Teacher Spotlight: Sarah Montzka, viola and violin

Interview by Erin Cano, violin

Sarah Montzka, Suzuki viola and violin
Sarah Montzka has been Associate Director of MIC’s Suzuki Program since fall of 2013 and a viola and violin instructor at MIC since 2001.

What inspired you to become a Suzuki teacher?
During my senior year at the Cleveland Institute of Music I took Michele George's Suzuki pedagogy class. I was drawn to Suzuki's philosophy that ALL children can learn and the idea that music is a path for developing not only musical talent, but also character traits like kindness, integrity and peace.

What is your favorite piece to teach?
Bohemian Folk Song! It's the first piece in the viola literature that isn't also in the violin or cello books, so it feels like our song. Bohemian Folk Song showcases the viola's dark, brooding tone. I also love that it's in a minor key.

You have taught at Suzuki workshops and institutes across the world. What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had at a workshop or institute?
Jamie was a student in one of my Dalcroze classes at the Colorado Suzuki Institute. Jamie had suffered a stroke in utero leaving her with right-sided weakness, loss of speech center, and hemianopsia (blindness in half her visual field). When I met Jamie, she could not walk. The class I was about to teach involved not only walking, but also running, marching, jumping, hopping, skipping and galloping. I couldn’t even imagine how Jamie could participate in the class, but I held firm to Suzuki’s belief that within every child lies an unlimited potential and accepted Jamie into the class. Jamie’s mother later wrote about the experience:

“. . .she was two and not yet walking unassisted. The teacher asked each child to stand and to make his/her way around the circle to music in any fashion they chose (walk, trot, skip, bounce, etc.). When it was Jamie's turn, we held our breath. The teacher called her name. Jamie said, ‘Me march!’ She stood up (alone, first time ever) and proceeded to march around that circle to the music her teacher played. We were filled with such joy! We stood there crying as she marched around that circle, head held high. When she got back to her spot, she just fell to a sitting position (plopped down, really) and sat there like she'd been marching her whole life. It was a moment I will never, ever forget. Today, she's trying to learn violin as well. It's difficult for her as she has little use of her right hand and wrist. But every time the bow scratches across the strings I imagine new neural pathways forming in her beautiful brain.”
It was an incredible honor to be a small part of Jamie's first steps and a powerful reminder that every child can.

Your son studies Suzuki string bass at MIC. What insights have you developed as both a Suzuki parent and teacher?
I have a much greater respect for the day-to-day effort involved in Suzuki parenting. In lessons, my students do what I ask them to do largely because I am the teacher and I see them just once a week. With our son, the combination of the parent-child relationship and daily practice results in a different dynamic. Some days he doesn't want to practice and, true confession, some days I  wish we didn't have to practice. This is when I take a step back and remember the bigger picture. I think about all of the skills I want our son to have when he goes out into the world; traits like problem-solving skills, resilience, dedication, confidence and generosity. Research shows us, time and time again, that music study is uniquely qualified to develop, not just neural pathways in our brains, but also these non-cognitive skills. When we practice--especially on the days that we aren't "in the mood"-- then we are not only practicing the instrument but also honing our ability to persevere. This long-term perspective is my touchstone on the tough days.

What’s on your iPod right now?
I just finished listening to a student Book 1 graduation recording that was sent in mp3 format and that was a JOY! My iPod library is a jumble of classical music (Brahms, Hindemith and Shostakovich are favorites - and if you haven't heard the Agnus Dei from Faure's Requieum you are missing out!), classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Journey, Rush), vocalists like Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, bluegrass inspired bands like Punch Brothers and Crooked Still, Game of Thrones podcasts and loads of really embarrassing things like "Careless Whisper", "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here" from Annie and "Safety Dance".