Teacher Spotlight on Dr. Adam Cordle, Suzuki Violin and Viola

Teacher Spotlight on Dr. Adam Paul Cordle, Suzuki Violin and Viola

Interview by Erin Cano, violin

Adam joined MIC as a Suzuki Violin and Viola teacher in the fall of 2022

What led you to become a Suzuki teacher? 
I grew up as a Suzuki violist and violinist in Columbus, Ohio. My teacher, Debbie Price, and my peers in the Chamber Music Connection and the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, were some of the most wonderful, incredible folks that I've been blessed to know. I knew that I wanted to create the same kind of environment that my mentors and peers did for future kids, teens, and young adults.

Which of your teachers inspired you the most? What aspects of their teaching have you integrated into your own style? 
My high school teacher, Debbie Price​, is such a passionate chamber musician. So many of us who participated in CMC have been inspired by her to pursue lives as chamber musicians, working throughout the United States (and several throughout the world) to translate our passion for chamber music to our students.

Debbie's teaching style is heavily informed by her experience as a dancer. I've integrated her movement-focused pedagogy into my own teaching style in two ways. First, my doctoral research was focused on aligning the analysis of compositional gesture with a performer's physical gesture. Second, I have borrowed a lot of the Alexander technique and Feldenkrais methods that she used in her teaching in my own approach to teaching technique.

What is your favorite Suzuki piece to teach?
Hmmm… most recently, I've been really interested in Florence Price's Adoration, a piece which I hope might find its way into the Suzuki repertoire at some point!

You’re currently launching a “If Music Be the Food…” concert series in Chicago. Can you please share some information about this project? 
"If Music Be the Food…" works with a local food pantry or soup kitchen to support their efforts in addressing food insecurity in a local community by staging concerts in which audience members donate a nonperishable food item or monetary contribution as the price of admission. These chamber music programs include students, faculty members, and sometimes guest artists, all who donate their time and energy to put on each performance. Every venue also donates their space for the performance, so that the only resources exchanging hands are going directly for use by the partnering hunger relief organization.

If Music Be the Food… was conceived and launched by one of my mentors, Carol Rodland. To learn more about If Music Be the Food…, please visit ifmusicbethefood.com.  

Do you play any other instruments besides viola and violin? If not, what other instrument would you like to play?
I've studied cello and bass and use those skills a LOT when coaching chamber music. Like most musicians, I have some piano skills that I developed from learning and teaching music theory. I really hope to find some time to learn tenor or baritone sax at some point in my life, and to develop some skills with jazz on viola, violin, and sax!