Heather Figi

Heather Figi (b.1975) began playing the violin at the age of 4 in a Suzuki Violin program led by Alison Lee Jewer in Janesville, Wisconsin. She went onto receive a BM in violin performance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison studying with Professor Tyrone Grieve. This was followed by a MM in violin performance with an emphasis in Suzuki Pedagogy from the University of MD, College Park under the guidance of Ronda Cole.

Before moving to Eugene in the fall of 2008, Heather Figi spent 9 years teaching Suzuki violin & viola in the Washington DC area. She is committed and enthusiastic about sharing Suzuki's philosophy that every child has talent and every child can learn.

As an adult she studied music composition with Francis McKay and with great joy began merging this love of creating new music with her passion for teaching music. The results are her first 2 books of music for children: 178 Ways to Play Perpetual Motion and Beyond Book 1. In addition to composing for children she also has had numerous premiers of her chamber music works performed by the Great Noise Ensemble- a new music group in Washington, DC.

When not teaching, playing or writing music you can find Heather playing with her two cats Dolce and Vegas, practicing yoga or in the kitchen trying out new recipes.

Heather is member of The Suzuki Association of the Americas and The Oregon Suzuki Association.

Education

2007
Books 1-4 Group Class Teaching Techniques with Ed Sprunger
Greater Washington Suzuki Strings Institute
Falls Church, VA.

2001 & 2004
"How to Talk so Kids Listen and Listen so Kids Talk"
workshop presented by Mary Findley Levine School of Music
Washington, D.C.

2001 & 2004
Music Mind Games training
Michiko Yurko Levine School of Music
Washington, D.C.

2001
Overview with John Kendall
Greater Washington Suzuki Strings Institute
Washington, D.C.

2000
Group Class Teaching with Tom Wermuth
Greater Washington Suzuki Strings Institute
Washington, D.C.

1999-2001
Master of Music in Violin Performance with an Emphasis in Suzuki Pedagogy
Ronda Cole, director
University of MD, College Park

1997
Book 1 Teacher Training
American Suzuki Institute
Stevens Point, WI

1994-1999
Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance
Tyronne Grieve, teacher
University of WI, Madison