By Susannah Robinson
For nearly 20 years, the Wendelken Piano Studio in New Tampa has been a popular destination for pianists of all ages who want that European conservatory-style training with a 21st century twist.
But now, with its new home within Grace Episcopal Church of Tampa Palms, founder Mary Wendelken’s studio has expanded its services to include quality musicianship training in stringed instruments and voice, as well as piano, under a new name: the Wendelken Studio of Musical Arts.
Wendelken has always prided herself on offering students in the New Tampa area and beyond a place to master traditional classical piano repertoire, technique, theory, and ensemble and concerti. This year, Wendelken is excited to announce the addition of training in cello, guitar, violin, viola and voice, all of which are taught at the studio location at Grace.
“We’ve received calls for strings lessons for years, on the strength of our piano program,” Wendelken explains. “I never knew who to recommend before. Now, we have the best teachers assembled to offer instruction for all of these different instruments.”
Students from age 5 through professional level adults benefit from the studio’s faculty of nine concert-trained instructors, each of whom, Wendelken says, have (or are in the process of earning) a Master’s degree in their craft and hold extensive experience in musical education. The studio’s staff includes: classical pianists Ines de Erausquin (Webster University, St. Louis, MO) and Shawna Stushnoff (Concordia College, Morehead, MN); classical violinists Roy Meyer (University of Wisconsin, Madison); and Bonnie Deeds (State University of New York, or SUNY-Fredonia); classical cellist Mikel Thomas (Boston Conservatory of Music); guitarist Cameron Schmitz (Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA), musicianship instructor Natalya Kushnir (Moscow Conservatory of Music, Moscow, Russia) and, of course, Wendelken herself, who teaches intermediate and advanced piano.
Wendelken began her education as a pre-med student at Kent State University in Kent, OH, before deciding to pursue a career in music education. She graduated from SUNY-Purchase with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Piano Performance in 1990, before attending the Royal Academy of Music in London. After graduating in 1993 with a Master’s degree in Piano Performance, she says that she remained in England before moving to Tampa Palms in 1994.
In 1998, the same year she opened her piano studio, Wendelken initiated an alliance with Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to offer musicians in Tampa a choice beyond the ordinary. Wendelken’s studio offers structured curricula that qualify her students for RCM exams, plus the opportunity to participate in local competitions.
RCM exams, which give the student college credit toward the Associate Diploma from RCM, are performed in front of an RCM examiner who visits from Toronto. If a student demonstrates proficiency, he or she can earn credit for the course. To earn a diploma from RCM, students must travel to Toronto and perform a recital in front of the RCM faculty. If a student decides not to travel to RCM, Wendelken says that the credits are transferable to music programs at most universities.
An Alternative To Technology
Even with the countless distractions that compete for kids’ attention these days, Wendelken says the benefits of music education and the sheer joy of learning music seem to be holding their own very well in 2014. According to a 2012 study by University Hospital San Raffaele (in Milan, Italy), standardized tests scores are higher for children who play an instrument. Young minds also benefit from working in an ensemble, while adhering to a regular practice schedule hones discipline and time-management skills.
But, the study goes further than that, stating that musician’s brains, as measured by MRIs, actually work differently than the brains of non-musicians: musicians develop neuro-pathways that promote divergent thinking and better cognitive skills.
“I wouldn’t skip going to a state competition or taking my RCM exam for any other event,” stated Austin Booth, a senior at Tampa’s Jesuit High School. “Being part of the music events, performing, working toward a goal, making friends, these are all part of the fun. It’s a real skill to play well, and it’s not something you can just do easily. It’s like training for the Olympics, music-style.”
When Wendelken Piano Studio became Florida’s first RCM “Satellite School” in 2004, the goal was to fuse the traditional training with the evolving energy, interests and the minds of children. Recognizing that to progress, music education must evolve with the times, Wendelken has trained scores of musicians with the same hands-on classical technique she’s received during her years of study in Manhattan and London, but with a flexibility and humor beyond that often found in “strict” classical music. She says, “There are few musicians who have received the very best training; still fewer who teach it; I wanted to fill that niche in Tampa Bay, and do it with love and joy.”
College admissions officers point out that the RCM aspect definitely captures the attention of college admission officials. “Ask any college-bound student if they play piano and many will say they do,” says RCM spokesperson Jesse Cooney. “But, ask the same students if they have achieved Royal Conservatory credit or similar status and you are looking at one in a thousand.”
This year, the Wendelken Studio of Musical Arts is to be named an RCM “Founding School,” an honor currently only held by about 150 select music schools in Canada and the U.S.
Long-time Wendelken Studio student and New Tampa resident Alex Krajcevska says, “Being part of the studio for nine years, I’ve been able to see (it) grow and change. I think that the integration of new classical instruments adds greater dimension to and interest in the program. Seeing these different instrumentalists at group performance classes is inspiring for everyone.”
Wendelken says that Grace Episcopal, with its big windows open to a serene conservation area, is proving to be a perfect locale for her newly expanded program. “Known to be very supportive of the classical arts, Grace Episcopal was the right location to make this expansion possible,” Wendelken says, while pointing out the soulful sounds of a cello echoing through the church corridor. “Parents often mention how peaceful the setting is. It’s a wonderful place for an acoustic lesson.”
She adds that her studio, with its reputation for excellence, has attracted students not only from the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, but also from as far away as Spring Hill, Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg, Valrico and Bradenton. Students from Saskatchewan, Canada, and Ohio have found the school when re-locating to the area, enabling them to continue their RCM training.
“We have students, from beginners to advanced, who want to take their music to the next level, and even several professional musicians in the area who are looking to hone their skills.” Wendelken says. “Everyone seems to love that, in addition to the RCM program, we also do things like little fun recitals with themes. For example, we did a recital for Mozart’s 250th birthday and also do period-oriented themes, such as for the Baroque period.”
Wendelken Studio students also get to participate in the annual Florida Federation of Music Clubs (FFMC) local festival and the annual State FFMC competition in Jacksonville, where more than 96-percent of Wendelken’s students qualify for State every year.
Such commitment to excellence has produced remarkable results. This past spring, former Sunlake High senior Lauren Vaccaro was offered scholarships to major in Piano Performance at several universities, choosing the prestigious music department at Florida State University in Tallahassee, where she now is studying with Professor Joel Hastings.
Lauren says, “I studied at the Wendelken Piano Studio for six years. It was the only place I could find where there was a set curriculum, the same used at RCM. Not only was I educated in piano performance, but in music theory, ear training, etc. My music opportunities increased because of all the skills I acquired from the Studio. The best memories, though, were of going to the State competition and hanging out with the other students, playing cards in the hotel lobby, performing duets with my partner Joshua, and making memories with friends.”
Dr. Deborah Plant, an adult Wendelken Studio student and New Tampa resident says, “I like to know that my skills are building and what my benchmarks are in terms of technique and performance.” Dr. Plant says, “The school, designed for your success, is structured so that you can clearly see your path to progress.”
The Wendelken Studio for the Musical Arts and its students are proud to contribute to their community through fund-raising concerts. On November 16, the studio co-hosted two Helping Hands Benefit Concerts to raise donations for Metropolitan Ministries at Grace Episcopal, raising more than $7,000 in ticket sales, donations and sponsorships for people who are in need in the Tampa Bay area.
Whether the instrument of choice for you or your child is piano, strings or voice, the Wendelken Studio for the Musical Arts accommodates students who are devoted to their music and developing their skills as a craft.
“Loving the process and not just the result is essential,” Wendelken says. “We teach patience, perseverance and stamina. Things today are transient; but classical musical training and love of music is for life.”
The Wendelken Studio for the Musical Arts is located adjacent to Grace Episcopal Church at 15102 Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms. For more info, call 978-1771 or visit TampaPiano.com.
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