Suzuki Cello Studio in South Pasadena
Tara Atkinson graduated from Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music with a Bachelors Degree in cello performance. During her studies with Janet Anthony, she was awarded the opportunity to play with acclaimed faculty Wen-Lei Gu and Anthony Padilla for a live radio broadcast in Chicago. She was elected to serve on the Dean’s advisory committee as a correspondent between the students and the Dean. Growing up in LA, she started her cello studies at age seven with Rachael Lonergan. Tara has attended several institutes and summer festivals as a student, and now attends Suzuki institutes yearly for teacher training, as a committed life-long student. Her most influential teachers have been Pam Devenport and Tanya Carey.
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Tara is a dedicated Suzuki teacher, attending Suzuki institutes yearly and relishing every opportunity to learn more about cello pedagogy. She has been teaching the cello for eight years. She is passionate about reaching a broad and diverse audience, and is excited to launch a project to fund disadvantaged students. She is an active performer, recording artist, and collaborator. Tara is a RYT200 certified yoga teacher. Using her knowledge of the body to enhance her student’s ease and facility with the instrument, she also incorporates philosophical principles into her teaching. She is a member of the Suzuki of the Americas Association and the American String Teachers Association. She maintains a cello studio in South Pasadena, and makes soap and gardens in her spare time.
ABOUT
Shin'ichi Suzuki, a violin teacher and player in Japan, realized that all Japanese children speak Japanese. This inspired Suzuki to teach music to children the way children learn to speak, and called this the "mother tongue approach." This method focuses on the environment. If the student is supported by an enthusiastic, encouraging and musical environment, the student looks forward to practicing, learning, and sharing their music with friends and family.
Parents of children are an integral part of thier child's learning experience. Recordings are played as much as possible, so the student can learn the songs by heart. The parent is the teacher at home, and helps the child with daily practice. The parent and teacher are in close communication, as the teacher learns what is best for the child through the intimate knowledge of the parent. The parent learns from the expertise of the teacher what tools to use during practice and how to play the instrument at a beginner's level.
Learning to speak the language of music opens diverse avenues for self expression and communication.
