Faculty -  Jo                       Shannon					Jo Shannon (Institute Director) received her Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University and her Master of Music Ed. at Wayne State University in Detroit. Musical experiences and training include chamber music at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Detroit Symphony training orchestra, and a month-long European tour with the Kalamazoo Symphony, all on string bass. While teaching public school instrumental and vocal music, she discovered the Suzuki approach and started her daughter on violin. Attending the Blue Lake Institute in Muskegon, Michigan put her in touch with the piano program and also sent her on the path to a rewarding Suzuki piano practice which involved training by teachers Gail Lange and Mary Craig Powell.  Before moving to California, she became a certified private pilot, earned a degree as a paralegal, owned a business franchise which provided serious management training, completed the Dale Carnegie business course and finished twenty-eight years of teaching music and computer technology. Moving to California put her in touch with SMAC/LA, serving on the Board for four years as a director and webmaster. Currently, Jo maintains an active Suzuki piano studio in the Eagle Rock area of Los Angeles, CA.