Celebrating Excellence 2009 features musicians who began their careers as Suzuki students. This year’s collection features 11 performances—solos and ensembles—including violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, and harp. We are grateful to these talented performers for sharing their artistry with Suzuki supporters and friends and for their statements of support for Suzuki Method!

Celebrating Excellence 2009 is a special gift available to this year’s Annual Fund donors at the $75 level or beyond. Many thanks in advance for your generosity! Note: Your gifts are tax-exempt in the United States.

See the track list and read more about the performers on Celebrating Excellence 2009.

Aber Suzuki Center student, soprano Mikaela Schneider, 15, of Greendale, WI, a student of Suzuki voice teacher Mary Hofer, sang Schubert’s Ave Maria with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at their holiday concert this past weekend. Guest conductor Marvin Hamlisch (also conductor of the National Symphony Pops Orchestra), was so impressed with her performance that he asked her on the spot to sing four concerts at the Kennedy Center this coming weekend, December 12th and 13th! Hopefully during rehearsal she will get to visit with ASC alumni Joel Fuller, violinist, who is a member of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Last year, Mikaela sang the soprano solo with the MSO in Bernstein’s Chitchester Psalms.

Congratulations to Mikaela and Mary Hofer!

Last summer, focus groups at summer Institutes were asked to submit questions for a panel of “Suzuki Experts” to answer. This is the 10th installment.

Should you use the same bowings for both violin and viola especially when leading or teaching a group class—for example, in Hunter’s Chorus and Musette?

Yes, definitely use the same bowings for violin and viola, and most especially in a group class. You will find that there may be one or two students (of either violin or viola) that might be doing different bowings, but as we all know, students are so adaptable and quick to learn, that it is easy for them to all learn and use the same bowings.

Read more of Ask the Experts, part 10: Group Lessons »

Last summer, focus groups at summer Institutes were asked to submit questions for a panel of “Suzuki Experts” to answer. This is the 9th installment.

What is the long-term teaching goal for all students?

In Nurtured by Love, Dr. Suzuki says: “I just want to make good citizens. If a child hears good music from the day of his birth, and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline, and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.”

So, the long-term teaching goal for Suzuki students is not to make them into professional musicians, but to help develop them into fine people through the study of music. An appreciation of beauty, a sense of self-control and discipline, concentration skills, and a kind, generous heart are what we aim to develop in our children. Dr. Suzuki goes on to say, “If nations cooperate in raising good children, perhaps there won’t be any war.”

Read more of Ask the Experts, part 9: Long-Term Goal and Piano Studios »

Dear Music Education Researcher:

Have you ever heard of a masterclass for researchers? Notify your students about this unusual opportunity with one of the foremost music education researchers in the country. The Tenth International Research Symposium on Talent Education will take place on May 27 & 28, 2010 at the Minneapolis Hilton Conference Center with Dr. Robert A. Duke, UT-Austin, as the keynote speaker.

On Thursday, May 27th, Dr. Duke will meet individually with each accepted graduate or doctoral researcher. The researcher will present their research idea or work in progress to the Symposium. Then, through a process of conversation and review, Dr. Duke will offer the student-researcher further considerations for analysis and reflection. See the Call for Papers for more details on how to apply.

An honorarium will be provided for each accepted paper.

Co-sponsored by the Suzuki Association of the Americas and the American Suzuki Institute.

The following report consists of three sections:

1. A history of the book revision process,

2. A description of the procedure for the compilation, editing, and publication of the revised editions for Books 1-5 and,

3. A look forward at the upper books in the Suzuki Violin School.

Read more of ISA Violin Committee Report on the Revised International Editions of the Suzuki Violin School »

It’s that special time of year again when the SAA Board announces its Annual Fund Campaign. Only through your gifts to the Annual Fund is the SAA able to support its scholarship program and other services and projects. This year’s theme is “Following in their Footsteps.”

The Board is proud to introduce a special gift available to this year’s donors at the $75 level or beyond: Celebrating Excellence 2009, a beautiful collection of performances by former Suzuki students. The performers have donated their recordings to make this special gift possible and to honor the Suzuki Method which helped start them on their path as accomplished musicians.

Read more of 2009 Annual Fund »

Dear Teachers and Families,

Forty-five years ago, Dr Shinichi Suzuki brought several young Japanese string students to perform in the United States. At that time, I was a young string teacher, lucky enough to attend one of these concerts. I was completely astonished by the skills and musicianship demonstrated by these students and believed them to be child prodigies. All of you know the rest of this story, every child has the ability to make beautiful music. Through Dr. Suzuki’s unique philosophy and method, music education around the world has been revolutionized.

The growth of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, since those early days, is staggering. Following in the pioneering footsteps of those who brought Suzuki teaching to the Americas, the SAA is now over 8,000 members strong. We have reached into the hearts and homes of so many families.

Read more of Following In Their Footsteps »

The SAA would like to welcome three new Teacher Trainers:

Mary Hofer
Voice
Stevens Point, WI

Joseph Pecoraro
Guitar
Winston-Salem, NC

James Hutchins
Violin
Silver Spring, MD

These Trainer Candidates completed the final steps in the approval process following the ISA Teacher Trainer Conference in Boston last month. We look forward to their service in this new and important capacity.

The Conference Team is busily reviewing the 175 session proposals for the 2010 Conference in May. We expect to have the final decisions made by the first week of January. You will be notified regarding the status of your proposal by email. Thank you for your patience. The array of proposals is truly outstanding!

The 14th biennial SAA Conference will “feature our own” distinguished SAA members, friends, and former Suzuki students who are now young artist-teacher professionals as our special clinicians for the instrument master classes. True to the theme of the Conference, the format of these master classes will include both team teaching and solo instruction. The young artist clinicians will also be involved in side-by-side chamber music coachings and perform a selection on the Young Artist Recital. Read further about the impressive list being showcased for 2010!

Bass: Paul Sharpe, Nicole Castleberry
Cello: Gilda Barston, Amy Barston
Flute: Bart Feller, Sara Traficante
Guitar: William Kossler, Adam Kossler
Harp: Elinor Niemisto, Angela Dastrup Willis
Piano: Doris Koppelman, Hikari Nakamura
Recorder: Patrick O’Malley
Viola: William Preucil Sr., Matthew Dane
Violin: Thomas Wermuth, Allegra Wermuth, Scott Conklin

SYOA Conductors: Marilyn Kesler, Winifred Crock
Special Guests: Bad Boyz of Bass Quartet

See Clinician bios >>

The Creating Learning Community awards are designed to celebrate significant contributions by individuals or groups within our community. Nominations for 2010 Creating Learning Community award recipients are due December 31, 2009. Please consider those you know who have contributed significantly to the support of Dr. Suzuki’s ideas and the Suzuki community. Candidates for the award may be parents, teachers, friends of Suzuki, organizations, programs, etc. Nominations may be submitted to the SAA Office.

More on submitting a CLC Award Nomination >>

The 2010 SAA Teacher Development Scholarship Application is now available. 2010 scholarships are for short-term, long-term, or apprenticeship teacher training between May 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011 and must be postmarked by February 15, 2010.

The SAA is pleased to announce the publication of a brand new, unique item: Math Vitamins for Suzuki Students by Andy J.
Felt and George Kung. The book features over 50 games for parents to play with their young children, ages 3-7.

Dr. Suzuki believed that his philosophy and approach to teaching children could be applied to any discipline, not just music. Suzuki parents and supporters, the authors readily convey their enthusiasm for what Suzuki philosophy offers to build children’s concentration and motivation for learning. They suggest that parents work each day with their child, using…

Read more of Math Vitamins for Suzuki Students »