Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilary Butler.
Hilary, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew as a Suzuki violin kid! At a basic level- Suzuki is a philosophy of violin instruction from Japan where children start very young, learn by ear, and parental involvement is stressed. Later, switching to the viola as my primary instrument, I went on to receive a Bachelors and Masters degree in music performance. Throughout music school and my career, I am so appreciative of my Suzuki beginnings. It gave me the strong ear and innate musicianship that have helped me be successful in a very competitive field. I have always been extremely passionate about passing on these invaluable skills to the younger generation. Throughout college, I taught Suzuki violin lessons for different programs all around the city. And I mean all over! I was driving around and teaching in Beverly, Woodlawn, Hyde Park, the loop, Pilsen, Rogers Park, Evanston, and more! It was wonderful getting to know these Chicago neighborhoods.
However, I overwhelming had the most success teaching on the south side. I cannot tell you exactly why this is. However, I can tell you that my method stresses parental involvement and community learning. Both family and community are greatly valued on the south side. It also takes a long time to learn the violin. It can be years before a young student establishes basic fluency on the instrument. And the south side tends to be less transient than other parts of the city which allows students the time needed to flourish musically.
About a year after I finished my master’s degree at DePaul University, I decided it was time to fully realize my dream of running my own Suzuki violin program. I chose Hyde Park to do so since it is a centralized location on the south side. Hyde Park has proven itself to be a wonderful family oriented neighborhood that supports art, education, and local organizations like myself. I have been running my private violin and viola studio since 2011 and have been a Co-Director of South Side Suzuki Cooperative (a collective of Suzuki teachers) since 2016.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of the biggest obstacles has always been finding a suitable teaching space. I have had numerous shared spaces (churches, elementary schools, community centers, etc.) that have sufficed. But my program has developed significantly over the past few years and we are growing out of these shared spaces. I am currently on the lookout for a permanent location in Hyde Park. Other struggles of running a private studio include the hours of unpaid work, the lack of job security, and a chaotic work schedule. However, the reward is invaluable. I get to share what I am most passionate about children and families who in return continue to amaze me with their hard work and dedication. My favorite part of my job is being able to watch these children grow up- musically and otherwise.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Hilary Butler Music Studio – what should we know?
First and foremost I am a violin and viola instructor for my private studio, Hilary Butler Music Studio. My private studio currently consists of 21 students ranging from ages three to seventeen. Every child receives a weekly private lesson with me, a weekly group class, and multiple performance opportunities throughout the year. I teach a combination of the Suzuki, Paul Rolland, and traditional methods. You can learn more about these methods by visiting www.hilarybutler.com
My music studio is also a part of South Side Suzuki Cooperative where I am a Co-Director. South Side Suzuki Cooperative is a collective of string teachers who share a common passion for high-quality talent education. Teachers in the co-op enjoy the freedom of running their own private studios while having access to the pooled resources of the cooperative. This makes group classes, masterclasses, and large-scale concerts possible. These are benefits you would usually only find in the largest music programs around Chicago. In the summer of 2017, we launched our very first outreach program in Back of the Yards neighborhood. Students in the program received all the benefits of a full Suzuki education – which is very rare for outreach programs. We are happy to see that students from this program have now joined us on-site and are becoming advanced violinists! As South Side Suzuki Cooperative grows we hope to reach out to more south side communities. You can learn more about the co-op by visiting www.southsidersuzuki.com.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
As far as my business’ success- I have my first students and their families to thank for that. I started with just a handful of very young students in Hyde Park seven years ago. And I have been able to watch them grow from beginners struggling through “The Pickle Song” to advanced violinists and violists that play in string quartets and youth orchestras all around Chicago. I know that violin is not an easy skill to learn and there are numerous times a student thinks about quitting. But thanks to the hardworking and dedication of these families I was able to grow a business and have advanced students to inspire the new beginner violinists. Ultimately, a students success is my success.
My biggest inspiration and mentor is a violin teacher from Indiana University- Mimi Zweig. I have spent numerous summers at her teachers retreat at IU and continue to travel around the Midwest to observe her teach and participate in clinics. She is, in my opinion, the absolute best in the business and is fortunately very open to sharing her expertise with young teachers! All of my past and present music teachers have also contributed immeasurably to my current success as a teacher. I think they would laugh to observed me teach a lesson and “torment” my students with the same exercises they watched me struggle through years ago.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hilarybutler.com
- Phone: 312-772-6616
- Email: hlb.viola@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southsidesuzukicoop/
- Other: www.southsidesuzuki.com
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