Dr. Neal Donner

Born in 1942, Neal Donner began his violin studies in 1950 with William Schroeder in Washington, DC. His education includes a Ph.D. in East Asian Philosophy and Religion (University of British Columbia, Canada, 1976).

His young son’s Suzuki violin studies inspired him to embark on a career as a violin teacher. Turning avocation into vocation, he studied Suzuki pedagogy with Elizabeth Mills, Alice Joy Lewis, Margery Aber, Jackie Corina, Almita Vamos, John Kendall, James Maurer, Barbara Barber, Idell Low, and in Matsumoto, with Shinichi Suzuki. In 1982 he began to teach Suzuki violin professionally and now teaches students at beginning and intermediate levels, through book 10.

In 1988, following three years on the Board of Directors of the Suzuki Music Association of California, Los Angeles Branch (SMAC-LA), he became president of the Board and was re-elected the following year. Between 2003 and 2010 he again served as director, president, and then treasurer.