Catch the rising stars - 2004 MTNA National Conference Artists

American Music Teacher, Feb-March, 2004 by Ann Milliman Gipson

Scott Conklin

While many five-year-old boys dream of becoming a firefighter or police officer when they grow up, Scott Conklin decided soon after his fifth birthday that he wanted to be a concert violinist. As a successful violin soloist and chamber musician, Conklin is well on his way to achieving his dream.

Deciding to be a musician was a natural choice for Conklin, assistant professor of violin at The University of Texas at Arlington. His parents, both musicians, always played music and created a nurturing environment where Conklin and his sister could explore their creative and artistic interests. He grew up in Murray, Kentucky, where his father, Ray, is professor of trombone at Murray State University. His mother, a middle school guidance counselor, plays both clarinet and violin.

Although he didn't like the timbre of the clarinet, Conklin loved the sound of the violin and had his first violin lesson at age 3. While he remembers his first lesson and the first time he held a violin, Conklin readily admits it took a couple years for him to get serious about violin study. Soon after age 5, he began traditional violin lessons, then quickly changed teachers and began to study with a Suzuki teacher. Conklin studied with Carol Dallinger at the University of Evansville from the time he was 6 through high school.

Like many successful performers who had supportive parents, Conklin acknowledges the sacrifice of his parents, who would regularly drive a lengthy distance for his lessons. For more than ten years, the Conklins would regularly travel from Murray to Evansville, Indiana, a commute of two-and-a-half to three hours, for Conklin's violin lessons. To make the most of the extended drive, his lessons were extremely long, and over the years, a family-like bond developed between the Conklins and his teacher.

Conklin describes the experience of his Suzuki training as a "magical bond between the parents, students and teachers," which created a powerful and loving environment for learning. Through his early studies, Conklin learned to love his instrument. Although he started primarily as a Suzuki student, he recognizes the influence of many of his teachers and strives to be own-minded about varied approaches to violin playing and teaching.

This open and inquisitive manner of thinking is evident in several facets of Conklin's life, as is his passion for the violin. He has enjoyed a variety of interests, including the visual arts, the theater and sports. While he has spent much of his life wishing he had been solely focused on music during those early years, Conklin quickly admits he was glad to have a "normal high school experience" and have the opportunity to explore a variety of interests.

In junior high, high school and college, Conklin played baseball and basketball. Even today, he plays on a softball team as a means of relaxation and enjoyment. In high school, Conklin competed on speech and debate teams. During his freshman, sophomore and senior years in high school he earned the title of state champion for storytelling.

Conklin also had a strong interest in the theater and participated in productions in high school and college. In high school he excelled in dramatic performance competitions and even placed in the top fifteen in a national competition of dramatic performance. For the competition, he portrayed twelve to sixteen different characters from a ten-minute cut of a play, illustrating his versatility as an actor and performer.

Another creative outlet for Conklin has been in the area of the visual arts, although time constraints currently limit his artistic endeavors. With varied interests in the visual arts and theater from which to draw inspiration, Conklin believes his involvement in areas outside music has served as a complement to his musical career. An enthusiastic and devoted musician, his open-minded approach to life has allowed him to draw on many of his life experiences and challenge his own musical practices. With a genuine desire to learn, Conklin continually tries to evaluate the learning process and grow as a musician.

For his outstanding achievements while in high school, Conklin received two Governor Youth Merit Awards. In addition, he holds the distinction of being named a "Kentucky Colonel," a title given to him in 1988 by Kentucky Governor Wallace Wilkinson, for his outstanding musical achievements. In an address to members of the Honorable Kentucky Colonels in 2000, then Governor Paul E. Patton remarked, "The name Kentucky Colonel has become synonymous with strength of character, leadership and dedication to the welfare of others." With this honor, Conklin has joined an illustrious list of individuals who have made a contribution to society, including Muhammed Ali, Senator John Glenn, Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame and U.S. Army General Omar Bradley.

In 1997, Conklin completed a bachelor of music degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with David Updegraff. He earned a master of music degree in 1999 and completed a doctor of musical arts degree in 2002 from The University of Michigan School of Music under violin pedagogue Paul Kantor. Conklin is enjoying his second year as a faculty member at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he specializes in private instruction, chamber music and string pedagogy.