Suzanne F
Instruments: Flute
Styles: Classical
Suzanne F
Instruments: Flute
Styles:
Classical
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Bachelor Degree: Kutztown University, Master Degree: Rutgers University
2018 - Kutztown Concerto Competition Winner
2022 - Finalist for Air Force Band Audition
Flutist Suzanne Francis received her BA from Kutztown University and a MM from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. Her principal teachers include Bart Feller, Emily Skala, and Susanna Loewy. She resides in Princeton, NJ performing regularly with the Princeton University ensembles, the Brook Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Voices Chorale, the Bronx Opera Company, and Berks Sinfonietta. As a founder and Principal Flutist of the Garden State Quintet, she is an advocate for emphasizing the prominence of contemporary music while staying rooted in the foundations set forth by traditional pedagogy. Passionate for education, she has accrued students from all ages and levels in their pursuit and enjoyment of music by aiding them to find their own individual voice.
I began teaching in my undergraduate degree at Kutztown, PA. There I began working with the flute studio from a nearby high school. As I have moved to New Jersey, I have taken on my own private studio. I have students ranging in ages 4-50+. I also teach part time at a college, working with a flute studio in preparation from their end of the semester recital. I enjoy working with my students and getting to know them all. I shape every lesson according to the many different learning styles I encounter and I always make sure to squeeze in a couple laughs. My students are encouraged to audition for competitions and youth orchestras, so I do expect independent work to be done outside of our lessons. I am a teacher who understands life can get busy in school and personal lives, and I hope our lessons bring enjoyment and fun to learning.
I always begin a lesson with a warm up. This can look different depending on the student, however I emphasize the importance of warming up your lungs, fingers, embouchure, and body. I then move to scales. For my beginner students, I use methods to learn the quick fingerings that is needed for basic fundamentals as well as exercises that assist in how we blow into the flute. As I see fit, we grow from there, adding scale exercises, arpeggios, and articulations. I assign etude books for basic musical practice. I use a wide variety of books and I assign them accordingly. When it comes to pieces, I am open minded, as I want to be sure my students are learning pieces they really enjoy.
My teaching style is enthusiastic. I always show my students support, even if they are feeling discouraged. If there is a problem one my face in their individual practice, I am diligent in problem solving in our lesson. I work with my students to find small scale goals to work towards, and when they reach them, we find a new goal together. Whether it is playing a chromatic scale, learning vibrato, or a tricky run in a piece, I acknowledge and celebrate for them. When I can, I show up to school performances to hear them play.
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