Ms. Mary Walters

Mary Walters teaches a thriving cello studio in Seattle, Washington, and directs the Alaska Cello Intensive cello choir in Fairbanks, Alaska. Mary has been a clinician at institutes and workshops around the country, including the Chicago Suzuki Institute, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, Hawaii Suzuki Institute, Hartt Suzuki workshop, Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, Alaska Cello Intensive, as a teaching assistant at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and more. In 2018, she directed the first cello choir ever held at the Suzuki Association of the Americas conference. Prior to moving to Seattle, Mary was a member of the cello faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago.  

Mary has performed with the Seattle Symphony and as a studio recording musician can be heard on dozens of Hollywood film, television, and video game soundtracks. She earned her master’s degree in cello performance and pedagogy from Northern Illinois University and her bachelor’s degree in cello performance from the University of Oregon Clark Honors College. During graduate school Mary held a graduate fellowship position in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Since 2008 she has served on the board of the Suzuki Education and Research Association, which oversees the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute International.