The Full Story
About
Ruth's Story
Ruth Bacon Edewards has played the violin for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she was constantly surrounded by music, as the daughter of a piano teacher and eldest of four sisters who all studied violin with Suzuki teacher trainer Susan Kempter. She remembers well the joys and struggles of the Suzuki journey. It was in middle school, when she heard older kids playing the Mendelssohn Octet, that she caught the desire to perform. Ruth attended the University of New Mexico, where she earned her Bachelor of Music and completed her Suzuki long term training, also with Susan Kempter. She went on to receive a Master’s in Violin Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with members of the Cleveland Orchestra. Starting in undergrad, Ruth has played with orchestras across the country, from the New Mexico Symphony to the Atlanta Symphony, and in 2009 and 2010, she toured internationally with Star Wars in Concert.
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When she was twelve years old, Ruth started her first Twinkler and has been teaching ever since. Her current studio includes students ranging from beginners to advanced, from young children to adults. She also enjoys working with professionals on audition preparation. In addition to private teaching, she has been a guest clinician for over fifteen years at the Farmington Suzuki Camp and has taught at a Texas All State Prep Camp in Houston for several years. She has coached chamber seminars and youth orchestra retreats and has given master classes at the university level.
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Ruth moved to Knoxville in 2011 to play as a full time member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, which she did for nine seasons before leaving to cultivate her teaching studio and other performing opportunities. In her years there, she has founded the Inner Voices String Quartet, adopted two orange tabby cats, fell in love with hiking in the Smoky Mountains, and married a wonderful musician and conductor, Ace Edewards. Together, they enjoy gardening and raising chickens at their urban homestead, and they have just embarked on the adventure of parenthood.
Suzuki Method
Developed in Japan in the mid-1900’s by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, the Suzuki Method has revolutionized the face of music instruction across the world. More than a graded approach to repertoire, the Suzuki approach is a philosophy of teaching. Suzuki teaches that every child can learn, that ability develops early, and that environment nurtures growth. Parent involvement with young students is vital as part of the Suzuki triangle (teacher-student-parent), since the parent is the child’s first and most important teacher. Children learn from each other, therefore group lessons are an important piece of instruction. Success breeds success, so we take small steps and set students up to succeed. Listening and repetition are key components of learning, and encouragement is crucial. Dr. Suzuki believed that beautiful tone developed beautiful hearts.
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At Ruth’s Violin Studio, young students begin with the Suzuki approach. Older beginners and adults may have hybrid or more traditional instruction. For more information and background, please visit the Suzuki Association of the Americas website.
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