general educational scale. As for those who have not experienced academic success, the introduction of music can -- and does -- transform their lives.

This is the firm belief of Ms Susan Soehner, who has just arrived in Bermuda (along with poodle Sammy) to teach Suzuki piano for the Dunbarton School of Music.

Her own history, she points out, quashes any perceived notion that music is a privileged pursuit, a `frill' on the curriculum for those who have been `born with a silver spoon in their mouths'.

"I was one of six children and our parents managed to put us all through college, so there was certainly no extra money around,'' says the American teacher who won a scholarship to study for her Masters in piano performance at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in New York. "And no,'' she laughs, "my parents were not musical -- although all my siblings have ended up as musicians. It's a family joke that our only claim to fame in that department is that one of our distant relations, Franz Gruber, wrote `Silent Night'!'' Ms Soehner, who was taught in the traditional method but specialises in the Suzuki method, admits, "It's a great help if you come from a background where classical music is heard in the home and if you have the money to send your child to the best teachers. But I suppose I'm the best example that if you are born with music `inside', it will come out! I went to a state school and got my early grounding in music through choirs and church music. I was a church organist and accompanist for all the local choirs, so I'm looking forward to sharing my music in a church setting -- I play in any denomination.'' When Ms Soehner went to Eastman (she obtained two undergraduate degrees, one in music and one in education from the University of Wisconsin), she says she was surrounded by people who had studied in Europe and attended many festivals. "I'd done none of that. But I do believe that there are technically brilliant musicians and those for whom the music is intuitive -- it wells from the heart. I think Eastman saw that I was the latter and were able to develop my technique.'' Now, she explains, she feels she can bring out a similar quality in her young students.

"When I am playing the piano, I feel I am doing two other two things -- singing and dancing. Apart from my hands, I am very un-coordinated -- but in my next life, I'd like to be a dancer!'' Ms Soehner says she likes the Suzuki method of teaching for several reasons.

"As a performer, it's crucial to listen and to have a `dialogue' with music, and you have to listen to the tone you are producing. So as young students doing Suzuki don't have to start with learning how to read music, we can concentrate on building tone, correct that their position is correct, relaxed elbows and wrists -- all of which is necessary for playing properly. When a child is ready, we introduce the reading of music. When a Suzuki-trained person plays, you always notice the music flowing and singing.'' She maintains that most children rarely have that sense of tone if they are busy concentrating on reading the score.

"The other thing is that we work with the parents. As a Suzuki teacher, you could say that my main job is to teach the parent to play with their children every day. But,'' she adds, "the most important thing is listening. Our students listen to tapes of the music they are going to play. The criticism about this can be that it produces robots, but I don't think it hurts to have children listening to the greatest performers in the world playing Mozart! We need listening role models and it makes the teaching far easier.'' It is, she believes, ultimately up to the teacher to keep the lesson interesting. "Whether it's traditional or Suzuki. I like the Suzuki approach because it relates to what I like best in music. Sometimes, I take them right away from the piano and get them to dance the music. I've been teaching Suzuki for ten years and my students have always been on the honour rolls.

Academically, they are all excellent and I don't think you can negate that.

There has to be a connection.'' According to recent surveys, says Ms Soehner, children who are actively involved in the arts score as much as 40 percent above children who are not.

As a performer, Susan Soehner's speciality is in the field of accompaniment.

"So I'm looking forward to performing and making music with my fellow musicians in Bermuda, especially as an accompanist.'' SUSAN, SAMMY AND SUZUKI -- Ms Susan Soehner brought along her pet poodle, Sammy, when she arrived in Bermuda last week to teach Suzuki piano for the Dunbarton School of Music.