Bio
Mary Hofer began teaching Suzuki Voice at the Aber Suzuki Center in 1989. In 2014, she became the first Suzuki Voice Teacher Trainer in the United States. Since that time, Hofer has taught students and trained teachers from Brazil, Puerto Rico, Canada, Ecuador, and the United States.
Hofer was a presenter/coordinator at the 1990, 1994, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) Conferences. Prior to teaching Suzuki Voice, Hofer taught pre-school through Grade 8 General Music, Junior High School Chorus, and private voice lessons for ten years. A lyric soprano, Hofer has attended seminars led by the eminent vocal pedagogue Oren Brown, and participated in opera workshops at Oglebay Park, West Virginia, and American University, Washington, DC. She has performed in numerous recitals as a soloist, as well as in collaboration with fellow colleagues.
Hofer was a long-time student of Professor Emeritus Marjorie Phelps Gerson-Kampenga. She coached with Jon Spong, Fred Popper, and Richard Crittenden. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and has attained the Suzuki Association of America’s Level 1 Certificate of Achievement.
Mary is a member of the International Suzuki Voice Committee and the SAA Voice Committee, and she has served on the Suzuki Association of America’s Teacher Development Advisory Committee. She served as Co-District Chair for the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association for 10 years and is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She currently serves as the Coordinator of the Aber Suzuki Center.
Research Interests
- Suzuki Voice
- Importance o lifelong singing at all ages
Community Involvement
- Cantor for Holy Spirit Church
Professional Memberships
- National Association of Teachers Singing
- Wisconsin Music Teachers Association
- Suzuki Association of America
Presentations/Publications
Past 5 years.
What is Suzuki Voice? University of Stevens Point , UWSP Vocal Pedagogy Class November 2021
Case for Suzuki Voice” National Association of Teachers Singing September 2016
CLINIC ACTIVITIES
- How To Teach Group Classes On Zoom American Suzuki Institute Online – July 2020
- Review and Update of Suzuki Voice Volumes 1 and 2 Suzuki Online Seminar in English – June 2020
- Review and Update of Suzuki Voice Volumes 1 and 2 Suzuki Online Seminars in Portuguese – July 2020
- Review and Update of Suzuki Voice Volumes 1 and 2 Suzuki Online Seminars in Spanish – July 2020
- Clinic High School Students at Pacelli High School, Stevens Point – January 2019
- Presenter and Voice Coordinator Suzuki Association of America’s 2018 Biennial Conference – May 2018
When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.
Paulo Coelho