I love teaching, and I love my students.
I love figuring out how each student needs to understand a concept in order to succeed.
I love working through the breakdowns as much as I love celebrating the breakthroughs.
My goal as a teacher is to help create critically thinking students equipped with the tools to succeed without me.
Technical proficiency is essential in order for musicians of every ability to fully express themselves. Scales, arpeggios, common finger patterns are foundational in everything; when the fingers are having trouble, we work them very slowly as tone exercises and add speed later. I strongly believe that we shouldn’t let mechanical, easily-solvable problems get in the way of our art.
Goals for each Student
Each student is different and each student has different goals. To keep a consistent studio, lesson expectations and goals include each of the following topics.
Creating and efficiently and healthily manipulating a beautiful, full, sparkly tone through learning proper embouchure and breathing techniques.
Improving fine finger technique as well as rhythmic accuracy through method studies of scales, arpeggios, and etudes.
Growing an understanding of musicality and interpretation as well as learning to express oneself musically.
Understanding different genres and how the flute plays a role in music history.
Refining sight reading skills.
Learning to focus and prepare for auditions and performances.
Auxiliary instruments (piccolo and alto flute) as needed and requested.
With the right balance of encouragement and direction, we can all be taught to fall in love with the creative process over and over again and allow music to continue to shape us into the best versions of ourselves.
“[Suzanne] is very invested in the personal welfare of her students, inside and outside of lessons, and as a result is very understanding towards the conflicts and struggles that her students may have. ”
I am a cheerleader. I am a counselor. I am a mentor. I teach focus, expression, determination, accountability, efficiency, and humility. I also happen to teach flute.
Something that I stress continually with all of my students (but particularly the perfectionists) is that we are always in a state of process. We drill and succeed and brilliantly fail at each new skill every time we pick up our instruments; by accepting the fact that the grueling process is a huge part of what we’ve signed up for, we are able to move beyond destructive thinking toward the sometimes elusive joy that can be found within our learning.
Student Successes
I’m proud of all of my students’ varied successes, from rocking a recital piece to passing the scales test. Here are some more standardized successes of my students:
Talent scholarships at universities for both music majors and non-music majors
High placement in collegiate level ensembles immediately upon starting school
Multiple “Best of Day” distinctions at IHSA Solo and Ensemble
Placement in ILMEA District and All-State Orchestra and Band (often multiple years per student)
High exam marks through the ABRSM curriculum.
“Had I not taken lessons with Suzanne Hannau (Gillen), I would not be as skilled of a flautist as I am today. Suzanne ensures that each of her students reaches the level of expertise that they wish to attain, provided they are willing to put in the work for it. Not only does she stress the importance of developing a strong base in basic playing and practicing skills, but she also pushes each of her students outside of their comfort zones in musicality and self-expression for the betterment of their performance capabilities. She has even been known to use interesting and innovative methods to teach her students valuable skills, including (but not limited to) blowing balloons, reading supplemental books, and playing upside down!
However, Suzanne does not only concern herself with the performance capabilities of her students, but she also strives to build a personal connection with everyone she teaches.
No matter what the case may be, her constant encouragement and enthusiasm help inspire her students to work hard to achieve their goals. Thanks to her teaching, I grew beyond what I thought possible when I started, and I now have a much greater love and appreciation for playing the flute. ”
“Suzanne was my first teacher after moving to the US, and that was after more than 20 years since I was taking professional flute lessons. Coming from another country, Suzanne was so sensitive to my needs, my adjustment process, and knew to see my passion and strengths immediately.
Suzanne is a real professional. Her experience in voice, wind, and performance on top of her passion for developing her musical education makes her teaching so rich and vast. She teaches early ages to adults and knows how to give every student, no matter what his/her age, the proper support, and guidance.
Suzanne also knew how to address my life as a working mom, struggling to juggle life. She was flexible and understanding and gave me excellent guidance to be able to play the flute and embed it with my busy life.
Unfortunately, I needed to travel back to my home country, and I will miss Suzanne, our sessions, and her teaching deeply. I highly recommend you reach out to Suzanne to lift your life with music.
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