Our Founders
Betsy has been teaching violin and viola lessons, coaching chamber music, conducting orchestras on occasion since 1976, and freelancing on violin and viola. After studying with Dr. Suzuki in Matsumoto, Japan for 2 years, Betsy got married and lived in Tokyo for another 5 years immersed in the culture of the Suzuki Method in Japan. When she and her husband moved to Maine, she, along with Ellen Gawler got their students together for group classes and Pineland Suzuki School was born. Her three children studied in PSS. Even though they do not play music now, they have a great love and respect for people and music, hard work, beauty, discipline and detail.
Betsy Koboyashi
Ellen is a fiddler, specializing in the musical styles from the State of Maine, which includes: Scots/Irish, French Canadian, and Maritime traditions. Ellen has been a Suzuki teacher since 1986 and is dedicated to the ways that Suzuki method and fiddling intersect and benefit each other. Ellen is a founding member of Maine Fiddle Camp. Betsy Kobayashi and Ellen co-founded the Pineland Suzuki School together in 1993 by combining their programs and creating group classes. Ellen created the fiddling branch of the school, recording on 3 occasions, and inspiring the students by taking international trips. Ellen says, “PSS was formative for my family and set my 3 girls on a beautiful path of music making.”
