Instructor Biographies - Suzuki Institute

Kim Blanchard, Cello

Kim has been teaching cello privately in the Seattle area since 2000 and has recently received pedagogy training in the Suzuki method studying under Barbara Wompner at the Seattle/Japan Suzuki Institute. She has been an intern and coach at Chamber Music Madness for several years under nationally recognized chamber music teacher Karen Iglitzen. Kim has been actively involved in the arts community of the Northwest for over a decade. She is a member of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera NW, and Bellevue Opera. She also performs as a freelance musician and is an active chamber music performer in the greater Seattle area. Kim moved to Seattle in 1996 after receiving her BFA from Alfred University in New York and went on to receive her Bachelors of Music in cello performance from Cornish College of the Arts in 2005 where she studied with Paige Stockley Lerner. Kim currently studies with Mr. Walter Gray of the Seattle Symphony.

While studying cello performance at Cornish, Kim discovered her interest in composition and was fortunate to study with Janice Giteck and Jarrad Powell. Kim finds ways to combine her visual art background with her music by collaborating with artists of various disciplines through performing and composing. Kims first project, Katrina, is based on a heroic young womans experiences through a mythic world. She combines spoken word and film along with various non-traditional combinations of instruments. The world premier of Quaking Aspens, from Katrina was performed by the Bainbridge Choral in May, 2005. Also in the spring of 2005 the Saint Helens String Quartet performed the first movement of String Quartet No. 1, I. Sunrise. In 2006 Kim composed the score for the short film, R.E.X. by her friend and collaborator W. Jack Strain. Most recently, Kim was commissioned by the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony to write a piece for their 20th Anniversary Gala Concert on May 18, 2007. This piece is scheduled to have its Northwest premier with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2009.

www.FoothillsSuzuki.com

For scheduling please call Kim at 206-412-8995 or email foothillssuzuki@gmail.com.