History of the Coleman Violin Studio
by Jan Coleman
Jan and Kent Coleman. (May 2007)
Both Kent and Jan Coleman began teaching violin while in high school in Hutchinson, Kansas. Kent’s first student was Jan. They spent many happy hours in the Coleman basement studying Ivan Galamian’s Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching (Kent was also a student of Galamian), and all the other books and articles on the subject they could find, then applying what they were learning to their students, as well as to their own playing. They were very interested in finding what would work to help each student. During this time, Kent was being treated for Hodgkin’s Disease, and his violin career eventually went on hold as he took a detour into practicing law for a number of years after he developed frequent numbness in his hands from the treatments. Jan taught throughout college, and taught full-time after graduating. She became interested in the Suzuki Method of teaching after meeting a teacher of that method in Houston whose students could read music well, in addition to playing beautifully. Jan taught private lessons to students enrolled in the Houston High School for the Performing Arts and in a Suzuki program in an elementary magnet school for the arts. During their time in Texas, they enjoyed playing chamber music with friends each weekend.
In 1992, Kent decided to pursue his dream of becoming a violin teacher. He and Jan moved to the Seattle area after visiting Jan’s sister’s family, who had recently moved to Bothell, although they did not know any string players or teachers in the area. Their twin sons were two years old at the time, so Kent did most of the contacting of other teachers and school orchestra directors. He was told that there was a need for violin teachers in Olympia, so they both made the trip there twice a week for a couple of years, and Kent continued to teach there once a week for several years after that, while building the studio in their home. Several of Kent’s students in Olympia, and others from around the Seattle area, were very dedicated to the violin, and soon began winning the SMTA Simon-Fiset competition, as well as the MTNA and ASTA state competitions (subsequently the MTNA Northwest Division and National Competitions, as well). During this time, Kent and Jan were also attending various seminars and institutes around the country. They studied violin pedagogy with the top teachers in the country, such as Dorothy Delay (they both observed her teach many master classes at Sound Encounters, and Kent sat in on her lessons from morning to night while in Aspen one summer), Mimi Zweig (Joshua Bell’s teacher with whom he worked on form rehab for 4 years), Michele George (then head of the preparatory department at the Cleveland Institute of Music), Brian Lewis, Rhonda Cole, and Edward Kreitman.
In 1996, Kent became a member of the Music Advisory Panel of the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival.
In 1997, Kent was named String Chair of the newly formed Academy of Music Northwest, where many of the students have participated over the years in chamber music and academic courses. He has now been named Emeritus String Chair/Honorary String Chair (in memoriam).
In 2000, Kent was named Washington’s Outstanding Studio Teacher of the Year by the American String Teachers Association. That same year, the Colemans were introduced to Hiro David. She quickly became an integral and invaluable part of the studio as a fabulous rehearsal coach and pianist. (Please see her biography listed under “teachers.”)
In June of 2007, Kent passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at age 52 of pneumonia brought about by complications stemming from his treatment during his teen years for Hodgkin’s disease. (Please see his obituary below. Jan’s biography is listed under “teachers.”)
After Kent’s death, Jan received a call from Simon James, whose daughters were studying with her. Simon is the Second Assistant Concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony. He offered to help her find a teacher for Kent’s most advanced students, and they spent many hours brainstorming and researching. In the meantime, a few of the students were preparing to play in an important concert, and Simon offered to teach them and some of the other students. After a couple of weeks, he was “having such a blast” that he found time in his busy Symphony schedule to teach students during the school year. He wants the studio to continue to be known as the Coleman Violin Studio.
During 2007-2008, Simon’s students won many competitions, including First Place in the National MTNA Competition, the Bellevue Philharmonic Competition, the Seattle Philharmonic’s Don Bushell Competition, the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival (the student who won could not solo with the orchestra because she had also won last year), and several first place awards at the Simon-Fiset Competition of the Seattle Music Teachers Association. Simon has also been instrumental in bringing in teachers to give master classes for the studio, such as James Ehnes and Ani Kavafian. He is an amazing, innovative, knowledgeable, and very devoted teacher, in addition to being a first-rate violinist. (Please see his biography under “teachers.”)
We are extremely pleased that Elisa Barston, Principal Second Violin of the Seattle Symphony and a truly outstanding teacher and violinist, also joined the faculty of the Studio in the Fall of 2007. (Please see her biography under “teachers.”)
In 2007-2008, Jan was appointed String Chair of the Academy of Music Northwest, and became a member of the Seattle Young Artists Music Advisory Panel, Chair of the Simon-Fiset String Competition, and board member of the Suzuki Education and Reseach Association. Students of hers won the Port Gardner Bay Concerto Competition, and 1st and 2nd Place in the Primary Division of the SMTA Simon-Fiset String Competition.
The Coleman Violin Studio continues to have monthly informal and periodic formal recitals, and we all strive to continue the vision that Kent had for the Studio and its wonderful students and their families: to nurture in all students a lasting passion for music while teaching correct form and technique so they can play at their highest level.