Cynthia Richards
Adjunct
Instructor
of Violin, Violin Pedagogy
crich8136@msn.com
performance from Brigham Young University. Her teachers include David Dalton, Percy Kalt, Elaine Richey and Franz
Samohyl. Cynthia was a faculty member of the Brigham Young University School of Music from 1996 2005. In addition,
she has maintained a successful private teaching studio since 1964, teaching all levels of students from beginning to
college performance. She received the "Outstanding Private Studio Teacher" award from the Utah String Teachers
Association in 2002.
At Utah Valley University, Cynthia teaches private violin instruction and the innovative string pedagogy class using
Kódaly principles of music education which are based on European conservatory practices. The Kódaly approach is
gaining momentum in schools across America, including the Provo School District. This two-semester course contains a
four year curriculum for private studio or elementary school string classes, and is integrated with a Kódaly singing
musicianship course. Cynthia’s research for this approach included coursework under the direction of Geza Szilvay at the
East Helsinki Music Institute in Finland, as well as studies in Hungary. Her decade-long work, both in the private studio
and public schools, culminated in publication of The Complete Musician, Violin Books 1, 2 and 3, co authored with Dr.
Jerry L. Jaccard and Cello Book 1 with Monica Call. [Dr. Jaccard serves as Vice President of the International Kodály
Society, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Willems International Association of Musical Education.]
Cynthia has also been involved in the community as chairman of local ASTA string festivals, adjudicator at numerous
string festivals in Utah, and concertmaster of Utah Valley Symphony from 1981 to 1994. She currently serves as the
Director of Strings at Intermuse Academy of Musicianship and Pedagogy, a Kodály certification program at Brigham
Young University.
Cynthia is the mother of eight children, all successful musicians, who served as her laboratory subjects in preparing her
first book, How to Get Your Child to Practice ... Without Resorting to Violence. She has spoken to many groups on this
topic, most recently to 5th CEDROS Festival of Music, Mexico City, Mexico in March of 2007. For this occasion the book
was published in Spanish.