As we go about our lives, meeting and getting to know the people around us, we sometimes stumble upon someone who is doing something amazing, right under our noses.

One such person here in Cullman is Penney Adair. Among other things, she teaches little people – who might otherwise be watching Teletubbies on TV- to play the violin.

Adair, a native of Albany, Georgia, came to Cullman in 1997. Her husband, John, had just gotten a new job here with Rehau.

Adair attended Middle Georgia College. She was a member of the Albany Symphony Orchestra for eight years. She also began her series of Suzuki Pedagogogy training in 1990, in Bristol, Virginia, Atlanta, Georgia, and New Orleans, Louisiana, receiving her registered teachers status with the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

She served as both teacher and clinician in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

When she came to Cullman, she was eager to share this amazing method with others.

The Suzuki method adheres to the “Mother/Tongue,” approach. Shinichi Suzuki wrote that, “Man learns from his environment,” stressed Adair. This theory is proven through the Suzuki method of teaching. “Children learn music just like they learn language, in fact, music is a language,” said Adair.

Adair is founder and director of Suzuki Strings of Alabama. This technique allows students as young as three years old to begin learning the basics of playing the violin.

At first the children just learn how to hold the instrument and the bow. They become accustomed to using their fingers to make different sounds. As they get older, they learn to read music.

“We started out with only eight students in the Cullman area, now we have grown to 42 children from 35 families,” said Adair.

Since beginning to teach this remarkable method, Adair has had the honor of serving on the Alabama Orchestra Board for six years. For two years she served as President of the Alabama Music Education Association. (AMEA)

Adair was invited and served as a member of the National High School Honors Orchestra Team , in February of 2010, in Santa Clara, California. It was hosted by the American String Teachers Association, at their national conference.

This is Adair’s second year as the Cullman City School Violin Instructor. In addition to teaching she plays frequently for the Valley Conservatory Lyceum’s, in Huntsville, weddings, and other community events. She loves music, and enjoys seeing how children respond to it.

This year she is excited and honored to be a part of bringing Mark Wood, founder of, ‘Electrify Your Strings,” to Cullman.

“The city school board applied for and received a grant which enabled us to invite Wood to come here. He will teach a workshop and then conduct a performance, which will incorporate both the Cullman Middle School and Cullman High School bands and choirs, “ said Adair.

Linda Bean, Christopher Smith, and Joshua Agnew, the choral and choir director for both schools will have students participating in this exciting presentation.

“Superintendent of Cullman City Schools, Dr. Jan Harris has given her full support in this endeavor, and Board President, Brenda Howell, as well as all the other board members have been extremly supportive in orchestrating this opportunity for our music program, “ added Adair.

Wood, who was one of the original members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, has shared the stage with such notable singers and musicians as Celine Dion, Lenny Kravitz, Steven Tyler, and his personal friend, Billy Joel. “ I had the honor of performing at Shea Stadium with Billy Joel, in front of 120,000 people,” said Wood, in an exclusive interview with the Cullman Times.

The Emmy award-winning composer has sparked a new revolution in bowed acoustic violins. The,’ Viper,’-which has a sharp modern look-is his own conception. The ‘Stingray SV-4,’ another of his creations, comes with an amp he designed. “ It is the first amp designed by a violin player especially for a violin,” he explained.

Wood is a man on a mission. He wants to tell the world that the violin is not just a piece of wood with strings on it.

Wood has been compared to some of this generation’s greatest guitarist, so it’s not a stretch for him to put frets on his violins. “ String players are the sleeping giants of the musical industry,” he says, intuitively. 

For the past seven years he has traveled all over the world teaching his method,” It’s been a tremendous excitement for me to connect with talented young musicians and to give something of what I know back to them,” said Wood.

He attended the distinguished Julliard School of Music in New York City, and has become a champion of youngsters everywhere who are learning that playing the violin is a really cool thing to do.

 “We come in and empower both teachers and students, which is a wonderful opportunity for the community. They are able to see that the violin is now a cutting edge instrument. It gives 12- year-olds the opportunity to learn how to really connect and express themselves with their instrument,” he explained. Wood himself was a prolific violin player by the age of 10. He plays by ear-which is an exceptionally phenomenal talent in itself- and reads sheet music, as well.

“This country has produced the most important music in history, giving children access to their own music. This workshop integrates what I call American musical styles with more traditional European styles.”

Wood won an Emmy for composition, presented to him by none other than Donald Trump. He brings forth amazing sounds from his violins, playing classical and rock music with equal enthusiasm.

 Among the selections the students will be learning under Woods tutelage are, “Stairway to Heaven,” a Led Zeppelin standard, “ Carry On My Wayward Son,” a favorite by Kansas, and, ‘Hoedown,” which really gives the acoustic violins a workout.

Adair met Wood while attending an Electrify Your Strings session at an Alabama Music Educators Convention in January of 2009. She feels privileged to be a part of the upcoming workshop, and is thrilled that her students will have such a wonderful opportunity.

Penney Adair, who was playing the violin herself at the age of four, is living proof of her philosophy, “If children hear fine music from the day of their birth, and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline, and endurance.”

  * The community presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. on April 27, at the Cullman High School Auditorium. Tickets will be $5 at the door the night of the performance.