Biography:

Dr. Joan Singer Spicknall, founder and director of The Suzuki Music School of Maryland, Inc., is foremost, a music educator and performer. As a scholarship student in Piano at the Peabody Conservatory (now the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, she received a Teachers Certificate, B.M., and M.M., and her postgraduate work continued in Chamber Music. While holding a Teaching Assistantship at the University of Maryland, she received her D.M.A. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, with minors in Theory and Music Literature. She taught in colleges in Maryland, Indiana, and Iowa, notably, the University of Maryland, Saint Mary of the Woods, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Morningside College, and Loyola College, as well as others. Dr. Spicknall became interested in Suzuki Method, and completed all the levels of training through the S.A.A., Inc.

She founded THE SUZUKI MUSIC SCHOOL OF MARYLAND, INC. in 1988, and serves as the Director and a Piano Instructor. The School offers instruction in all instruments and voice, Suzuki and Traditional Methods, as well as a variety of Enrichment Opportunity Classes. It also sponsors a Music and Arts Camp in the Summer. Dr. Spicknall has presented papers and lectures at conferences nationally and internationally. Most recently she was invited to be part of a PEOPLE TO PEOPLE MUSIC EDUCATORS DELEGATION TO SOUTH AFRICA, where she also presented a paper. She has been invited to participate in their programs before, as well as upcoming delegations to other countries. Earlier in 2003 she was honored to participate in the 23rd Annual Engineers in Concert at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, an event she co-founded with a student while serving on the faculty there.

Currently, she is deeply immersed in a multi-faceted project on The Piano Music of Aaron Copland, and the new 2 CD Album of that title has just been released on the Eroica Classical Recordings label. In the plans, there will be more recordings, a proposed edition, and a book on the subject. Her interest in Copland’s piano music goes back to her student years at Peabody, and it was the subject of her doctoral work at the University of Maryland. She corresponded and coached with the composer, and was the first pianist to perform all of this music at Carnegie Recital Hall. She also was the first artist to release a 2 LP Album to that music shortly thereafter.. Dr. Spicknall was later very honored to be invited to participate with the composer in a Festival of his music at Indiana State University.

As a music educator, researcher, and performer, Joan Singer Spicknall has been invited to be included in many publications, notably, Who’s Who (many editions and categories), IBC, and Mu Phi Epsilon Artists.

Activity:

2-LP Album ALL THE PIANO MUSIC BY AARON COPLAND, Golden Age Recording Label, 1977 (the first! to do this); many articles published in local newspapers, Business Monthly, Howard County, MD over the years; article also published in The Triangle Magazine (Mu Phi Epsilon),2003; presented papers/lectures nationally at conferences, namely, Mid-Atlantic Region, College Music Socity; Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc.; also at The 13th Suzuki Method World Convention, Matsumoto, Japan, besides presenting a lecture there, also gave master classes there, 1999; also at the People to People Ambassador Programs, Music Educators trip (by invitation) to South Africa (South African College of Music), Capetown, SA, 2003; many invitations to participate in other past and future Music Educator Programs for People to People; extensive performing experience as piano soloist; chamber musician; concerto soloist; newly released 2-CD Album THE PIANO MUSIC OF AARON COPLAND, Eroica Label, 2003. (Currently working on the next CD, to be followed by articles, a book, and performance edition on the same subject).