A Violinist Next-Door

A graduate of the Class of 2009, Katherine Liccardo has just completed her sophomore year at Mannes College, the New School for Music, where she currently studies violin with Laurie Smukler.

At Mannes she is an active participant in multiple orchestral and chamber music programs, including the Baroque Ensemble. This summer she received a scholarship to attend Bowdoin International Music Festival.

“I have been surrounded by music my entire life,” Liccardo said. “Both of my parents are Suzuki teachers at the Lawrence Eisman Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College and I learned violin and piano with the Suzuki Method in this program.”

Liccardo has truly been a musician her whole life as student of the Suzuki Method of musical instruction in which music is taught similar to a language from a very young age.

“Parents have a very important role in the Suzuki approach,” Liccardo said. “At the beginning, a parent learns the instrument along side the child. The parent has to practice with the child everyday, which can quickly become a major aspect of family life and is a great way to bond.”

Rather than assuming talent was innate, Suzuki theorized that environment and exposure was much more influential in the development of a child’s abilities.

“In the beginning of music study, the parent or teacher assists their child in the process of setting and working towards goals,” said Christopher Liccardo, Katherine’s father. “As time goes by those attributes are taken over by the student: Musicians develop leadership skills, but also learn to listen to each other and work together with others towards a common goal.”

Katherine’s dedication to music has spanned nearly two decades and has been rewarded with success across her musical odyssey. While attending high school, Liccardo was awarded scholarships in the summers of 2007-2009 to attend the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont.

She was also named the concertmaster of the All-State and All-Eastern Orchestras as well as serving as the concertmaster for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. Winner of the MYO concerto competition, Liccardo performed the Subelius Violin Concerto with the Nassau Principle Orchestra in the Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall.

Locally, Liccardo has performed at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, the Tillis Center at C.W. Post, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, LeFrak Concert Hall at Queens College as well as numerous other locations across the world including the aforementioned Carnegie Hall.

“Katherine’s study and love of music has helped shape her as a young woman,” Christopher Liccardo said. “Studying music helps develop sensitivity and an appreciation of beauty, while at the same time it develops confidence and self-assurance.” 

Katherine has already been privately teaching students between the ages three and 18 for the past few years and has prepared her students for NYSSMA with very high results.

“Like Dr. Suzuki, I believe that all children can develop high abilities and that each child should be allowed to develop at their own pace," Liccardo said.

To contact Katherine for personal violin tutoring or for freelance performances at your upcoming party, email liccardoviolin@gmail.com