New International Edition of Suzuki Piano Volume Seven Motivates Cincinnati Teen

Austin, thurd from left, with his parents, Lynn and Carla, and brother Hunter

Austin Wade, age fifteen, a high school sophomore in Cincinnati, Ohio, presented a Suzuki Piano Graduation Recital from Book Seven on Friday, November 11, 2011.

The uniqueness of his Book Seven graduation recital is that he chose to play all the repertoire from the Revised Edition of Suzuki Volume Seven and all the repertoire from the New International Edition of Suzuki Volume Seven. This meant that he played a ninety-minute recital with eight major works in addition to duos he performed with his brother, Hunter—Scott Joplin’s Gladious Rag and Maple Leaf Rag—and a few favorite hymns: It is Well with My Soul, Philip Bliss; There is a Fountain, Dan Forrest. Austin has accomplished many awards and honors during his twelve years as a Suzuki piano student. Rita Hauck has been his teacher since he was three years old.

Austin has studied Suzuki piano with Rita Hauck for twelve years, master classes with Michael Chertock for four years, and viola with Wendy VanderMolen for eight years.

He had his debut performance at Carnegie Hall on May 17, 2008, as a winner in the American Fine Arts Festival, and was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in May 2007 at the age of eleven. He received Honorable Mention in the 2007 World Piano Competition at the Aronoff Center for Performing Arts on June 29, 2007. Austin has also participated in and earned honors from various competitions, including the National Federation of Music Clubs and Junior Music Experience Festivals, and attended Suzuki summer institutes for many years.

Because of his avid interest in composition and music theory throughout his twelve years of music experience, Austin has studied composition and theory with Dr. Shawn Okpebholo. He and his older brother, Hunter, have collaborated in numerous concerts, programs, festivals, and competitions, including the making of a full CD.

Austin is an avid soccer player, swimmer, snow skier, and Boy Scout, and loves to hike, read and play with his dog, Cowboy. He achieved the esteemed Eagle Scout Rank in the Boy Scouts of America on September 28, 2011, and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow (National Honor Society for Scouting) in April 2011. Austin plans to pursue piano performance on a college level after graduating from Providence Extension Program, an honors home school program he has attended since the seventh grade. He resides in Liberty Township with his parents, Lindsey and Carla, and his brother Hunter.

Rita Hauck has been a piano teacher since 1959 and a Suzuki piano teacher since 1974. She and her husband, Dr. Robert Hauck, met Dr. Suzuki in 1966. Mrs. Hauck has a BM in performance, a BME in vocal and instrumental music K-12, an MM in performance, and two years of doctoral work in keyboard studies. From 1976-1981, she foumded a Suzuki school of 350 students, trained 24 teachers, and taught at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. From 1981-2011, Mrs. Hauck maintained a Suzuki piano studio of 40+ students in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has trained Suzuki piano teachers in the US and around the world since 1976, has been a guest clinician at Suzuki Workshops/Institutes in 47 states, including Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Bermuda, New Zealand, Israel, Italy, and Australia. Mrs. Hauck now lives in Ft Worth, Texas where she teaches Suzuki Piano/Organ in her studio there.

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