Guitar Instructor Suzanne Dorman has taught at Potomac Arts Academy for two years. She pursued her graduate studies in guitar at the Peabody Conservatory and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Guitar performance from Belhaven University.
Faculty Coordinator Claire Allen recently sat down with Suzanne for a short interview to learn a little more about her.
CAllen: How did you first fall in love with music?
SDorman: Music has always been part of my life, so it’s hard to say when I first fell in love with it. My mom is a musician, so we always had music in the house. I first fell in love with the guitar when I was thirteen and heard a band performing with a flamenco guitarist. Shortly after that, my mom encouraged me to take classical guitar lessons, so I did and I loved it.
CAllen: Tell us about a memorable teaching experience you’ve had.
SDorman: Last spring, one of my students was experiencing a lot of frustration because she felt the piece she was learning was too hard. We kept working through it, and she performed it beautifully for the recital. She felt much more confident in her skills, and I was extremely proud of her tenacity and determination.
CAllen: What is special about teaching for Potomac Arts Academy?
SDorman: I love being in a community of other artists and musicians, because it brings a sense of comradry and opportunities for collaboration. As a teacher, I appreciate being part of a bigger community, but I think that the experience is even more important for my students. I especially love sharing ideas with other instructors – it helps me tremendously as a teacher!
CAllen: What is a unique thing you do when you teach?
SDorman: I have my students do a four-step process when memorizing music. One of the steps involves sitting with their eyes closed and visualizing the music, without playing a note or moving their hands.
CAllen: Do you have any pets?
SDorman: We have a 6-year-old black Lab mix named Ramona [pictured above]!
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