Louise Behrend (October 3, 1916 – August 3, 2011) was an American violinist and academic. She was dedicated to the Suzuki method of teaching, and founded the Suzuki-based School for Strings.

Life

Louise Behrend was born in 1916 in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

; her father was a doctor and amateur pianist, and her mother was a mathematics teacher."Louise Behrend 1916-2011"
''The Juilliad Journal'', September 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2020."Louise Behrend: The Art of Teaching"
''The Juilliad Journal'', May–August 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2020. She studied at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

with

Louis Persinger Louis Persinger (11 February 1887, Rochester, Illinois31 December 1966, New York, New York) was an American violinist, pianist and professor of violin. Persinger had early lessons in Colorado, appearing in public by the age of 12. His main studies ...

, and on gaining a graduate diploma in 1943 she was invited to join the school's Pre-College Violin Music and Chamber Music faculties."US violinist and Suzuki teacher Louise Behrend dies"
''

The Strad ''The Strad'' is a UK-based monthly classical music magazine about string instrumentsprincipally the violin, viola, cello and double bassfor amateur and professional musicians. Founded in 1889, the magazine provides information, photographs and ...

'', August 14, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2020. Shinichi Suzuki, creator of the Suzuki method of violin teaching, visited the Juilliard School in 1964, with some of his students, and subsequently Behrend went to Japan, spending two weeks in

Matsumoto Matsumoto (松本 or 松元, "base of the pine tree") may refer to: Places * Matsumoto, Nagano (松本市), a city ** Matsumoto Airport, an airport southwest of Matsumoto, Nagano * Matsumoto, Kagoshima (松元町), a former town now part of the c ...

to see Suzuki's summer classes. In 1970 she started a Suzuki course in Manhattan. This expanded and in 1973, when it had more than 50 students, it was named The School for Strings, with Behrend as director; it still exists today. School for Strings
Retrieved September 18, 2020. She was editor of the ''American Suzuki Journal'' from 1984 to 1988, and wrote ''The Suzuki Approach'' (1988). She was on the faculties of the Henry Street Music School Settlement,

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

and the Manhattan School of Music. In 1996 the Suzuki Association of the Americas gave her a Distinguished Service Award; in 2003 she received the

Betty Allen Betty Allen (March 17, 1927 – June 22, 2009) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international singing career during the 1950s through the 1970s. In the latter part of her career her voice acquired a contralto-like darkenin ...

Award from the

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is an American organization dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music in New York City. It is the largest organization of its kind in the country for chamber music. CMS's home is ...

; in 2007 she received the

Paul Rolland Paul Rolland, né Pali Reisman (November 21, 1911, Budapest – November 9, 1978, Illinois),Fanelli, Michael P. (2001) ''Paul Rolland: His teaching career and contributions to string pedagogy and education.'' (Doctoral Dissertation) Retrieved fro ...

Lifetime Achievement Award from the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on H ...

. "Our Founder"
School for Strings. Retrieved September 17, 2020. Behrend remained on the faculty of the Juilliard School until retirement in 2009. She died in 2011, aged 94.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Behrend, Louise 1916 births 2011 deaths Academics from Washington, D.C. Juilliard School alumni Juilliard School faculty New York University faculty Manhattan School of Music faculty American classical violinists American women violinists Women classical violinists 20th-century classical violinists American women academics 21st-century American women