KATHLEEN SUMMERLAND-HEUSER began teaching (“traditional”) piano as a high school student in the 1970’s. After receiving her B. A. in Music (piano performance) from UCLA in 1978, she continued teaching while raising a family. Her oldest son’s desire to learn piano at the age of 3 led to her investigating the Suzuki approach. She began Suzuki piano training with Carol Hendrixson in 1984, and studied with Doris Koppelman, Mary Craig Powell and Barbara Schneiderman at Summer Institutes held at Occidental College in the 1980’s and 90’s. She completed studies of all Suzuki piano volumes and received certificates from SAA.

In 1988 she was hired to teach Suzuki Piano at the Colburn School of Performing Arts, then located on Figueroa St. as part of the USC campus. Alongside Master Teacher Rae Kate Shen, Kathleen taught and ran the Suzuki Piano Program at the Colburn School for 20 years. Her Suzuki piano students at Colburn participated in all levels of performance, from monthly workshops for Twinklers through performances in the Friday Night Recitals and prestigious School Recitals. Additionally, in 2007 two students placed in the First Annual Piano Competition at the Colburn School.

In addition to Suzuki piano lessons with Santa Monica teacher Marlene Sugarman, her oldest son studied Suzuki violin with Susan Weisner, and another son studied Suzuki cello with Priscilla Taylor and Karen Patch. Kathleen studied Suzuki violin and cello along with her sons in an effort to be a better home teacher.

Kathleen’s interest in the Suzuki approach expanded in the 1990’s to include attendance at Piano Basics Workshops in Orange County and Sacramento, where she was privileged to observe Dr. Haruko Kataoka (founder of Suzuki Piano) and other Master Teachers from Japan.
 
Kathleen’s many students have participated in diverse participatory events run by SMAC/LA throughout the years, and have also garnered awards through various other music organizations. Starting with Summer Institutes and Graduation Recitals in the late 1980’s, Kathleen has had students perform in the annual Suzuki Piano Graduation Recitals held in Pasadena every year for over two decades. Kathleen served as Chair for Piano Graduation several years. Additionally, she has had students chosen to perform in the SMAC/LA sponsored Suzuki Festivals and on the Honor Recitals held at Summer Institutes.

Her students have also won awards through MTAC (Certificate of Merit Panels Honors Recitals and Solo Competition), Branch, Regional and Complete Works Auditions of Southern California Junior Bach Festival, SYMF,  JMAC Grand prize (3 different years), Robert Turner Concerto Competition, and First, Second and Third place prize winners in Alice Frazier Kitchen Memorial Scholarship Competition (various years).

As a Suzuki parent, Kathleen served on the SMAC/LA Board back in the 1980’s. As an active member of MTAC, Kathleen served from 2006-2009 as treasurer and co-president of her MTAC West Los Angeles branch, and continues to chair the annual Romantic Festival. Kathleen teaches Suzuki piano full time at her home in Mar Vista, and one day per week in South Pasadena.

    Site powered by Webentities.com          c o p y r i g h t   2006-2011    Suzuki Music Association of California        Email