A graduate of the University of Montana School of Music, Lamar Blum (IL) taught public school strings in Missoula before becoming a supervisor of primary music for classroom teachers. After moving to Illinois, a private studio was more suitable to her family needs. Her exposure through Eugene Andrie to the Suzuki method offered new dimensions to the musical community of Elgin. Offering violin, viola, cello, bass and flute by Suzuki instruction was new to the area. It has led the community in music education since 1975. The Elgin program is looked upon a model program which gives Lamar the opportunity to speak to groups of teachers on studio organization. She is also sought after as a teacher and lecturer for summer and weekend institutes. Lamar is active in the Suzuki Association of the Americas as committee chair and speaker at various conferences. She has recently completed a three year term on the Association’s Board of Directors. Naming a phalaenopsis orchid for Shinichi Suzuki, she traveled to Japan in 1991 to present one to the then 92 year old educator on the Annual Grand Concert in Tokyo. At that time, she remained to take classes with Suzuki.

In 2001, Lamar retired from the Elgin Symphony Orchestra after 30 years of playing and was named a Musical Treasure of Elgin. In 1999, she was recognized by the Musician’s Union for outstanding contributions to the Music Education of Young People. She holds the 1993 Margaret Hillis Award for the Arts form the Elgin YWCA, the 1991 Entrepreneur Award from Women in Management, 1989 Music Educator of the Year by the Elgin Youth Orchestra and is listed in the 1966 Outstanding Young Women of America. Lamar is extremely grateful to be a part of the Montana Suzuki Strings Institute. She wants to help provide a wonderful Suzuki experience for each parent and child who participates.

Dr. Timothy (Terry) Durbin’s unique brand of teaching excellence makes him one of the most sought-after clinicians/conductors throughout the world. With infectious enthusiasm and inspired musicianship, he brings smiles and laughter to students throughout the United States and around the world. His dynamic teaching career includes over 800 workshops and institutes! His performance and teaching career stretches across the United States and Canada into Bermuda, Germany, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia,Thailand and Singapore, and he has recorded two CDs, including the complete chamber music of Marcel Dupre for the Naxos label. He has been appointed principal conductor of the Cave Run Symphony Orchestra beginning with the 2016 season. He has directed the South Dakota and Montana All State Orchestras. He is the holder of the American Suzuki Institute Suzuki Chair Award for 2013. Terry Durbin is also an accomplished composer and notable arranger.

Dr. Durbin holds a DMA in orchestral conducting from Claremont Graduate University in Los Angeles, California, a Masters in violin performance from the University of Illinois, an undergraduate degree in violin performance from the University of Alabama, and is currently the director of the Suzuki String Program at the University of Louisville. He is a registered teacher trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

Terry lives with his wife, Sandy, on 140 acres north of Lexington, Kentucky. They have three children and two grandchildren. He believes in the magic of music’s power to enrich our lives.

Ms. Colleen Fitzgerald, executive director of the Barcel Suzuki String Academy (BSSA), currently teaches private and group violin lessons and Suzuki Early Childhood Education classes at BSSA. Ms. Fitzgerald earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance with Suzuki Pedagogy Emphasis under mentor, Professor Carol Dallinger at the University of Evansville and a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree from Cardinal Stritch University. She has also received supplemental Suzuki teacher training with Kay Collier-McLaughlin, Ed Kreitman, Tom Wermuth, and Alice Joy Lewis and acquired her Early Childhood Education training under Suzuki ECE founders, Dorothy & Sharon Jones. Ms. Fitzgerald started Suzuki violin lessons at age 6 and two years later began studies with Suzuki teacher trainer, Joan Rooney.

Colleen was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Studio Teaching from the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee (2006) and earned the Certificate of Achievement 1 from the Suzuki Association of the Americas (2017). She has been featured on local TV and radio programs as well the Beyond the Music Lesson podcast to discuss the Suzuki Method. Colleen travels throughout the United States to serve as a guest clinician at various Suzuki workshops and summer Suzuki institutes. Students of Ms. Fitzgerald have won MSO's Bach Double Violin Competition, numerous MYSO Concerto Competitions, the UWM Concerto Competition, as well as many college scholarships and received Honorable Mentions is the Young Artist Auditions with the MSO. Besides teaching, Ms. Fitzgerald frequently performs as a violin soloist and is a member of her church's handbell choir.

Randal Harrison Hoecherl is a first generation Suzuki violin student who studied with Margery V. Aber, founder of the American Suzuki Institute (ASI). At ASI he had masterclasses with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki and many of America’s pioneer Suzuki teachers. As an adult he studied with iconic bassist and NEA Jazz Master Richard Davis, jazz violinist Matt Glaser, and Suzuki Association of the Americas teacher trainers Pat D'Ercole and Michele Higa George.

Critics have simultaneously declared Randal Harrison Hoecherl reminiscent of Niccolò Paganini, Stephane Grappelli, Al Di Meola and Frank Zappa. His mastery of such diverse styles has garnered him three Madison Area Music Awards for Best Blues Artist, Jazz Artist of the Year and Classical Artist of the Year. Performance credits include work with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, Blue Note recording artists (Ben Tucker, Dane Richeson, John Harmon), legendary drummer Sam Lay of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and “the funky drummer” himself Clyde Stubblefield of James Brown fame. As an EMMY nominated composer, Randal’s compositions, arrangements and performances appear in documentary film, television and over 100 artist recordings including works for Naxos and his own label StringFling Records.

Randal’s current performing and recording projects include: Honor Among Thieves, Piper Road Spring Band, Arpeggione, Randal Harrison Hoecherl: Solo Artist and freelance violinist/fiddler in all styles. Randal continues to write for solo violin and numerous ensembles of varying genre and size and is searching for funding to compose an evening for an eclectic strings and percussion tentet.

While enjoying a career of composing, performing and recording, Randal has always shared what he has learned with young musicians. Randal Harrison Hoecherl was the founder and director of the East Side Talent Education Association of Madison (ESTEAM) and president of the Suzuki Association of Wisconsin. Randal now travels the world to work with students and colleagues - sharing ideas on improvisation and an eclectic mix of violin studies. You can find him at www.StringFling.com and places like the American Suzuki Institute, the Singapore International String Conference and now at the Montana Suzuki Strings Institute!

Pam Hillygus has degrees in Music Education from Seattle Pacific University and Southern Illinois University where she studied with John Kendall. As a Suzuki student herself in the 60’s, she is grateful for the experiences music has brought her during her lifetime. She has currently retired from teaching in the public schools of 32 years and now has a teaching studio at Morgenroth Music here in Missoula. She is performing with the Glacier Symphony Orchestra and Missoula Symphony Orchestra on both violin and viola. She has also taught at Suzuki Institutes in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Missouri and Jakarta, Indonesia. When not teaching or performing, she enjoys rafting, skiing, hiking and fishing the streams of Montana.

Kathleen Spring (CO), received her Bachelor of Music degree from Wall Walla University, studied in Vienna with Eduard Melkus at the Universität für Musik and completed her Master of Music degree in violin performance with James Maurer at the University of Denver. A native of Washington State, Kathleen founded and directed a large Suzuki program there before moving to Denver in 2001. A longtime member of the American String Teacher’s Association, she was honored by the Washington ASTA chapter in 1996 as the outstanding private studio music educator of the year. As an SAA Teacher Trainer, Kathleen teaches at numerous summer institutes and is also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. In this capacity, she teaches the pedagogy courses for Lamont’s Suzuki Pedagogy Masters and Suzuki Certificate programs. Kathleen maintains a large active Suzuki studio in the Denver Metro area and directs the advanced performance group, Spring Strings, which tours both regionally and internationally.

Beth Titterington is a registered Suzuki Association of the Americas Violin Teacher Trainer and has been actively involved in the Suzuki Method since 1972, when she first heard the Japanese Talent Education Tour Ensemble (Matsumoto, Japan). Margery Aber chose her as one of the ‘honorarium students’ for the American Suzuki Institute the next year, in 1973. Since that time, she has studied with many people in the field including, most importantly, Dr. Suzuki. Ms.Titterington has served on the faculty at the Conservatory of Music / University of Missouri (KC) teaching Suzuki Method pedagogy classes and she also directs her own studio, Kansas City Talent Education. An active clinician from 1979 to the present, she has taught and lectured at hundreds of institutes and workshops across the United States, Canada and in England. Ms. Titterington has served on numerous SAA committees and was elected to the SAA Board of Directors, serving from 2006-2009. She founded the Heart of America Suzuki Association in 1979, which is a regional affiliate of the SAA.

Finding the best way to help students learn to play the cello with joy and ease is one of Carol Tarr’s passions and lifetime pursuits. A native of Helena, Montana, Carol used to drive from Helena, MT for lessons with Florence Reynolds at the University of Montana while she was in high school Currently she has a studio of private cello students in Lakewood CO. Her students range in ages from 3-70.

Carol received a Bachelor of Music from University of Southern California, in cello performance and a Master of Music from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD. She also studied with Christopher Bunting in London England. Carol has attended several International String Workshops, many ASTA national conferences, and every Suzuki Association of the Americans Conference. She taught Suzuki Cello Pedagogy at the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music, for twenty years, retiring in 2016 She has also served on the faculty of Beloit College, University of Northern Colorado, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Carol is a registered teacher trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She has served as a member of the Suzuki Cello Committee, Suzuki Principle in Action Committee, Board of Directors, and is a founding member of the Suzuki Association on Colorado. She has taught teachers and students at institutes and workshops in over thirty states, as well as Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

A native of Guinea, West Africa, Oumar Keita is known for his extensive knowledge of music and history. Oumar showed an interest in traditional music and began singing at an early age with his mother. He plays traditional instruments like the bolon, gnoni and gongoma to accompany his singing. Although his focus is on traditional music, he also enjoys modern music. Oumar is proud to be multilingual and can rap and sing in Malinke, Susu and French.

In Guinea, Oumar was primarily a dundun player in the nationally recognized Ballet Saamato and Wofa Percussion in Conakry. Ballet Saamato gave Oumar the opportunity to share his country’s rich cultural tradition of music and dance with children in small villages throughout Guinea. This included working with the orphanage SOS to integrate art into their education. He continues sharing his culture in Missoula through SPARK!, school programs, and performances in the community.

Oumar lives in Missoula with his wife and daughter. He is an active member of the community dance and drum group Djebe Bara.

Matthew Nord is the founder and director of Tangled Tones Music Studio.

He has been playing music since the age of 6. Matthew has been instructing guitar, piano, ukulele, djembe & harmonica privately for 17 years. He graduated from the University of Montana with a B.A. in Anthropology. Through Tangled Tones various outreach programs he brings music to various ages in the Missoula and surrounding communities. He teaches children’s music and movement in Montessori’s and daycares through a program named Kids Vibrations. He also created Rhythm Tykes - Movement and Music for ages 1- 5 years old. In the Rhythm Tykes program children experience various instruments, singing, dancing, movement and games to explore music from around the world. Matthew was a co-creator in the Missoula band The Salamanders a music group focused on performing and recording kids music for all ages! Matthew loves to share diversity, enthusiasm and excitement through his teaching and performing.

Randal Harrison Hoecherl is a first generation Suzuki violin student who studied with Margery V. Aber, founder of the American Suzuki Institute (ASI). At ASI he had masterclasses with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki and many of America’s pioneer Suzuki teachers. As an adult he studied with iconic bassist and NEA Jazz Master Richard Davis, jazz violinist Matt Glaser, and Suzuki Association of the Americas teacher trainers Pat D'Ercole and Michele Higa George.

Critics have simultaneously declared Randal Harrison Hoecherl reminiscent of Niccolò Paganini, Stephane Grappelli, Al Di Meola and Frank Zappa. His mastery of such diverse styles has garnered him three Madison Area Music Awards for Best Blues Artist, Jazz Artist of the Year and Classical Artist of the Year. Performance credits include work with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, Blue Note recording artists (Ben Tucker, Dane Richeson, John Harmon), legendary drummer Sam Lay of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and “the funky drummer” himself Clyde Stubblefield of James Brown fame. As an EMMY nominated composer, Randal’s compositions, arrangements and performances appear in documentary film, television and over 100 artist recordings including works for Naxos and his own label StringFling Records.

Randal’s current performing and recording projects include: Honor Among Thieves, Piper Road Spring Band, Arpeggione, Randal Harrison Hoecherl: Solo Artist and freelance violinist/fiddler in all styles. Randal continues to write for solo violin and numerous ensembles of varying genre and size and is searching for funding to compose an evening for an eclectic strings and percussion tentet.

While enjoying a career of composing, performing and recording, Randal has always shared what he has learned with young musicians. Randal Harrison Hoecherl was the founder and director of the East Side Talent Education Association of Madison (ESTEAM) and president of the Suzuki Association of Wisconsin. Randal now travels the world to work with students and colleagues - sharing ideas on improvisation and an eclectic mix of violin studies. You can find him at www.StringFling.com and places like the American Suzuki Institute, the Singapore International String Conference and now at the Montana Suzuki Strings Institute!

Originally from Colorado, Loryn Zerr (MT) has lived and worked in most every state in the Western United States as well as in the US Virgin Islands. She received two degrees from the University of Montana: a B.F.A. with a ceramics emphasis, and a B.A. in Education, Art Teaching emphasis and certified K-12. She taught art for many years at The Missoula Art Museum, Sentinel High School, Sussex School, the Flagship program, and at Zootown Community Arts Center. She remains active in the local arts community and makes and shows her paintings, sculpture, and mixed media art whenever possible.