Suzuki by the Sound (SBTS) is a private violin studio that emphasizes the social and emotional growth of students. While learning to play violin with a beautiful and expressive sound, children develop patience, persistence, focus and empathy. The curriculum includes individual lessons, weekly group classes and three annual recitals.

Violin teacher Jen Kovarovic founded Suzuki by the Sound in 2010. The studio moved to the neighborhood of Madrona in 2013, providing a central location for students throughout Seattle and the Eastside.

Jen Kovarovic has taught Suzuki violin since 1998.  A native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, she attended New York University, where she worked with Dr. Sylvia Gholson and Serena Canin of the Brentano Quartet.  While completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, she served as the principal second violinist for the New York University Orchestra. She then remained in New York and continued her violin studies with Joey Corpus.  Jen completed her training for Suzuki Violin Books 1-8 at the School for Strings’ Teacher’s Training Program under the instruction of Louise Behrend.

After running her own violin studio in Brooklyn for four years, Jen moved to the Washington, DC area, where she completed a private apprenticeship with Ronda Cole and registered Violin Books 1-10 and the Suzuki course Every Child Can.  Realizing the need for better parent education programs in the Suzuki community, Jen also became a certified instructor in Parent Effectiveness Training.  She went on to earn a Master of Education degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Washington, where she studied the relationship between Suzuki education and the socioemotional development of students.

Jen lives in Seattle, Washington, where she directs her own violin studio, Suzuki by the Sound. She is also an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, the Suzuki Association of Washington State, and the American String Teachers’ Association.

Suzuki by the Sound operates within these core values and expectations:

TEACHER’S VALUES

  • I believe talent is learned, not inherited. Every child can access talent.

  • I create a positive learning environment while asking families to meet my clearly stated expectations.

  • I am sensitive to non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expression and tone of voice.

  • I take as long as necessary to set up strong foundations, which leads to faster progress and deeper musicianship later.

  • I teach children to be students.

  • I teach parents to coach kindly and effectively at home.

  • I teach students to play musically and expressively from day one.

  • I foster musical literacy by starting note recognition in Book 1 and rhythmic training in Book 2, with the reading of music beginning in Book 2.

  • I am motivated by a love of teaching, a love of playing the violin, and a love of children.

  • I am willing to learn as much as I teach.

EXPECTATIONS

  • Students practice every day.

  • Students listen to Suzuki recordings every day.

  • All students participate in weekly group classes.

  • Parents attend lessons and group classes for students younger than thirteen.

  • Students attend as many concerts as possible.

  • Students listen to a new classical music piece every week and learn the title, composer, performer, and conductor.

  • Students perform in three recitals each year, individually and in groups.

  • Students are responsible for retaining what they have been taught.

Individual lessons are held at 818 33rd Avenue in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood:

 

Group classes are held at the Russian Community Center in Capitol Hill: