View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by SHAREOK repository UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE MARGERY ABER AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUZUKI METHOD IN THE UNITED STATES A DOCUMENT SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS By ANA MARIA WILSON Norman, Oklahoma 2011 MARGERY ABER AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUZUKI METHOD IN THE UNITED STATES A DOCUMENT APPROVED FOR THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC BY ____________________ Dr. Eugene Enrico, Chair ____________________ Dr. Gregory Lee, Co-chair ____________________ Dr. Roland Barrett ____________________ Dr. Anthony Stoops ____________________ Dr. Luther White © Copyright by ANA MARIA WILSON 2011 All Rights Reserved. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my husband, Joe Vandervort, for his constant love and encouragement in finishing this work. You are a great source of strength and comfort to me. I love you so much. To my unborn son and future children: May you always go all the way to the finish line in achieving your goals. Set your standards high and never give up. A special thank you to my parents, Elsa Maria and John Wilson, for all of your countless hours in taking me to violin lessons, rehearsals, and attending my concerts. Thank you for taking me seriously as a toddler when I begged to play the violin, and then for practicing with me and listening to those first “Twinkles” over and over. You have supported me through good times and bad with your undying love. I would like to thank all of my violin, viola, and Suzuki pedagogy teachers who have touched my life: Carol Linsenmeier, Nancy Zippay, Patricia Hackler, Betsy Jones, Marcia Henry Liebenow, Stephen Rose, Michele Higa George, Diane Slone, Teri Einfeldt, Koji Toyoda, Felicia Moye, Matthew Dane, Joanna Mendoza, Gary Kosloski, Evan Wilson, Rossitza Jekova Goza, Nancy Lokken, and Christie Felsing. A big thank you goes to all of the Suzuki teachers out there who are following Dr. Suzuki’s dream of “nurturing by love,” including my Suzuki co-workers, Suzanna Turpin, Conny Crappell, Emily Stoops, Cathlin Reese, and Kelli Ingels. Thank you to those who helped me so much with this project by giving so generously of their time in the interview process. I learned so much from all of you, not only about Margery Aber, but how to be a great Suzuki teacher: Pat D’Ercole, Dee iv Martz, Jenny Burton, Ann Marie Novak, Joyce Wotruba-Polson, San San Lee, Marilyn O’Boyle, Stan Smith, Diane Slone, Kay Collier McLaughlin, Everett and Santha Goodwin, Ed and Judy Muelling, Earle Williams, Kathy Bell, David Williams, Gail Engebretson, John Klein, and Paul Landefeld. Thank you to the members of my doctoral committee for all of your help in the process of completing this document and the rest of my degree: Dr. Eugene Enrico, Dr. Gregory Lee, Dr. Anthony Stoops, Dr. Roland Barrett, and Dr. Luther White. Thank you, Dr. Enrico, for your extra help as my committee chair in answering all of my questions, reading my drafts, and helping me prepare a well-written proposal and final document. I would be remiss without thanking Joe Vandervort, John Wilson, and my sister-in-law, Amy Schenk, for carefully reading and editing my document. This was so helpful as I prepared to turn in the finished product. A final thank you to Margery Aber whom I never got to know well when she was alive, but who has provided me with much inspiration in going after goals with great determination. Attending the American Suzuki Institute as a child gave me that extra spark of interest, joy, and drive to practice the violin. Miss Aber truly touched thousands of lives for the better. v Table of Contents ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ viii INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1 Need for Study ................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Study................................................................................................................ 2 Limitations ...............................................................................................................3 Procedure ..................................................................................................................3 Review of Literature ...............................................................................................14 CHAPTER 1: EARLY BIOGRAPHY OF MARGERY ABER...................................24 CHAPTER 2: NEW JOB AT STEVENS POINT ........................................................32 CHAPTER 3: THE AMERICAN SUZUKI INSTITUTE IS FOUNDED ...................46 CHAPTER 4: GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN SUZUKI INSTITUTE ...................64 CHAPTER 5: MARGERY ABER AS A TEACHER ..................................................76 BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................123 Books...................................................................................................................123 Articles.................................................................................................................124 Unpublished Manuscripts....................................................................................126 Pamphlets and Brochures ....................................................................................126 Dissertations and Theses .....................................................................................127 vi Videos..................................................................................................................128 Electronic Media .................................................................................................128 Interviews ............................................................................................................129 APPENDIX A: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD INFORMED CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESEARCH STUDY ......................................................131 APPENDIX B: DESCRIPTION OF STUDY PROTOCAL.......................................135 APPENDIX C: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS..............................................................138 APPENDIX D: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR PATRICIA D’ERCOLE ............141 vii Abstract Margery V. Aber (1914 - 2001) was a violinist and music educator who was invaluable to the growth of the Suzuki Method movement outside of Japan. Her love and enthusiasm for teaching led her to begin a new job at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point after thirty years of teaching in the Detroit Public Schools and twelve years at Wayne State University.1 Miss Aber was one of the first Americans to go to Matsumoto, Japan to study with Shinichi Suzuki. His “mother-tongue method” had been gaining much attention in the United States, as he had been extremely successful in teaching very advanced violin pieces to young Japanese children.2 In 1971, Miss Aber founded the first summer Suzuki Institute outside of Japan at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point.3 This is very significant because there are now over seventy institutes that were modeled after the one in Stevens Point.4 Summer institutes are now considered an important part of a Suzuki child’s education. Aber was a significant figure in the development of string education during the twentieth century. She authored numerous journal articles and a book entitled, Hip! Hip! Hooray! 30 Years with the American Suzuki Institute In Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which was released shortly before her death. Training numerous Suzuki teachers as well as students, Aber had an enormous impact on string playing in the United States. Looking through the literature, it is surprising to find that more has not 1 Margery V. Aber, Hip! Hip! Hooray! 30 Years with the American Suzuki Institute In Stevens Point, Wisconsin (Stevens Point, Wisconsin: Worzalla Printing, 2001), back cover. 2 Portage County Gazette: Obituary – Margery V. Aber. In webarchive. (Accessed February 17, 2010.) 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. viii been written about Margery Aber and her contributions. This presents an opportunity for a topic of research that deserves much attention. The purpose of this study is to recognize the work that Margery Aber did to spread the Suzuki Method in the United States. She also traveled to many other countries to help educate teachers, children, and parents about this method, but the focus of this paper will be on her work in the United States. Special attention will be given to the American Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which she founded. ix MARGERY ABER AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUZUKI METHOD IN THE UNITED STATES Introduction Need for Study Margery V. Aber (1914 - 2001) was a violinist and music educator who was invaluable to the growth of the Suzuki Method movement outside of Japan. Her love and enthusiasm for teaching led her to begin a new job at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point after thirty years of teaching in the Detroit Public Schools and twelve years at Wayne State University.5 Miss Aber was one of the first Americans to go to Matsumoto, Japan to study with Shinichi Suzuki. His “mother-tongue method” had been gaining much attention in the United States, as he had been extremely successful in teaching very advanced violin pieces to young Japanese children.6 In 1971,