Hilary Hahn: Virtuosa Violinist

Hilary Hahn began playing the violin one month before her fourth birthday in the Suzuki Violin / Preparatory Strings Program of Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory. Legend has it that there was no real plan for her to learn the violin. Her parents saw a sign offering music lessons, and violin was the instrument being offered.

Suzuki is a philosophy in which students learn to play the violin (the idea has expanded to piano, guitar, harp, and other instruments) by listening to a great deal of music, and (at least initially) by imitating the playing of a teacher or of recordings to which they listen daily. Actual note reading is introduced later. The program, designed by Shinichi Suzuki begins by having the students play variations of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and then move on to various pieces ranging from classical to country tunes.

Hilary participated in a Suzuki class for a year. Between 1984 and 1989 Hilary studied in Baltimore under Klara Berkovich.

If my student winds up sounding as good as Hilary,

BRING 'EM ON!

Many parents dread the onset of what seems like thousands of repetitions of the song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Some parents even refer to that period of their lives as "Death by Twinkle." Having had a daughter in the Suzuki violin program, I fully understand. The best thing to do is be positive. Be supportive. And remember, "This too shall pass." And if there is good student-teacher-parent cooperation, usually with some pretty good results!

Hilary Hahn entered Philadelphia's
Curtis Institute of Music, one of the most prestigous music conservatories on the planet, when she was just ten years
old . . . an age when most children are still playing kickball on the playground. Even then she amazed her teachers.

While at the Curtis Institute of Music she became a student of Jascha Brodsky, who had studied under Eugene Ysaye. She worked with Brodsky until his death at the age of 89. Hilary's studies progressed well, and she completed the coursework for her university degree when she was only 17! Hilary is never one to approach a project superficially, and it was no different with her education. Hilary remained at Curtis for several years to studied languages, literature, writing and drama. Years after formally leaving Curtis, Hilary maintains a relationship with the institution, as seen in her video, Hilary Hahn: A Portrait
..

Hilary made her major orchestral debut in 1991, just one year after entering the Curtis Institute. She played with the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1995 (under Ifan Fischer -- playing music by Leonard Bernstein) and her German debut playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Bavarian Radio Symphony under the baton of Lorin Maazel. .That same year Hilary received an Avery Fischer Career Grant. Hilary's Carnegie Hall debut occurred in 1995 with the Philadelphia Orchestra.