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Last updated 8/22/25
Dr. kara eubanks, violin ensemble
As a classical performer, Kara has performed solo and chamber music across North America and Europe. Her orchestral career includes membership in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Paris’ Fontainebleau Chamber Orchestra, and NYC’s DiCapo Opera. She is a member of the Sycamore Music Hall of Fame in her hometown of Sycamore, Illinois.
Kara has been featured on MTV, NPR, and Daytrotter, and has recorded on Eenie Meenie and Lookout! Records. Her discography includes collaborations with Troubled Hubble, The Gunshy, Inspector Owl, Future Monarchs, Minova, and Andrew Jackson Jihad. In 2023, she released her solo debut, an EP called “Something Might Otherwise Have Profitably Happened.”
Kara has been on the violin faculty at Northern Illinois University, CUNY Brooklyn Conservatory, and has taught music theory at the University of Oregon. Her greatest passion is mentoring young artists at Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute, Oregon Suzuki Institute, and the Willamette Violin Academy.
Kara’s most precious teachers and mentors have been Mathias Tacke, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Danny Phillips, Cyrus Forough, Ann Montzka Smelser, Ed Kreitman, Charles Krigbaum, Daina Staggs, and Jackie Bartsch.
marianne gedigian, Flute masterclass
Marianne Gedigian, former Academy of Distinguished Teachers at UT Austin, professor of flute, and holder of a Sarah and Ernest Butler Professorship, joined the faculty at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in 2023. She was Acting Principal Flute with the Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Boston Pops for a decade prior to her appointment at UT.
She can be heard on dozens of Evening at Pops broadcasts with the Boston Pops with John Williams and Keith Lockhart conducting, soundtracks from Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, and has a brief appearance in the film Blown Away. She recorded as principal flute with the Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Boston Pops Orchestra on several Grammy-nominated recordings and as soloist on the Grammy-nominated CD The Shadow of Sirius with the UT Wind Ensemble. She published an allegory book, Survival of the Flutist, with illustrator Patti Adams and Flutistry Boston.
Paul leenhouts, Early Music Ensemble and Recorder Masterclass
Paul Leenhouts has been active as professor and director of early music programs at several institutions in Europe and North America. He has given recitals, masterclasses, clinics and lectures at more than 200 conservatories and universities around the world. A founding member of the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet from 1978 and from 2002 director of the contemporary music collective Blue Iguana, he is also composer, arranger and editor of numerous works for various chamber music ensembles. With his quartet he extensively toured around the globe and performed at major music festivals in Europe, the US and Asia. Mr. Leenhouts has recorded for Decca L’Oiseau-Lyre, Channel Classics, Vanguard, Lindoro and Berlin Classics. Two L’Oiseau-Lyre recordings received the prestigious Edison Award. His special interest in renaissance consort repertoire led to the founding of The Royal Wind Music in 1997. In 2004 Mr. Leenhouts was elected president of the European Recorder Performers Society. Next to his activities within the early music field, he also regularly performed with contemporary and music theatre groups such as Musikfabrik, Nederlands Vocaal Laboratorium, ZT Hollandia and NT Gent. In 2010 he founded the Baroque Ensemble Fantasmi. The group specializes in 17th and 18th century chamber music and participated in festivals in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Brazil, Peru, Vietnam and China. For his international activities as a musician, conductor and organizer, he received a UN Life-time Achievement Award in Hsin-Chu City, Taiwan in October 2017.
James markey, Brass Ensemble
James Markey joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Bass Trombone in Fall 2012 following tenures in the New York Philharmonic (1997-2012) and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1995-1997).
Mr. Markey is an active soloist, and is a founding member of the National Brass Ensemble. A sought-after educator, Mr. Markey has been a regularly featured artist and clinician at the International Trombone Festival, the American (formerly Eastern) Trombone Workshop, and the music educator conferences in New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. He has appeared as a guest recitalist and clinician at major educational institutions around the country.
Mr. Markey currently serves as bass trombone faculty at the New England Conservatory in Boston. In addition to his collegiate teaching, Mr. Markey is at the forefront of the Suzuki Brass movement, and is one of the earliest registered Suzuki trombone instructors in the world. He is founder of the Suzuki Brass program at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory Division.
Mr. Markey has released five solo recordings: Offroad (tenor trombone, 2003); On Base (bass trombone, 2009); the Bass Trombonist’s Listening Guide, a joint album of orchestral and opera excerpts for bass trombone with Denson Paul Pollard; Psychedelia (bass trombone, 2015), and Extraordinary Foundations (with tubist Mike Roylance, 2023). He is also a featured soloist on A Beautiful Noise, a compilation of solos for tenor and bass trombone produced by the Columbus State University Trombone Choir, and on the Hora Decima Brass Ensemble’s recording of Janko Nilović’s Concerto for Two Trombones.
marylou roberts, Guitar masterclass
MaryLou Roberts maintains a large Suzuki guitar program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is the Director of the Ann Arbor Suzuki Guitar Institute which will celebrate its 30th year in June 2026 and involves colleagues throughout the Southeast Michigan area. She has traveled internationally as a guitar Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas in Peru, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala and Mexico. She is also a teacher trainer for the European Suzuki Association, with courses in Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as ongoing professional development in Australia. MaryLou is Chair of the International Suzuki Association Guitar Committee, guiding the process of revising the Suzuki Guitar School repertoire. MaryLou holds a Masters Degree in Guitar Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with John Holmquist, and received the Valedictory award and was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda. Her students have performed in master classes with the LA Guitar Quartet, David Russell, Jason Vieaux, Berta Rojas, Denis Azabagic, Ana Vidovic, Martha Masters, Scott Tennant , William Kanengiser, Xavier Jara and more.
amelia seyssel, early music ensemble and voice masterclass
Amelia Seyssel is a Suzuki Voice Teacher Trainer living in Poughkeepsie, NY. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance and Literature from Mills College, CA, a Diploma from the European Suzuki Association, and a Certificate from the Talent Education Institute of Singing in Vantaa, Finland, directed by Suzuki Voice Founder Dr. Päivi Kukkamäki. She is co-author of SAA’s Voice Teacher Training Syllabus and has extensive international experience including Finland, Australia, Japan, Mexico and the USA. Her international teaching experience includes Faculty positions at two international conferences focusing on the growth and development of both students and teachers, as well as assistant faculty participation at several international conferences, including the 16th Suzuki Method World Conference in Matsumoto, Japan (2013).
Her post-graduate studies have included vocal workshops with Nico Castel, Dalton Baldwin, and Jane Manning, with additional workshops focused on Early Music, Alexander Technique and Dalcroze eurythmics, as well as many years of private voice study with Joyce McClean at Juilliard’s Evening Division. Her performance background includes publication of an all-Spanish-language CD as well as years of solo recitals specializing in Art Song repertoire of the English, Spanish and French language composers.
kyra sovronsky, brass ensemble
Kyra Sovronsky is a trumpet performer and educator based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the first registered Suzuki Trumpet teacher in the state. Since 2018, she has served as Brass Vice President on the Board of the Suzuki Association of Utah and in 2023 joined the SAA Suzuki Training Committee. In 2025 she was awarded the Certificate of Achievement, the first Suzuki Brass teacher to receive the award. Kyra has presented masterclasses about Suzuki Trumpet at institutions such as the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Utah State University and the International Trumpet Guild Conference.
As Principal Trumpet of the Ballet West Orchestra and a regular performer with the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, Kyra maintains an active performance career. In addition to her large private teaching studio, Kyra is an adjunct faculty member at Weber State University and Westminster University. Kyra holds a Master of Music from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Music from Boston University.
Dr. rafael videira, viola ensemble
Based in Albuquerque, NM, Brazilian violist Dr. Rafael Videira teaches high school orchestra, conducts the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra, and teaches with the 505 Suzuki Collective. He earned the SAA Certificate of Achievement in 2018 and appeared on a 2023 AVS album.
nicole wilton, piano masterclass
Nicole Wilton has been a piano instructor in Saskatoon, Canada since 1992. Maintaining her private studio, Nicole also taught at the University of Saskatchewan for 18 years where she was the Program Manager of an early childhood music program called the Community Music Education Program.
In 2015, Nicole established her own school, Wilton Academy of Music – a large music school of over 500 students, offering early childhood music classes as well as private instrumental lessons in piano, guitar and violin in both Suzuki and Traditional methods.
Nicole’s commitment to teaching and excellence is evident in all that she does. She took her first Suzuki training in 1993 and quickly found her niche as a Suzuki piano teacher and developed a passion for the philosophy. After much study and dedication, she became one of 4 Suzuki Piano Teacher Trainers in Canada. Parents and students alike benefit from her ongoing education and training and her desire to grow great families using Suzuki piano as a tool.
In 2018, Nicole received the Royal Conservatory’s Teacher of Distinction award as well as a Woman of Distinction Award for her commitment to music education. She also was a recipient of the Canada 150th award for her contributions to her community.
Nicole is a frequent clinician, workshop teacher and adjudicator across Canada. She has also presented in the USA, Australia, and England.
She lives in Saskatoon with her husband Brad, and is a proud mother and grandmother.
Andrea Yun, cello choir
Dr. Andrea Yun is an active performer, teacher, and teacher trainer. She is a member of the Detroit Opera and is principal cellist of the Baroque on Beaver Island orchestra. She has performed with orchestras such as the Detroit Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Toledo Symphony, and Windsor Symphony, and has served under the baton of conductors such as Kurt Mazur, Michael Tilson Thomas, James Levine, Dame Jane Glover, and Charles Dutoit.
Andrea maintains a cello studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she founded Cellympics, a play-based approach to cello technique acquisition for children. Cellympics has been replicated in 5 countries and 9 states. In 2020, Andrea was designated Teacher of the Year by the Michigan chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Andrea is one of 50 Suzuki cello teacher trainers in the Americas, and she was hired by Paul Katz to be a part of his CelloBello teacher training faculty.
Andrea has been on faculty at the University of Michigan, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Bowling Green State University (OH), as well as in the public schools as a middle and high school orchestra director. At Indiana University, Andrea earned a dual bachelor’s degree in music education and mathematics, as well as a master’s degree in cello performance; she completed her doctorate in cello performance and pedagogy from the University of Michigan. Andrea lives in Ann Arbor, MI, with her extended family and dog Mike. She is an avid swing dancer and roller skater.
