he was a judge in the Alaska State MTNA Piano Competition and adjudicator for piano students in the cities of Anchorage and Homer. Chuck freelances regularly on piano, keyboard, and guitar, and in 2002 traveled with the "Crazy Energy Orchestra" to Morocco to perform at the wedding of King Mohammed VI. Between 1996 and 2005 he was the Suzuki Coordinator to Montclair State University where he also taught an undergraduate keyboard harmony class. In 1989 he received the New Jersey State Governors Award in Arts Education.