Suzuki Association of Colorado is pleased to have held our
2022 Fall Teacher Workshop and Violin Master Class
on October 22, 2022 at Denver Art Museum.
A video recording of a part of the event may be available soon to SAC members.
Please email Philip Ledgerwood at vicepresident@cosuzuki.org if you are interested in viewing the video.
We look forward to seeing everyone at next year's event.
A very special thank you to Luther Strings for sponsoring this event!
The Teacher Workshops were held in the morning and provided information and advice on how teachers could get their studios started successfully and keep it that way. A Master Class with Charles Krigbaum then followed in the afternoon.
Here is a detailed summary of the event:
On Saturday, October 22, 2022 the SAC hosted a business workshop for music teachers and a violin masterclass for students at the Denver Art Museum. Teacher participants also had the option to attend online, expanding the audience for the workshop. 14 teachers and three students benefited from this wonderful day of learning and networking. The event was sponsored by Denver based shop, Luther Strings. They provide friendly and knowledgeable support to our string community through their instruments, rentals, supplies and world-class tonal adjustments.
The day started with pastries from SAC President Helen Park and introductions. We then dove into the business side of music with Charles Krigbaum. He detailed his successes as a music teacher by relating them back to specific business decisions or lessons learned. He spoke in detail about make up lessons, tuition, communication, and more. He also reiterated that good teaching is good business by reviewing the importance of concrete lesson assignments and setting the pace of progress. Mr. Krigbaum is a charming lecturer with the perfect balance of excellence, humor, and confidence. He presented his ideas in a way that were actionable by music teachers at all stages of their careers.
Following the keynote speech, teachers gathered for a catered meal and to catch up at the first in person SAC event since the February 2020 SPA course. At this time we were joined by two guest speakers, a certified financial planner and a lawyer. Katie Lorsbach, owner of The Katie Lorsbach Agency with COUNTRY financial, gave an overview of the major steps in business planning from a financial and insurance perspective. She focused on limiting liability, which can include registering as an LLC, setting up a business bank account, and purchasing appropriate liability insurance. She partners with other professionals including lawyers and certified public accountants to create a comprehensive plan for best business practices. Adrienne Fischer, founder of Basecamp Legal, gave an overview of what is involved in operating a business from a legal perspective. This includes formation of the business, contracts, avoiding and dealing with legal troubles, and hiring employees.
To end the day Charles Krigbaum taught masterclasses to three advancing violin students. They each played beautifully and received detailed feedback from Mr. Krigbaum. He provided the students with a variety of artistic choices for their music that really deepened their performances in a short amount of time.
Speakers included:
Charles Krigbaum is a Teacher Trainer for Suzuki Association of America. He is also a Suzuki Talent Education specialist and is the founder and Director of the North Texas School of Talent Education, a Suzuki violin and viola program. For 10 years at the Colorado Suzuki Institute in Beaver Creek, Charles delivered the legendary course “The Business of Music for Teachers,” available to all teacher workshop participants of all instruments and levels.
Adrienne Fischer is the founder of Basecamp Legal, www.basecamplegal.com, which specializes in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs avoid and tackle the specific legal challenges they face. She has been a speaker at Denver Startup Week multiple times and recently became a mentor for Founded Outdoors and REI Co-op’s Path Ahead Ventures’ Embark Program.
Katie Lorsbach is the owner of The Katie Lorsbach Agency with Country Financial. She is a certified financial planner as well as an expert in insurance planning for personal and business needs. She is passionate about helping her clients achieve their goals from wherever they are starting from.
