Dedicated to the Suzuki Approach, Wendy Tangen-Foster has been teaching Suzuki private and group lessons for ten years. Beginning on a "box-violin” at age five, Wendy studied Suzuki Violin with Professor Emeritus of Strings LeRoy Bauer through high school.  She continued her studies in violin performance at the Lionel Hampton School of Music in Idaho and went on to receive a B.S. in Music from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Wendy has studied Suzuki Pedagogy with such renowned teachers as Joanne Bath, Ronda Cole, Alice Joy Lewis, Nancy Lokken, Edmund Sprunger, and Craig Timmerman.  She has completed Suzuki Violin Teacher Development Units 1 through 5, Violin Practicum, Books 1-4 Overview, Books 1-6 Overview, and Every Child Can.  In Idaho, Wendy taught violin for the Moscow Public Schools, Giant Steps Preschool, and was a faculty member of the Palouse Suzuki Strings.  From 2004-2006, she ran an after-school violin program for Academia Cesar Chavez, a charter school in St. Paul. 

An avid performer, Wendy has studied chamber music with the Philadelphia String Quartet, the Lafayette String Quartet, and the Apple Hill Chamber Players and has performed as a first violinist with the Washington-Idaho Symphony, the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in the Twin Cities. Wendy’s interest and expertise expands beyond classical, having studied jazz violin and improvisation with Randy Sabien and performing with Say Lovey (Jazz Quartet).

Wendy has enjoyed teaching group and private lessons in the Twin Cities area since 2003. Currently, Wendy lives in St. Paul where she divides her time between teaching at the St. Paul Conservatory of Music (www.thespcm.org) and at HeartStrings Suzuki Studio (heartstringsviolinstudio.com) in River Falls, WI.  Wendy also serves as the director of the SPCM Suzuki Department and President-Elect for the Suzuki Association of Minnesota (suzukiminnesota.org) . When not teaching, Wendy can be found performing, arranging, and recording as a freelance musician in and around the Twin Cities.

In her spare time, Wendy enjoys running outdoors, going to the YMCA, cooking, drinking Kombucha tea, and playing accordion-violin duets with her husband, John.  Wendy’s passion for teaching stems from her love of children and from her love of live music in many genres.

TERESA RICHARDSON :: Cello
Cellist Teresa Richardson is a freelance musician and cello instructor and resides in St. Paul.  As a performer, she substitutes with the Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, and Duluth Superior Symphony.  Her solo appearances include concerto performances with the Century Chamber Orchestra and with the Metropolitan Symphony, of which she is principal cellist.  Ms. Richardson is on faculty at St. Joseph's School of Music, the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music, and MacPhail Center for Music and was appointed to teach for a semester at University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. 

Ms. Richardson earned MM and BM degrees in cello performance from Indiana University in Bloomington, where she graduated with high distinction.  Her previous instructors include Emilio Colon, Helga Winold, Janos Starker, and Loran Stephenson.  Ms. Richardson has performed in many orchestras, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Evansville Philharmonic, Owensboro Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, and Duluth Superior Symphony.  She served as principal cellist of the National Orchestral Institute.  In her spare time, she enjoys biking, cooking, and board games.