WENDY TANGEN-FOSTER

Wendy Tangen-Foster is past president of the Suzuki Association of Minnesota and currently directs the Education for Happiness Virtual Suzuki Institute in collaboration with Gabe Kitayama-Bolkosky. She is currently welcoming both in-person and remote students in North Portland.

With over 25 years of Suzuki teaching experience, Wendy has been invited to teach at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute, American Suzuki Institute, Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, and the Ozark Suzuki Institute. She has also been a sought-after guest clinician at workshops across Oregon, Delaware, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Texas.

Wendy’s students have earned top chairs in the Minnesota Youth Orchestras, Minnesota All-State Orchestras, and the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, and her graduating seniors have received scholarships to St. Olaf, Augsburg College, Lawrence University, Luther College, and the University of Minnesota.

Wendy's Suzuki education began in high school with LeRoy Bauer and Craig Timmerman and she continued her training with such renowned teachers as Ronda Cole, David Strom, Edmund Sprunger, Nancy Lokken, Alice Joy Lewis, and Ann Montzka-Smelser. Wendy has registered all 10 Suzuki Books and is currently working towards Suzuki Teacher Trainer certification.

While at the 𝗟𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰, Wendy fell in love with jazz and improvisation and went on to study with jazz-violinist Randy Sabien at the University of Wisconsin River Falls, and performed with his swing band, Rhythm and Bows. Wendy developed a deep passion for Argentine Tango after joining Minneapolis-based 𝗥𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 with whom she performed for nearly 10 years. In 2023, Wendy received the 𝙏𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 from the Tango Society of Minnesota and continues to perform with Rogue Tango during her visits to Minneapolis. Passionate about "alternative” violin styles, Wendy incorporates improvisation, jazz, and tango into her Suzuki instruction.

Now living in Portland, OR, Wendy's days are a whirlwind of activity with her spirited 18-month-old son, Maceo (named after saxophonist Maceo Parker) who is enjoying Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) classes at Stumptown Suzuki. While Maceo keeps her on her toes, Wendy cherishes time spent at the park with other families and is always on the lookout for new ways to enhance Maceo's eating and sleeping routines. In her quieter moments, she delights in cooking, tuning into insightful podcasts, and creating music with her partner, Django Amerson, a talented multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, and Irish fiddler.