"Lakewood Suzuki Strings (and especially the cello teacher, Katie) has been a wonderful experience for our family. My son (11) always liked music, but over the past ~1.5 years his interest has deepened. He's typically hard to convince to practice anything, and he's also a 'gifted program' kid whos had relatively few real challenges... so when something is difficult, he can default to resistance. Cello has been different. He's excited to practice and Ive seen real growth in how he handles challenge, effort, and sticking with something hard.
Katie is the kind of teacher you instantly trust: refined, professional, and patient , with a calm, understated playfulness that kids respond to. She's clearly steeped in classical music, but also has touring-band experience and stories my son enjoys, which helps her connect in a real way. What I appreciate most is how attentively she teaches my specific child. She's adjusted her approach to keep him engaged, encouraged, and progressing without ever making it feel intimidating.
Highly recommend Katie and the Lakewood Suzuki Strings program."
- John V. S., parent of cello student
