Teacher Profile: Samuel Park
About Samuel Park
Sam Park is a violin and piano instructor based in the Washington D.C. Metro area whose life-long passion for music has led him to become an accomplished educator. His goal is to instill a love of music in all his students by creating a nurturing environment for their growth, as well as finding a balance between fun and discipline throughout study.
At the encouragement of this father, Sam started his violin studies at the age of 10 and continued lessons throughout childhood. He pursued competitions throughout his formative, musical education and was driven by a passion for the stage. During this time, he received an honorable mention in the Music Teacher's National Association Competition and won a full scholarship for his Aspen Music Festival performance. He also won a solo competition at Indiana String Academy and was a Wallenstein National Winner in 1995.
In the background of his violin studies, Sam also started studying piano as part of his greater music education. Piano became an important outlet for his creativity and theory studies through his high school and college education, but something outside of the world of competition. Sam believes that piano studies for all musicians play a foundational role in understanding the construction of music, and he enjoys playing and teaching a wide variety of genres. Especially in his adult life, piano became a larger part of his musical expression.
Sam went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance from the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music. He studied violin with renowned instructors such as Carol Cole, David Updergraff, and Henryk Kowalski and has taken masters classes with Itzakh Perlman, Viktor Danchenko, and Jaime Laredo. He has been featured as a soloist at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, and has performed in chamber orchestras at the NRO and the Aspen Music Festival.
After college, Sam became immersed in music education and served as the director of his own studio for many years. He has more than 15 years of experience teaching violinists of all levels and piano students through an intermediate level. For violin students, he is a firm believer in the Suzuki method. For piano students, he incorporates a broad range of teaching techniques that include classical and pop styles. Sam excels in creating a positive learning environment, and provides encouragement every step of the way. Understanding that every student’s journey is as unique as the individual, he strives to provide the necessary tools to help them accomplish whatever aspiration lies within their hearts.
Above all, Sam looks forward to continuing to help his students "find the music" that reaches them creatively and makes them feel empowered. His greatest hope for his students is to help them learn an art they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.