SAA Piano Teacher Trainer Fay Adams Honored as TMTA Teacher of the Year

Mrs. Connie Starr & Fay Adams

Image by Kikue Yamada

Congratulations to Fay Swadley Adams, SAA Piano Teacher Trainer, who has been named as the Tennesee Music Teachers Association Teacher of the Year! Fay has made an invaluable impact in her community and in the larger Suzuki community with her long-time commitment to excellence in teaching.

We reached out to Fay to learn more about how she got started with the Suzuki method and what she loves most about teaching and training teachers. Read on:

“I have been teaching at the University of Tennessee for forty-three years. I began Suzuki with Connie Starr. Bill Starr was the head of our department shortly after I began my job. Connie trained me and I have also had training with Sue Vasquez and Mary Craig Powell. I began my training in 1977.

My favorite aspect of Suzuki is the building of self-esteem through positive reinforcement, repetition, parental involvement and frequent performances. I love training the teachers through thorough study and performance of the repertoire.  I enjoy breaking down the literature into very small segments and guiding the trainees in stylistic points, form, fingering, shaping phrases and dynamics. We share ideas in these classes and we all learn from one another.”

Brava, Fay! Thank you for your contributions to the SAA.

Fay Adams

Fay Swadley Adams is an associate professor of piano at the University of Tennessee and serves as the coordinator of the keyboard area.  She has just completed her forty-third year at the university where she teaches piano, piano pedagogy and Suzuki pedagogy. Her awards include: YWCA Outstanding Woman in the Arts, Chancellor’s Citation for Service to the University of Tennessee, Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award for the UT School of Music, University of Tennessee Volunteer Spirit Award, MTNA Foundation Fellow, TMTA Distinguished Service Award, Past-Director of MTNA Southern Division, former member of the MTNA Board of Directors, former Chair of the MTNA Chapter of the Year Committee, former Chair of the MTNA Teacher of the Year Award, and MTNA Senior Performance Competitions Coordinator.  Professor Adams is also director of the Suzuki Piano School of Knoxville. She is a registered Suzuki Piano Teacher Trainer, former member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas board of directors, former member of the piano review committee and an active Suzuki Piano clinician, having recently traveled to Morelia, Mexico, for the National Suzuki Conference of Mexico.