Ruth Klinginsmith - Violin, Voice and Owner
Ruth Klinginsmith has had the honor of teaching violin and voice for the past 20 years. She is passionate about investing in student’s lives and being an active part of the their development as a musician as well as a beautiful human being. She loves providing a broad range of musical experiences and opportunities to inspire her students.
Mrs. Klinginsmith grew up in the Seattle, Washington area and studied Violin performance through the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada. She played first violin with the Pacific Lutheran University Orchestra as well as performed with various string quartets and string ensembles giving many solo performances. During this time she studied violin with Rhonda Marsh and Dr. Svend Ronning.
Ruth studied string pedagogy and minored in voice at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. She has sung in several choirs and has given many solo vocal performances. She loves conducting chamber orchestra ensembles, creating fun, beautiful and meaningful performance experiences. She has conducted stringed orchestras for the past ten years.
She is married to her wonderful supportive husband Jacob Klinginsmith and has three beautiful children two of which play violin. She is grateful to be able to raise her family in such a wonderful, wholesome and supportive community. Some activities she enjoys outside of music are having fun on Lake Pend Oreille, paddle boarding, wake surfing, skiing with her kids on Schweitzer Mountain and walking her Frenchie, Stella.
Marianne Wall - Violin and Early Childhood Development
Marianne Wall grew up surrounded by a vibrant Suzuki Community in Salt Lake City Utah. She and her two sisters studied Suzuki violin together and attended the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute for many years. Music has always been a big part of her life.
She is a passionate advocate of the Suzuki Method since she has witnessed the powerful transformation in the lives of students and their families who embrace the philosophy. She has an exuberance about life and especially loves working with our young beginners.
Her passion is to support parents in the work of building meaningful relationships and connections with family and community. As Brittany Platt Gardner wrote so eloquently in her article, Advice And Encouragement for Suzuki Parents, “The magic of the Suzuki method is that it focuses on the growth of the whole child and the development of their heart. I promise you as you follow these principles as a parent and nurture your child with love, with consistency, with patience and goodness, your heart will grow as well.”
Her desire is to develop a life long love of music in her students with the violin becoming their best friend during their Suzuki Journey. She loves investing in peoples lives and coming up with incredible, creative performance experiences for the students.
She has been a Sandpoint resident for the past 14 years. Some of the things she enjoys include good coffee, skiing, hiking, paddle boarding and hot yoga. Her quiet time is found with inspirational quotes, baking, walking on the beach and glowstick swims in the lake.
Jacinta Howard - Violin Instructor
Jacinta Howard has played the violin since the age of four. Music has always been a love and passion for her, serving as one of the most consistent aspects of her life and keeping her on a good path. From a young age, Jacinta knew she wanted to incorporate music into various aspects of her life. Most recently this has involved teaching. Over the past year, she completed her Unit 1 Suzuki Certification and hopes to complete Unit 2 within the next year. She has found a special love for teaching and longs to spread and share the gift that she was given at a young age.
Driven by her love for music, Jacinta has explored numerous avenues, discovering a particular fondness for chamber music and collaborating with other musicians. She has been a member of orchestras in the past and most recently participated in the Suzuki String Academy Chamber. Jacinta finds great satisfaction in the final product of working together with others, whether it be with one person or a group. Looking ahead, she aspires to further develop her skills in ensemble and solo performance and collaborate and share many more incredible music compositions.
Outside of music, she has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and experiencing the fullness of life with her family. She has found solace in camping throughout Northern Idaho and in water sports on Lake Pend Oreille. She enjoys tennis with her friends and is always eager to try new sports. She is deeply motivated by love of music, love of her family, and love for her community. Her love for discovering the unknown, exploring unvisited paths, and continuing as a constant learner and listener makes her a wonderful educator and friend.
Evan Schwenk - Cello Instructor, Student Instructor
From a young age, his heart resonated with the enchanting world of music, and his journey began through the Suzuki Violin method at the age of eight. It was during middle school years at the Coeur D'Alene Charter Academy that he discovered the cello, an instrument that instantly felt like an extension of himself. With its deep and soulful tones, the cello became not just a hobby, but a true passion that shaped his life's direction. “As I delved into the rich melodies, I found immense joy and fulfillment, realizing that I had discovered my life's calling.”
The Suzuki cello method, in particular, has been an instrumental part of his musical journey. Its emphasis on nurturing young talent and fostering a strong foundation has inspired him to become a devoted educator. His mission is instilling discipline, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts in these budding musicians.
He aspires to attain a double major in cello performance and music education at the University of Idaho, under the guidance of the esteemed Dr. Miranda Wilson. He envisions playing a pivotal role in a renowned orchestra, using the cello's soul-stirring voice to captivate audiences worldwide and establishing a high-performing youth symphony in Sandpoint, Idaho. He is determined to create a harmonious future where the beauty of the cello and the joy of music resonate in the hearts of many.
His passion for the Suzuki cello method runs deep. He believes wholeheartedly in its effects, shaping not just musicians but also nurturing essential life skills.
Beyond music, Evan fills his free time with pursuing interests such as cooking, reading, solving jigsaw puzzles, and unwinding by the lake.
Kelsey Boekenoogen - Bookkeeper and Office Support
Kelsey Boekenoogen joined Suzuki String Academy along with her son, Eli to take violin lessons. The culture of the parent involvement was encouraged throughout the Suzuki Philosophy training she experienced in her violin lessons with Eli. She loved the culture of the parent involvement of the Suzuki Philosophy so much that when she read, they needed a bookkeeper, she knew she could help. Kelsey brings strong administrative organizational and bookkeeping skills to the Academy. Kelsey has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Corban University with over 10 years of administration and bookkeeping experience.
Kelsey loves numbers and organization. When she is not doing the books for SSA, she keeps other businesses books in order. She is also on the Arts Alliance for Sandpoint board as their Treasurer.
One of Kelsey’s passions is being an Operation Christmas Child Project Leader at her church. She collects school supplies, hygiene items, toys, etc. throughout the year and then has a huge packing party. They pack items in shoeboxes to be sent all over the world to children in need.
Kelsey, Scott & Eli moved to Sandpoint in 2018 to be closer to family. They fell in love with Sandpoint, and it has been a great fit for their family.
She was drawn to the Suzuki Philosophy and method because it uses the natural learning abilities of children with the mindset that “every child can.” Her main goal, as Dr. Suzuki put it so well, is to develop beautiful hearts.
Jessie Creed - Office Manager and Event Coordinator
Jessie Creed joined Suzuki to help out with office duties and concerts. She recently moved to Sandpoint from Florida. She was a springboard and platform diver for 12 years and competed on a national and international level while she was still in high school. After her diving career ended, she spent time coaching diving before she moved to Sandpoint to pursue a pilot's license. She had heard the Suzuki String Academy needed someone for the office manager and event coordinator position and she was excited to learn more about Suzuki String Academy.
She began to learn about the Suzuki method and became excited about it. Although she has an athletic background, she believes having family involved with the children’s extracurriculars is important.
In her free time during the week she enjoys crocheting and reading. On her days off in the winter she enjoys snowboarding and skiing. She has been skiing since her parents put her on skis the moment she could stand. In florida she would enjoy surfing on the weekends.