Allison Strickland

Cellist Allison Strickland grew up near Chicago in the Suzuki cello studio of Nancy Blum. Her summers were spent attending Interlochen Arts Camp. She moved on to studies in the community music division at DePaul University under William Cernota and Christopher Costanza and was a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Strickland went on to other studies and work in other fields, but returned to music as a focus for her life after having children. Cello is her passion in life. After sharing the gift of music instruction and a love for the cello with her own children, Ms. Strickland decided to pursue formal Suzuki teacher training. She loves teaching and sharing music with children. She has completed the Every Child Can! and Suzuki Cello Unit One courses with Barbara Wampner, Cello Units Two and Three with Tanya Carey, Cello Units 4 and 5 with Pam Devenport, Cello Units 6, 7, and Beyond Book 10 with Avi Friedlander, and Cello Units 8, 9, and 10 with the late Rick Mooney.

Ms. Strickland opened a Suzuki Cello studio in Oak Park, IL where she was member of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest and performed in various venues and genres throughout the Chicago area. In 2021, she moved to Falmouth, MA where she took over the Suzuki studio of Nikki Patton where she continues to teach.