DirectorBio

Meg Lanfear is both teacher and performer. She began her musical studies on piano at the age of 3. She then continued on to Suzuki violin lessons at the age of 7. The daughter of a Montessori school director, she comes from a strong background in education. Ms. Lanfear went on to complete her Masters in Violin performance and Suzuki Pedagogy at the Cleveland Institute of Music--one of the nations top conservatories.

While at CIM, Ms. Lanfear taught at the Fairmount Fine Arts Center as well as the Cleveland Music School Settlement. Ms. Lanfear lived in Matsumoto, Japan for two months and studied at the Suzuki Talent Institute with Koji Toyota and performed in several concerts. Several other institutions were of significance in Ms.Lanfear's studies including the Western Springs School of Talent Education with Ed Kreitman and the String Academy at Indiana University with Mimi Zweig. After 10 years of teaching formally, Ms. Lanfear’s students have had much success of their own. Her students are routinely accepted into the competitive Regional, District and Sate orchestras in addition to the excellent local youth orchestras. Her students attend Suzuki institutes around the world each summer and are frequently asked to perform on the highly selective solo recitals. Ms. Lanfear continues to further her knowledge of teaching and playing each summer as she attends workshops and teacher training classes around the country. The philosophy Ms. Lanfear holds towards teaching is that we can create excellent violinists as we work towards nurturing noble human beings.

As a performer, Ms. Lanfear has won numerous awards and competitions including: Shouse Scholarship competition, Best soloist award from the North America Music Festivals and Finalist in the CIM concerto competition. She has had the opportunity to perform around the world with many outstanding artists both as soloist and as principal orchestra member in such venues as the Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Symphony Hall, Severance Hall, Seiji Ozawa Hall, and Tanglewood. Artists she has performed with include, Leonard Slatkin, Joshua Bell, Daniel Barenboim, Mark O'Conner, Regina Carter, Herbbie Hanncock, Diane Reeves, and Diana Krall. She has performed with or held concertmaster positions with ensembles such as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, CIM Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony, Akron Symphony, Classical Symphony Orchestra and the American Youth Philharmonic. Ms. Lanfear was also in the Associate program for the National Symphony Orchestra. In May of 2006, after a competitive audition process, Ms. Lanfear won a regular position with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, known as "Illinois' second orchestra."

Ms. Lanfear can be heard on several record labels including Fresh Produce Records with the band "Velvetron" as well as the Audica Entertainment label in a solo CD that is currently in progress.

Ms. Lanfear feels that registered training for teachers is of the utmost importance and continues to further her own teacher training. In addition to having all eight Suzuki books registered several times now, each summer Ms. Lanfear travels to some of the best Suzuki institutes and music schools to continue her pursuit of life-long learning. Recently, Ms.Lanfear published an article in the Suzuki Association Journal on this very subject.

During the summer of 2009, Ms.Lanfear plans on studying with violinist and pedagogue Barbara Barber at Ithaca College in addition to teaching at the SutherlandWisconsin Chamber Institute. Currently, Ms.Lanfear is enjoying being an active participant in the Suzuki Association of the America's ground breaking Virtual Leadership Retreat.