Teacher Profile: Lawrence Suh

About Lawrence Suh

Lawrence Suh is a Northern Virginia based Violinist, Composer, and Music Educator who works with Violin and Piano students of all ages. With a diverse background in performance and education, Lawrence teaches students ranging from beginners to intermediates, fostering a deep love of music from the very first lesson.

Lawrence’s musical journey began in 6th grade, where he first picked up the Violin and studied under two inspiring mentors, Dr. Emil Chudnovsky and Dr. Thomas Benjamin. His early training followed the Suzuki method, and he was an active participant in local youth orchestras like the Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra (under Dr. Angelo Gatto) and the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (under Maestro Vladimir Lande).

In addition to his performance experience, Lawrence is a passionate composer. He attended the Warebrook Summer Music Festival and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and was a recipient of the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Award and the Irving Caesar Scholarship Award.

Lawrence holds a B.A. from Oberlin Conservatory and an M.A. from Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied with esteemed professors like Dr. Stephen Hartke, Dr. Elizabeth Ogonek, and Dr. Reza Vali.

During his time at Oberlin, Lawrence not only performed in the Oberlin Arts and Science Orchestra, but also continued composing new works. His orchestral composition, Symphonic Prelude, was selected for performance by the Oberlin Orchestra during his junior year, and in 2019 was awarded the Gindroz Prize, which allowed him to travel to Europe for a summer research project focused on the music of Bach.

In his professional teaching career, Lawrence is versed in both the private lessons and classroom settings. Specifically, he worked as a private instructor, as well as a faculty member at Broadneck High School, where he taught Music Theory, Music Business, and worked with the APEX arts program choral ensemble. He is also currently the Music Director at Washington UBF Church and actively works with a studio of students.

Lawrence’s teaching philosophy is built on the belief that music is a lifelong journey that begins with passion and perseverance. He encourages his students to approach their musical studies with curiosity and dedication, emphasizing that each student’s unique path is part of their growth as an artist. His goal is to not only teach technical skills, but to help students develop a deep, lasting love for music.