Amber Gutermuth (known as Ms. G by her students) is a violinist and violist who has a heartfelt desire to instill her own love of music in our future generations. She graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in December of 2021 from the University of Texas at Arlington where she studied with Dr. Martha Walvoord, Professor Elizabeth Elsner, and Professor Catherine Forbes. Because she grew up in the method herself starting at the age of 5, she is rather passionate about Suzuki’s pedagogy and all that it provides for students, including the development of exceptional musicianship and instrumental skill, but also characteristics that exemplify what it means to be good citizens of the world. In addition to the Suzuki method, Ms. G frequently enjoys teaching repertoire that exemplifies the different cultures of the world so that we can all learn together how music truly is a universal language! Ms. G does a lot musically outside of her teaching hours including playing in multiple string quartets and a local world music band. Currently Ms. G teaches part time at the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra Suzuki program and full time as a Suzuki Instructor in Hurst Euless Bedford ISD.

Rachel Samson hails from Central and NE Ohio, where she began her musical journey with Virginia Christopherson and Deborah Price. She attended high school at Hathaway Brown School and the Cleveland Institute of Music as part of the Young Artist Program. Rachel continued her studies at CIM for her Bachelor of Music, during which time she really enjoyed her studies in Chamber Music with the Cavani Quartet and Suzuki Pedagogy with Kimberly Meier-Sims. She studied with Ms. Meier-Sims for two years, training through Suzuki Violin Books 1-10 plus Practicum. Rachel earned her Master of Music degree on merit fellowship scholarship at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 2013.

Ms. Samson has participated in summer programs including The Montecito Music Festival, The Perlman Music Program, ENCORE School for Strings, and The Indiana University String Academy. She has taught at the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor, Baldwin-Wallace Middle School Strings Summer Program, the Mentor High School Mannheim String Orchestra Camp at Youngstown State University, CIM’s Preparatory Chamber Music Camp, and Hathaway Brown. Her principal teachers include Caroline Coade, Yizhak Schotten, Jeffrey Irvine, Lynne Ramsey, Heidi Castleman, Stanley Konopka, Deborah Price, Michael Davis, and Virginia Christopherson. Musicians for whom she has performed in masterclass include Kim Kashkashian, Ivry Gitlis, Helen Callus, Karen Ritscher, Carol Rodland, Michelle LaCourse, Susan DuBois, Kirsten Docter, Lisa Boyko, Charles Pikler, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Salaff, Joel Smirnoff, Paul Katz, Rhonda Cole, Cavani String Quartet, Colorado String Quartet, The Jerusalem and Tokyo Quartets.

Ms. Samson is a firm believer in the saying “They’re rarely too young and never too old” to learn to play the viola or violin. She loves and relates well with all ages and levels of students, and is passionate about finding fun and exciting ways to learn to play. She has been teaching since 2005, and is excited to continue learning and working with students. She and her husband, Neil Fong Gilfillan, have been in Frisco, TX since September of 2016. We know the transplant population in the DFW Metroplex is large, and can relate to what it is like to find yourself in a huge, new town. There’s a saying about Texas that goes, “I wasn’t born here, but I got here as fast as I could!” Please feel free to contact Rachel via phone or email, and in the meantime, do check out the studio website https://www.chilidogstrings.com/

Cellist Neil Fong Gilfillan draws from a lifetime love of eclectic musical inspiration. His favorite kind of work brings the creative energy of a jam session into the classroom.

As a full-time teacher and performer, Neil regularly utilizes his training in creative string playing with jazz violinist Christian Howes and Suzuki Method with Tanya Carey and Andrea Yun.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Arlington, Neil now teaches at Chili Dog Strings in Plano. Neil finds real joy in helping his students access the cello with ease and confidence, instructing classical and modern styles both in the studio and through his content online.

Dr. Elizabeth Torres serves as interim vice president of the North Texas Suzuki Association. As a graduate of The Hartt School of Music’s Suzuki Pedagogy program, Elizabeth’s primary teaching focus is centered in the philosophy of the Suzuki Method. Her former Suzuki teacher trainers include Edmund Sprunger, Nancy Jackson, Edward Kreitman, and Teri Einfeldt.

In February of 2020, Dr. Torres gave a lecture recital entitled Beginning Teaching and the End Result: The Evolution of Suzuki Book 1 Skills Through the Violin Repertoire. The recital focuses on principles of beginning Suzuki violin skills, and how they evolve throughout the course of a Suzuki violinist’s training.

Raised in a large Mexican family, Dr. Torres played mariachi music as a teenager, in addition to traditional classical repertoire, and has played with several mariachi groups throughout the United States.