Faculty
The Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) is committed to Dr. Suzuki’s belief that every child can be educated and that high ability can be nurtured in every child. With this commitment in mind the SAA has designed a comprehensive Teacher Development Program to assist teachers in creating the best possible learning environment for their students, an environment that puts a priority on the development of fine character along with excellent ability and musicianship.
Along with pedagogical skills for working effectively with students of all levels and different learning styles, the SAA emphasizes teacher development opportunities in all areas of parent and student support and engagement. The SAA has formulated requirements to ensure high standards for teacher training, and to make possible the recognition of such training.
All Amarillo College Suzuki Program private lesson faculty have completed levels of specialized SAA training, and are encouraged to continue regular continuing education opportunities. Many faculty also have state teaching certificates and other varied string pedagogy and educational training.
Beverly de la Bretonne
Musical Director, Violin Instructor and Ensemble Coach
Suzuki Association of the Americas Certified Teacher Trainer
Suzuki Violin Books 1-10 training with John Kendall and William Starr.
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller
Mark O'Connor Method Certified Teacher
Amarillo College Professor Emeritus, 2013
Bachelor of Music Ed, University Louisiana Monroe
Master of Music Ed, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Music Building 305
E-mail: bjdelabretonne@actx.edu
Phone: 806-371-5342
Mrs. de la Bretonne continues part-time on the music faculty at Amarillo College where she taught full-time for twenty-five years. She is also Music Director of the AC Suzuki Program, a registered Suzuki teacher-trainer, and is frequently invited to teach in workshops around the country. She has been listed as an outstanding teacher in Who’s Who in American Colleges.
A native of Monroe, Louisiana, her major areas of study were violin, flute and piano as she obtained her B.M.E. degree from University Louisiana Monroe. She was Music Department Honor Graduate and was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges. She received her M.M.E. degree (studying Suzuki Pedagogy with John Kendall) from Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville in 1969. After graduation, she was invited to coordinate John Kendall’s Suzuki Program at the University. After ten years in this position, she moved to Amarillo to take the position at AC.
Mrs. de la Bretonne is a member of the Amarillo Symphony and the AC Faculty Trio/Quartet. She performs frequently in the community and in her church music program.
Camille Day Nies
Amarillo College Music Department Chair
Assistant Professor of Music at Amarillo College
Suzuki Program Coordinator, Viola Instructor and Ensemble Coach
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Sue Baer.
Suzuki Violin Books 1-8 training with Beverly de la Bretonne, Marilyn O'Boyle, Stevie Sandven, Joanne Bath & Doris Preucil.
Suzuki Viola Books 1-6, 8 training with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker.
Suzuki Viola Book 9 training with William Preucil.
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller.
Mark O'Connor Certified Teacher.
Bachelor of Music Business, WTAMU
Master of Music Performance (voice), WTAMU
Music Building 308
Email: cdnies@actx.edu
phone: 806/371-5346
Camille's Webpage with links to biography, schedules, etc.
Homero Campos
Guitar Instructor and Group Leader, Ensemble
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Beverly de la Bretonne
Suzuki Guitar Book 1 training with David Madsen
Suzuki Guitar Book 2 training with David Madsen
Master of Arts- Music Composition, West Texas A&M University
Bachelor of Music, Musicians Institute
Music Building: 201A
E-mail: hccampos@actx.edu
phone: 806/371-5357
Homero Campos began teaching guitar at Amarillo College in 2007, emphasizing a mixture of classical and jazz styles in building student skill levels. A versatile and active performer, he is called on for jazz, rock, blues, classical, fusion, theatre, country and folk work in the Amarillo area. Building on a long history of private teaching, Homero has trained in the Suzuki method with teacher-trainer David Madsen, and began the popular guitar component of the Amarillo College Suzuki Program in 2014.
Kay Hotmann Fristoe
Flute and Group Fife Instructor, Ensemble
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Beverly de la Bretonne
Suzuki Flute Book 1 training with June Warhoftig
Suzuki Flute Book 2 & 3 training with Pandora Bryce
Suzuki Flute 4 training with Sarah Murray
Suzuki Flute 6 training with David Gerry
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller
General Education degree
Email: katherine.fristoe@amaisd.org
phone:806-371-5340
Kay Hotmann Fristoe is thrilled to join the Amarillo College Suzuki Staff! Her history of flute teaching spans 27 years with students ranging from ages 3 to 65. Many of her students have been all-staters and some have continued their education as college music majors.
In 1995, a Suzuki Piano teacher introduced her to teacher training for Flute Foundations and she’s been hooked on the Suzuki method ever since. She then introduced other teachers to the summer training institutes and took them along as she went back for more teacher training classes, a masterclass, and two flute repair courses.
In addition to flute lessons, Kay has had many exciting performance opportunities including symphonies in Plainview, Texas; Kingsport, Tennessee; and Roswell, New Mexico. She has adjudicated for the Kansas All-State band, all-city and all-region bands, several solo and ensemble competitions, the Kansas Lions Band, and the Kansas Ambassadors of Music. She was featured three times as a soloist with the Dodge City Cowboy Band and a Kansas Ambassadors of Music European tour.
She has taught Elementary Music, Reading, English and Social Studies in grades 5 through 12, as well as private flute and ensemble classes at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell New Mexico, Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas and in the pre-college department of Howard Payne Univeristy in Brownwood, Texas. She currently teaches 7th grade English/Language Arts and Reading at Bowie Middle School in Amarillo.
Cassandra Hussey
Suzuki Harp, PreTwinkle, Orff
Master of Music Education, Texas Tech University
Bachelor of Music- Teacher Certification, Music, Texas Tech University
Suzuki Harp Books 1 & 2
Music Building 311
E-mail: cassandrahusseymusic@gmail.com
phone: 806-371-5340 (AC)
Cassandra Hussey began her music studies at an early age in piano and then began playing harp as a teenager. After attending Amarillo College as both a harp and piano major, she transferred to Texas Tech University where she graduated Suma cum Laude and received her Bachelors and later her Masters in Music Education with her principal instrument being harp. Her harp studies there were under the tutelage of world renowned harpist, Dr. Gail Barber. Since graduating, Ms. Hussey has continued to perform and teach in the West Texas/New Mexico area and has loved every minute of it! She performs regularly with the Roswell Symphony Orchestra and happily subs for Amarillo Symphony when needed. In the Summer of 2016 Ms. Hussey completed her Suzuki Book 1 training with Delaine Leonard and then completed her book 2 training in the Spring of 2018. Outside of teaching and performing, Ms. Hussey loves swimming, cooking, and spending as much time as possible having fun and laughing with her sweet husband and wonderful children.
Tiffany McDaniel
Amarillo College Music Department and Suzuki Administrative Assistant
Suzuki Violin Instructor, Violin Group, Ensemble Coach, Workshop Coordinator
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Beverly de la Bretonne
Suzuki Violin Books 1-4 training with Beverly de la Bretonne
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller
Mark O'Connor Method Certified Teacher
Bachelor of Music Business, West Texas A&M University
Associates in Applied Music, Amarillo College
Music Building 304, 310
E-mail: tljackson26@actx.edu
phone: 806-371-5340 (AC)
Tiffany Jackson McDaniel began playing the violin at age 3 in the Amarillo College Suzuki String Program, founded by the late Suzanne Grooms and Helen Gerald. Throughout her career she has studied with Beverly de la Bretonne and Annie Chalex. She was a member of the TMEA All-State Orchestra for 2 years, a 7 year member of the All-Region Orchestra, a four year winner of the National Orchestra Award (High School Division) and won 'Outstanding' marks at both the Greater Southwest Music Festival, and UIL Solo Competition for 9 years. Tiffany was also a featured fiddler in "TEXAS:A Musical Drama"/"Texas: Legacies" for 6 years, and a member of the touring branch of the show, "Texas Express". Tiffany currently teaches Suzuki violin in the Amarillo College Suzuki Program, where she received training from Beverly de la Bretonne, and serves as administrative assistant for both the music department and the Suzuki program. She performs regularly with the Amarillo Symphony, of which she has been a member since 1998, and is principal 2nd violinist of the Amarillo Opera orchestra. When she isn't playing or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, being a mommy to her daughter, Hazel, and keeping up with their rambunctious dog, Captain Crunch (C.C.).
For Tiffany's full bio please go HERE
Katy Moore
Violin Instructor
Suzuki Violin Books 1-10 training with Beverly de la Bretonne
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller
Bachelor of Music Performance (violin), University of Wisconsin-Madison
Music Building 111
E-mail: katyjomoore@gmail.com
phone: 806-679-9878
Katy Moore, an Amarillo native, graduated with a degree in violin performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with violinist David Perry. Prior to her undergraduate studies, she also trained with Corinne Stillwell, then violinist with the Harrington String Quartet. Katy is currently the associate concertmaster of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, and she also performs regularly with the Amarillo Opera and Chamber Music Amarillo. Previously, she performed as a member of the Madison, Richardson, and Las Colinas Symphony Orchestras. She has also had the opportunity to perform as a guest artist with the Harrington String Quartet on multiple occasions. Katy teaches in the Amarillo College Suzuki String program, the same program where she began her own musical studies with teacher Beverly de la Bretonne. Katy is pursuing her Master of Music Performance degree at West Texas A&M University and studies with Dr. Rossitza Jekova-Goza.
Puntita Panyadee
Piano Instructor and Piano Group, Ensemble
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Nancy Lokken
Suzuki Piano Book 1 training with Caroline Fraser
Suzuki Piano Book 2 training with Cleo Ann Brimhall
Suzuki Piano Book 3 training with Bruce Anderson
ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) Piano Recital Diploma
Bachelor of Business Administration major Accounting from Assumption University of Thailand
Master of Music in Piano Performance from West Texas A&M University
Music Building 109
E-mail: pianissimo1980@hotmail.com
phone: 817-917-0826
Born in Thailand, Puntita Panyadee started piano lessons at the age of eleven. She received an Associate Recital Diploma (ATCL) from Trinity College London. In Thailand she studied piano with Ms. Sabrina Alexander and Dr. Tretip Kamolsiri. She came to America in 2012 to study piano with Dr. Denise Parr-Scanlin at West Texas A&M University where she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance in 2014. Mrs. Panyadee has also taken Masterclasses with Maria Garzon and Dr. James Miltenberger.
Mrs. Panyadee joined the Amarillo College Suzuki Program in Amarillo, Texas in August 2015. She enjoys teaching children and finding ways to inspire her students.
Russell Steadman
Cello Instructor and Group Teacher
Suzuki Every Child Can! (ECC) with Susan Baer
Suzuki Cello Books 2 & 3 with Dr. Tanya Carey
Suzuki Cello Book 1 with Grace Fields
Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) with Sharon Miller
Unit 1-A violin with Beverly de la Bretonne
Music Building 107
phone: 806-677-0884
Russell Steadman is a professional cellist in the Amarillo area, and studied with Emmanuel Lopez at West Texas A&M University. He is also the orchestra director at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. He has performed as a section cellist in the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra for over twenty years. He has extensive experience in string quartets, having been cellist in several quartets in the Amarillo area over the past two decades. He has taught cello in the Amarillo College Suzuki Program since 2001, and has served as the cello section coach for several area organizations, including the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestras.
Additional Group Teachers
David Hinds, Orchestra
David is a retired Orchestra Director from Amarillo ISD. In addition to conducting the AC Chamber Orchestra he directs the AC Suzuki Orchestra. He received the BME degree from West Texas A&M University and the MME degree plus post graduate work from the University of North Texas. He is an active composer with several string orchestra compositions published by Carl Fischer Music and Latham Music. He was a member of the Amarillo Symphony for over thirty years and is a member of TMEA, TODA, ASTA and ASCAP. David is also an active adjudicator for UIL orchestra competitions; serves as a region orchestra conductor/clinician and is a member of the board of directors for Greater Southwest Music Festival.
Yuko Williams, Pre Reading
Ms. Williams was born and raised in Japan. She studied English Literature, focusing on Shakespeare, at Keio University in Tokyo. After moving to the United States, she studied graduate work for a Master's Degree in Music. Ms. Williams taught Music Appreciation at Frank Phillips College for 7 years and has taught Pre Reading in the AC Suzuki program since 2012. She has studied violin with Dorthy King in Pampa, TX, and continues to study with Beverly de la Bretonne at Amarillo College. Ms. Williams has completed Suzuki Violin levels 1-3 training, as well as the Every Child Can! seminar.