WSSTE and NSS cello teacher Sally Gross was awarded the Illinois American String Teacher’s Association Studio Teacher of the Year award for 2021. The Award was presented on January 28th at the Illinois All State Music Teachers Conference in Peoria, IL.
WSSTE Director Edward Kreitman nominated Sally to the ASTA committee:
"It has been my privilege to observe Sally Gross develop the cello program at the
Western Springs School of Talent Education and the Naperville Suzuki School. Under her guidance, the cello program grew from a fledging handful of students to a program of over 60 students spanning every level from Twinkle to the standard Cello Concerto repertoire. In her 30 + years of teaching Sally Gross has seen many young cellists grow up into extraordinary adults. Watching and learning from their development, both musically and emotionally has given her powerful insights into teaching.
Ms. Gross has been a Registered Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas since 1990 and has taught numerous short term Institute courses as well as many years of apprenticeship courses in southern Ontario and the Chicago area. Sally is pleased that she has been able to support and guide so many new Suzuki cello teachers. She is an active clinician throughout Canada and the United States, especially Ontario and Illinois. She is a founding director of the Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute and will be celebrated 30 years in that position in 2013.
Together with her co-director, Alex Revoal, Sally Gross created an advanced Cello ensemble "Cellissimo" for the top cello students from WSSTE and NSS. The group has performed extensively throughout the Chicagoland area and have made concert tours to Denver, Iowa City, and Ontario, CA. Cellissimo has performed by invitation at the National Suzuki Association of the Americas Conference and the SAA Leadership retreat. The group produced their eponymous CD in 2017."