David Madsen founded what is now The Hartt School Community Division (HCD) Suzuki Guitar Program in 1991 and is now the Suzuki Guitar Coordinator. Madsen graduated with a Bachelor of Music in performance from the University of Connecticut, studying with David McLellan and Ed Flower.
He has since studied with David Leisner and Pepe Romero. His Suzuki studies have been with Bill Kossler and Frank Longay. In 2000 David became the third registered Teacher Trainer in guitar with the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has conducted training courses throughout North America and in Peru, Puerto Rico, and Argentina. In January 2016, David began training in Suzuki Early Childhood Education (birth to three) with Lynn McCall. Madsen currently serves on the Teacher Development Advisory Committee for the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), and is also a member of the SAA Guitar Committee.
My philosophy, honed over decades of experience and training, is closely aligned with the philosophy of Shinichi Suzuki. Simply stated, it is the fact that “Every Child Can!” In my work with families, I help them create the environment that will ensure success for their child in learning to play guitar, and more importantly, learn the life skills that will help them become confident, competent learners. This applies not only to music and other scholastic areas, but also to life in general. How to problem solve, how to communicate, how to be a team player are only a few of the life skills I try to develop. Every child can, and my goal is to help families find the path for their children to accomplish that.