Martin Goldman
About
Martin Goldman
Violinist/Violist, Suzuki Method Teacher, Writer & Poet
Shinichi Suzuki: “First character, then ability…”
Profile
1979-2008: Violist with the Puerto Rico Symphony and Casals Festival
1988 to present: Suzuki Method teacher, violin recitalist, writer, poet
Orchestral Experience
New York City freelance
Teatro Dell’Opera Di Roma, Italy
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
BRT: Orchestra of the Belgian Radio and Television, Brussels
Principal violist of the Great Neck Symphony, Long Island, NY
Hartford Symphony
New Haven Symphony
Spoleto Festival
Education
Manhattan School of Music, Bachelor’s Degree
Yale School of Music, Master’s Degree
Columbia University: Mentored by the poet John Unterecker
Academia Chigiana, Siena, Italy
Aspen Music Festival
Brussels Royal Conservatory
All schools awarded scholarships
Suzuki Violin Studies
Book 1-A: Ronda Cole, Ithaca Institute (SAA Fellowship)
Book 1-B: Carrie Reuning, Ithaca Institute (SAA Fellowship)
Books 2—5: Louise Behrend at The School For strings, NYC
Overview of books 1-5: Ronda Cole
Book 6: Ronda Cole
Book 7: Katherine Wood, Steven’s Point (SAA)
Seminars with John Kendall
Principal Teachers
Lillian Fuchs
Walter Trampler
Heidi Castleman
Jesse Levine
Bruno Giuranna
Lynne Ramsey Irvine
Harold Coletta
Language Skills
Spanish: fluent
French and Italian: reading proficiency
Writing
Publications
Dangerous Harmonies: The Memoir of Harold Coletta
The Strad Magazine: The History of String Playing In Puerto Rico
American Suzuki Association Journal, about teaching
Two historical novels, Why The Jug Rushes To the Spring & Closer To The Light, plus various picture books looking for an agent
Referrals
Upon request
Associations and Boards
Suzuki Association (SAA) member
SCBWI: Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
Past president of the Suzuki Association of South Florida
Teaching Style
I'm a professional player as per my resume above. I only began teaching when I was older and have now have 31 years experience in the Suzuki Method. I believe a teacher's first job is to save lives. The catch phrase, "first character, then ability," is what finds its way into everything I do. If you're looking for a tough love teacher, I am not that person. However, I demand total attention, focus on the nest possible postures and executions of basic technique, using traditional ideas as well as the best of the twentieth century, that would include the precepts of Carl Flesch and Dimitrius Dounis.
Curriculum
As above, I use the Suzuki Method as I've found ti to be everything it's supposed to be. Students start with Suzuki Violin volume 1, plus two reading books, Robert Starer's Basic Rhythms Training, the best book on rhythm, the most dynamic part of music, and a basic book on note reading. Eventually they go through the ten books, play all scales in three octaves using, The Tonal Ap[plication of Finger Patterns that's based on Galamian's fingerings, Kreutzer Etudes as well as Dounis's Daily Dozen ideas.
Credentials & Affiliations
All information is included in the resume above. You can also get information from the Suzuki Association of The Americas. Many of meh students have passed auditions for schools and orchestras in Florida, Tennessee and Puerto Rico. One of my students has an all girl's Mariachi band, Flor De Toloache, that won a Latin Grammy.