Book Review
Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin

Joe Beninghof’s is an extreme example of a family forever changed by Shinichi Suzuki’s vision. When his daughter, Rachel, turned 5, she began studying guitar with David Madsen. A year later, Joe was so moved by what David had accomplished with his young students, he sold his financial consulting practice and became a Suzuki guitar teacher himself. After more than a decade of teaching children using the Suzuki Method, and preaching the merits of the Suzuki Philosophy to parents, he is still delighted that he made the switch. Joe’s wife, Anne, became the model “Home Coach” and Rachel (who has taken Suzuki Guitar Book 1 Teacher Training) is studying opera at the Eastman School of Music.

Joe has taken Teacher Training through Book 7, including “ECC” and the “Practicum.” At its peak, his studio had nearly 50 students, ranging in age from 3 to 17, several of whom he had taken from Pre-Twinkle through Book 6. In his first 3 years of operation, he never lost a student. After eight years of teaching, three of his first five students were still studying with him, several of whom had won regional honors for their playing.

Joe now teaches in both Broomfield and Denver, Colorado.