Sarah Smith, Director

Sarah Smith, founder and director of West Suburban Suzuki Strings, Inc., has been playing the violin since age 5. Sarah began her studies with her father, Stan Smith, and continued her studies with Rebecca Sandrok, Debra Wood, and the internationally renowned Almita Vamos at Western Illinois University. In 1986, she studied with Dr. Suzuki at his school, the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan.

Sarah began teaching with Aurora Suzuki (Stan Smith, director) in 1984. She taught in the Aurora Suzuki program for 24 years and continues to combine efforts with Stan and his students in an effort to provide many performing opportunities for all of her/their students in both programs. Sarah's goal is to carry out the Suzuki philosophy with her students and enjoys being an important part of her student's lives.

Sarah's students have taken many of the advanced positions in local orchestras as well as winning spots in local Concerto Competitions. Many of her students continue with their music education as both performance majors and music education majors studying at the most prestigious music schools in the country. Those who have not majored in music have continued playing their instruments in some capacity by joining their local community orchestras or just playing for their own pleasure. It has been very gratifying for Sarah to see her students continue to enjoy fine music.

Sarah is a sought-after clinician at workshops and Institutes throughout the United States teaching in Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and throughout Illinois. She enjoys running her own business (WSSS, Inc.) in addition to being part of the family business teaching with her father, Stan Smith.

 
Gretchen Pearson started taking violin lessons from Stan Smith, director of the Aurora Suzuki Violins, in 1987.  Some of her other violin instructors include Sarah Smith, Drew Lecher and Istvan Szabo.  After graduating high school, she attended University of Iowa and Eastern Illinois University.  Gretchen is currently working on her Masters of Music Education from the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana.

She has played in the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra , Eastern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Illinois Chamber Orchestra, Eastern Illinois Early Music Consort and Eastern Illinois Student Quartet.  After getting her

Bachelors of Music from Eastern Illinois University, Gretchen started working as a violin teacher in the Aurora Suzuki Violins program. Gretchen currently teaches with WSSS and teaches 6th  and 7th  grade orchestra at Hill Middle School in Naperville , IL.