Photos and video

Learning: Lessons and practice information

Individual Lessons: Beginning students enroll for a thirty minute lesson. This time is shared by child and parent, in order to instruct the parent in his/her role as home teacher. All new parents and students are encouraged to observe other student's individual lessons, as well as a group lesson, during the first few weeks of the term. During these observations, the Suzuki Triangle can be seen in action: parent, teacher, and child working, sharing, and having fun together. Success in the Suzuki approach depends upon this triangular relationship, rooted in a rich environment.

The parent is expected to be present at all lessons and supervise home practice until the teacher determines that the student is sufficiently mature to work without help. Using a cassette recorder to tape each lesson is recommended whether or not the parent is present at the lesson. Questions which come up mid-week are easily resolved, and reminders of special details result in a better-prepared lesson.

Parents are asked to take pertinent notes in a notebook which is brought to each lesson. The teacher's instructions should be written in this notebook each session, so that a complete record is available for review and reminders. The parent's role as home teacher usually continues for several years, with the student gradually assuming more responsibility. The teacher will guide the student toward working independently at the proper time.

When music reading is introduced (around Book Two or Three), it is advisable to increase the individual lesson time to forty-five minutes, and the daily practice proportionately.

The Preucil School welcomes students who transfer from non-Suzuki backgrounds during any stage of advancement. Regardless of the age of such students, it is helpful for their parents to observe lessons at first to gain an understanding of Suzuki learning ideals and any necessary technical adjustments.

Home Practice and Listening: Progress occurs during home practice and listening sessions. At lessons, the teachers take students from where they are and move them to the next step. If growth has not occurred at home during the week, the lesson remains at the same level. Similarly, careful practice and listening habits in preschool and elementary years can result in outstanding musical and academic accomplishments in high school and later life. An open understanding with the teacher about realistic practice and listening expectations is essential. While the discipline of regular practice is not always easy, children are always happiest when they do well. Suzuki challenges parents to "create the desire to learn" in their children.

Registration policies and forms

Thank you for your interest in the Preucil School of Music. If you have trouble downloading the forms, please install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

To put your child or an adult student on our waiting list for lessons:

1. Please read the Enrollment Process carefully:
Enrollment Process for lessons
2. If your child is under 5 years old, please read:
Pretwinkle Partner Lesson Information
3. For information about lesson tuition and fees:
Fee Structure 2008-2009
4. Print and complete the Placement Form:
Lesson Placement Form
5. Print and complete the Observation Form:
Observation Form
6. Send the completed forms and the $35 placement fee to:

Preucil School of Music - Main Campus
524 N. Johnson St.
Iowa City, IA 52245-2840

Financial aid is available.

Viola faculty

Janet Ault

Janet received her BA in History from Grinnell College and her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Cornell College. Janet has recently retired from teaching in the public school orchestra program in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where she taught for over twenty years. Janet joined the faculty of the Preucil School in 1976. Three of Janet’s five children are Preucil School alumni and two of Janet’s six grandchildren currently attend the Preucil School.

Marit Hervig

Marit holds a Bachelor of Music from Western Illinois University and a Master of Music from Arizona State University in viola performance and pedagogy. Marit’s teachers include Doris Preucil, William Preucil, Dr. Roland Vamos, and William Lincer. She completed her Suzuki Teacher Training with Sonja Zeithamel and Doris Preucil. A former Preucil School student, Marit has taught at the University of Memphis Suzuki Institute and is a registered Music Together® teacher.


Doris Bogen Preucil
Director Emeritus

Doris is the founder and Director Emeritus of the Preucil School of Music. An honors graduate of the Eastman School of Music, she was a violinist with the National Symphony and the Rochester Philharmonic. She has served on the faculties of Western Illinois University, the University of Northern Iowa, and Interlochen Arts Camp, and performed and presented workshops throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Korea. A Suzuki teacher since 1963, she is the author of the Suzuki Viola School, and a Past President of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She was named "Teacher of the Year" by the Iowa String Teachers Association in 2005 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastman School in 2004.

William Preucil
Advanced Viola

William Preucil has performed in over 30 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and throughout North America. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, former principal violist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, a founding member of the Stradivari Quartet, and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Iowa, where he received its annual award for Teaching Excellence in 1992. Mr. Preucil is the recording artist for the method books of the Suzuki Viola School, is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Suzuki Association, and has served as vice-president of the American Viola Society.

Tabitha Rasmussen

Tabitha Rasmussen received her Bachelor of Music and Teaching Certificate and Masters of Music Education at the University of Iowa. Tabitha is an alumna of the Preucil School where she studied with Diane Dahl-McCoy and Doris Preucil. She taught public school orchestra in Lamoni and Davenport, Iowa and currently teaches orchestra in the public schools in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Her children are currently violin students at the Preucil School.



John Schultz

John Schultz holds a master of music degree from the Leonard Sorkin Institute of Chamber Music. Prior to this Mr. Schultz received his bachelor of music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has studied Suzuki violin pedagogy with Nancy Jackson, Alice Joy Lewis, Mark Bjork, and has studied viola pedagogy with William Preucil.





Gwen Ying

Gwen received her Bachelor of Music Education from Northwestern University. She studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Rebecca Fitz Sandrok, Doris Preucil, John Kendall and Shinichi Suzuki. From 1972-88 she was Director of the Suzuki Program at Elmhurst College (Illinois), and at Christ Church of Oakbrook, Illinois. She introduced the Suzuki Method in Russia in 1995. Currently Gwen teaches in Washington, Iowa and at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City.


Sonja Berven Zeithamel
Director of the Preucil School of Music

Sonja co-founded the Preucil School of Music in 1975 as Assistant Director and was named Director in August 1997. She is an honors graduate of the Univeristy of Iowa School of Music. As a member of the Preucil School of Music faculty, she teaches violin, viola, coaches string quartets and conducts string orchestras. She is a registered Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and travels throughout the United States as a clinician at Suzuki Institutes and Workshops. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Suzuki Association of the Americas.