Ms. Ronda Cole

Ronda Cole

Currently a SUZUKI Teacher Trainer in USA and Internationally. Continues as founder, director and teacher of the Northern Virginia Suzuki Music School. She is a graduate of Eastman School of Music; Studied with Carroll Glenn; Writer for the Violin Column of the American Suzuki Journal; recipient of the Leadership and Excellence award from the American String Teacher’s Assn.; VA ASTA Teacher of the Year 2008; faculty of the International Workshops in Austria, Switzerland, Hawaii, France, Scotland, Norway and Australia; Clinician in U.S., Canada, Central, and South America; SAA Teacher Trainer; Presenter, Keynote speaker or Violin Coordinator at twelve S.A.A. Teacher’s Conferences: Presenter, Keynote speaker at Australian String Teachers Assn. in Cambura, Australia and Australian Suzuki Assn in Melbourne, Australia; Violin faculty the University of Maryland; (retired) Director of Master Degree program in Performance with Specialization in Suzuki Pedagogy; Directs and teaches full time at the Northern Virginia Suzuki Music School. Director of the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute since 1976, retired from directing in 2021. Created a DVD called, “May I Help You Tune?”, to help parents and students with learning to tune a violin, viola, and cello.

The early years:
Suzuki pedagogy with Anastasia Jempelis and Dr. Suzuki, Eastman School of Music, 1968 -1970.
Multiple courses with John Kendall, William Starr, Louise Behrend, Kato Havas and several others since.
Conferences with Dr. Suzuki in Munich, Hawaii and many in the continental US (almost every SAA Conference and Retreat since 1970)

Ronda believes in stimulating the development of expressive talent right from the beginning stages. Technique should be made easy using balance and release as key components so that the player can have their heart invested in musical expression rather than on technique. Musical literacy can be fostered from the start, even in the Suzuki format.