I spent some time reminiscing about my past violin/piano experiences and quickly realized that, although they may have not seemed so amazing at the time, each and every one of these musical stepping stones were extremely special to me and to who I am today. Every group, every teacher, has brought me to this point in my life and I am forever grateful.Ages conception - present: My mom, piano teacher extraordinaire
My mom has been there from the beginning (obviously) and it was because of her - her mentoring, her cheerleading, her gentle pushing, that kept my caboose on the musical track. I owe her everything. It was a bit rough living with a piano teacher (I would always dread Christmas time, as I knew I would have to endure Carol of the Bells 8.9 billion times), but I was so fortunate to have free piano lessons from one of the best teachers I have EVER encountered. Hands down.
My mom is one of the most creative people you will ever meet. She comes up with these incredible ideas on how to better motivate her students. The cupboards and closets in our house are full of music games, instruments, pig snouts (don't ask), prizes, stickers, game shows, visuals, etc. etc. -- the amount of time and effort she puts into her job is astouding. It has been amazing to watch the number of lives she touches - they all love and respect her.
She kept me tickling those ivories until I graduated and I owe so much to her.
About my mom:
(besides the fact that she is awesome)
Ms. Susan See -- Susan has over 25 years of teaching experience and was Director of the Piano Preparatory Program at Truman State University before moving to Iowa. She currently teaches 70 students in two studios, one in her home and the other at Iowa Mennonite School near Kalona. During July she joins the faculty at the Goshen College Piano Workshop. She holds degrees from Truman State University and the University of Iowa. She appears as soloist, accompanist, and adjudicator and has contributed articles to Keyboard Companion and Pan Pipes.She performed as a soloist with the Southeast Iowa Symphony in October 2003.
Ages 5 - 18: Gwen Ying, Washington Iowa
Bio: Gwen received her Bachelor of Music Education from Northwestern University. She studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Rebecca Fitz Sandrok, Doris Preucil, John Kendall and Shinichi Suzuki. From 1972-88 she was Director of the Suzuki Program at Elmhurst College (Illinois), and at Christ Church of Oakbrook, Illinois. She introduced the Suzuki Method in Russia in 1995. The two principal features that distinguishes this method from traditional string education are the participation of parents in their child's music lessons, along with the emphasis on establishing playing technique prior to note reading.Currently Gwen teaches in Washington, Iowa and at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City.My personal experience with Gwen was truly life-changing. She played a very inspirational role in my formative years and I definitely attribute the feeling I put into my music to her teaching style. Using a wide variety of incentives and methods, there was never a dull moment with Gwen (lots of tears, lots of laughs). My biggest regret is not keeping in better contact with her; however, I hope she knows how special she is to me.
Ages 10-17: Preucil School of Music
Although I always felt like an outsider at Preucil (due to the fact I was one of the only participants NOT from Iowa City), I was constantly amazed at the talent in this program. It felt like an honor to be surrounded by such wonderful musicians at a young age and I believe that it really pushed me to keep up with my playing. I was able to go on an 2 week tour to Italy with the 80-member orchestra in 2001 (think 80 blue shirts wandering Rome, Florence, Milan, etc...exhausting, but worthwhile).
About Preucil: http://www.preucil.org/
The Preucil School of Music is a non-profit and a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. It serves 750 students with a 26 member faculty. Founded in 1975, the Preucil School evolved from a Suzuki Method violin program established in 1963 by Doris Preucil. The curriculum now includes lessons in strings, piano, voice, flute, harp, theory, pedagogy, ensembles and an early childhood education program. The school is housed in two locations. The Main Campus, an Iowa City landmark, occupies a historic Czechoslovakian Hall built in 1900. The Preucil School of Music North Campus and Morris Early Childhood Education Center is a new facility built in 2002. The Preucil School String Orchestra, numbering 70 students ages 13-18, is the most advanced of five training orchestras at the School. It has performed extensively in the Midwestern United States and has been featured at international teacher conferences and on public television. In 1991, on a tour of Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria, the orchestra won the first prize for String Orchestra at the Vienna International Festival for Music and Youth. On succeeding concert tours, the orchestra has traveled to England in 1994, Germany in 1997, Italy in 2001 and the Czech Republic in 2005.
Ages 15 - 22: Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra
About SEISO: http://www.seiso.us/
The mission of the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra is to promote quality orchestral experiences for our regional community and musicians by providing live performances, educational opportunities and rural outreach programs for all ages.
Objectives include cultural enrichment and delivery of its services for a minimal fee or free of charge so that it remains accessible to everyone in Southeast Iowa. The SEISO, organized in 1950, is recognized as one of Iowa's most prominent community-based orchestras.
The service area of the SEISO includes the following Iowa counties: Appanoose, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Wapello, Washington and Van Buren. Students, who reside in these counties, are eligible to participate in the annual Youth String Festival and Young Artist Competition.
SEISO is centered at Iowa Wesleyan College and supported with boards of directors in 3 cities: Burlington, Mt. Pleasant and Ottumwa. It reaches 12,000 people every year, has over 70 board members, 100+ volunteers and 65 musicians.
The mission of the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra is to promote quality orchestral experiences for our regional community and musicians by providing live performances, educational opportunities and rural outreach programs for all ages.
Objectives include cultural enrichment and delivery of its services for a minimal fee or free of charge so that it remains accessible to everyone in Southeast Iowa. The SEISO, organized in 1950, is recognized as one of Iowa's most prominent community-based orchestras.
The service area of the SEISO includes the following Iowa counties: Appanoose, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Wapello, Washington and Van Buren. Students, who reside in these counties, are eligible to participate in the annual Youth String Festival and Young Artist Competition.
SEISO is centered at Iowa Wesleyan College and supported with boards of directors in 3 cities: Burlington, Mt. Pleasant and Ottumwa. It reaches 12,000 people every year, has over 70 board members, 100+ volunteers and 65 musicians.
I used to feel quite overwhelmed, playing in a symphony orchestra that was comprised of seasoned, adult musicians. The last few years, though, proved to be a much more relaxed and enjoyable experience. Because I have known Bob (the conductor and a family friend) since I was born, I always enjoyed playing under his direction (and his sense of humor). The pieces we played always required LOTS of practice, but the end result was phenomenal. Pictured below is from the annual July 4 concert in Burlington, Iowa.
Ages 18 - 22: Truman State University Orchestra
I had such a blast in the Truman orchestra. The conductor was great, as were my fellow classmates. I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people and play great music (although it was sometimes hard to fit everything into my already packed schedule).
http://music.truman.edu/strings/#orchestraMy violin professor, Dr. McClure, is one of my favorite people. ever.
About Dr. McClure: 
B.M., Eastman School of Music; M.M., Ohio University School of Music; D.M.A., Michigan State University
Dr. Sam J. McClure is Associate Professor of Violin/Viola, Music Theory, and Director of Orchestras at Truman State University, having joined the faculty in August 1998. Previously, Dr. McClure taught at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Hillsdale College in Michigan, where he was music director of the Whitewater Symphony and Hillsdale College-Community Orchestras, respectively. He has also served on the conducting and violin faculties of the New England Music Camp in Sidney, Maine. Dr. McClure earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University, where he studied with Leon Gregorian. McClure has recently collaborated as conductor and performer with several nationally and internationally recognized musicians, including violinists , Ruben Gonzalez (Chicago Symphony co-concertmaster), Geoffrey Michaels, Giora Schmidt, Alberto Bologni, Gregory Sandomirsky and Elizabeth Holowell, horn virtuoso and composer Sharon Moe-Miranda, and composer Menachem Wiesenberg Dr. McClure earned degrees in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music and Ohio University. He has studied with many nationally recognized performers and teachers, including violinists, Oliver Steiner, Paul Statsky, Howard Beebe, Walter Verdehr, David Taylor and Alberto Lysy. Dr. McClure is featured frequently in recital and has presented visiting artist recitals in Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan,and Maine. He has also been active in the area of contemporary music as a performer at composer's festivals in Missouri, Arkansas and New York. Dr. McClure recently completed visiting artist residencies at the Conservatorium of Music in Newcastle, Australia and the Boccherini Conservatory in Lucca, Italy, where he presented master classes and recitals. Dr. McClure is also co-founder and artistic director of the Festival Musicale della Toscana, a summer music festival for string players in Montaione Italy administered through Truman State University.
B.M., Eastman School of Music; M.M., Ohio University School of Music; D.M.A., Michigan State University
Dr. Sam J. McClure is Associate Professor of Violin/Viola, Music Theory, and Director of Orchestras at Truman State University, having joined the faculty in August 1998. Previously, Dr. McClure taught at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Hillsdale College in Michigan, where he was music director of the Whitewater Symphony and Hillsdale College-Community Orchestras, respectively. He has also served on the conducting and violin faculties of the New England Music Camp in Sidney, Maine. Dr. McClure earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University, where he studied with Leon Gregorian. McClure has recently collaborated as conductor and performer with several nationally and internationally recognized musicians, including violinists , Ruben Gonzalez (Chicago Symphony co-concertmaster), Geoffrey Michaels, Giora Schmidt, Alberto Bologni, Gregory Sandomirsky and Elizabeth Holowell, horn virtuoso and composer Sharon Moe-Miranda, and composer Menachem Wiesenberg Dr. McClure earned degrees in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music and Ohio University. He has studied with many nationally recognized performers and teachers, including violinists, Oliver Steiner, Paul Statsky, Howard Beebe, Walter Verdehr, David Taylor and Alberto Lysy. Dr. McClure is featured frequently in recital and has presented visiting artist recitals in Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan,and Maine. He has also been active in the area of contemporary music as a performer at composer's festivals in Missouri, Arkansas and New York. Dr. McClure recently completed visiting artist residencies at the Conservatorium of Music in Newcastle, Australia and the Boccherini Conservatory in Lucca, Italy, where he presented master classes and recitals. Dr. McClure is also co-founder and artistic director of the Festival Musicale della Toscana, a summer music festival for string players in Montaione Italy administered through Truman State University.
Ages 22-26: University of Iowa, Master's in Music Therapy
My passion!
I have discovered a field in which I can use all of the above experience in a meaningful way! This program is such a spiritual thing for me - I really cannot express the constant inspiration I receive from the people I encounter in music therapy, the clients I work with, and the pure joy I feel from learning and practicing. This year has been incredibly hard for me, as I had to take 2 semesters off to come back to Kirksville until my husband graduated. However, I feel as though the passion has burned further, deeper, wider (and in too many dimensions to mention)...I am bursting to start up again!
The national music therapy website: http://www.musictherapy.org/
My professors at Iowa: Music therapy ballerz
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