The Piano Column
Questions Teachers Often Ask

Dr. Ray Landers has taught and performed at Suzuki institutes and conferences in 45 states and 10 countries. He is a sanctioned Suzuki piano teacher trainer and former SAA board member. His publications for Alfred Co. include “Is Suzuki Working in America?” and Second Piano Accompaniments, music and recordings, and for Daniel Press, “The Talent Education School of Suzuki,” “Talent Education Piano Curriculum Guide,” and others. He has written numerous articles for such international magazines as the American Suzuki Journal, Suzuki World, and the former Piano Quarterly. Dr. Landers is founder/director of the International Music Festival (Cleveland Suzuki Institute), now in its 25th year in Cleveland. He has studied with Dr. Suzuki in Japan and America and with other renowned educators, including Frances Clark, Guy Duckworth, Walter Robert, Ivan Davis, George Bolet and has attended seminars with Edwin Gordon, Howard Gardner and numerous music educators such as Abby Simon and John Browning. He teaches students of all ages and levels and believes deeply in the Suzuki idea that “all can be educated.” He and his students have performed in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Grant Park Band Shell, Civic Opera House, Chicago Cultural Center and in New York City’s Carnegie Hall, Bechstein Hall and in Trenton’s War Memorial and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center and Curtis Insitute of Music. Dr. Landers was a participant in the 4th Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and other international contests. He enjoys presenting concerts for children and their familes that use multimedia and audience participation. He is listed in International Who’s Who in Education, and Who’s Who in Entertainment. Degrees-BM, Sherwood Conservatory-Chicago; MM, Northwestern U, Evanston; DM, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington. He was formerly director of the Suzuki Music Academy of Chicago and Suzuki program director at Wesminster Choir College Conservatory, Princeton NJ. His college teaching has included Indiana U, Chicago State U, American Conservatory of Music (Chicago) and the prep programs at Montclair State College (Montclair NJ) and Mannes College (New York City.)

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