The 2012 Suzuki Conference, “40 and Forward,” is promising to be a true celebration of all the Suzuki method has accomplished in the US in the last 40 years.

The piano events we’ve planned for you are spectacular.

You will be able to watch the legendary teacher and pianist Ann Schein in 2 hours of piano masterclasses. During those hours you will hear Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin and Bach!

Our very own Suzuki teachers, Fay Adams, Marina Obukovsky, Christopher Liccardo and Mary Craig Powell will be teaching masterclasses on New Repertoire in Suzuki Piano books, as well as a Bach Masterclass. New and exciting this year: a lesson class featuring our youngest students in books 1 to 3. Come and see how our master teachers build and nurture their young students!

Prepare to be VERY busy. In addition to 5 keynote speakers and 6 concerts, we will offer 12 hours of piano sessions ranging from re-discovering Twinkles to how to keep your busy teenage students happy and playing! Ann Schein will give a lecture-recital on the influence Bach had on the great Romantics. Yes, there will be Chopin in there too!

There will be a Kaleidoscope concert featuring the best of the best in Suzuki World, a Clinicians’ Concert featuring, among many, Ann Schein (more Chopin? Yes!), and of course the Piano Concerto event with a rising international star and Suzuki student, 8-year-old Gavin George playing the first movement of Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto with the Blue Lake Suzuki Institute Orchestra.

If you have never been to the conference, this is the one you want to make your first! We are in a process of planning a special welcome event for the new attendees—we hope you will be among them! And then we will celebrate again at the Suzuki Association Birthday Bash on Sunday afternoon!

The fabulous SAA conference website has all the details:

• Learn more about the conference

• Complete list of sessions & events

• Register now

• Hotel reservations

As always, feel free to contact me through the SAA website.

See you in May in beautiful Minneapolis!

Malgosia Lis
Conference Piano Coordinator

Read more about Jason Moran.

We are saddened to learn that Yasuko Joichi passed away on December 28, 2011. A memorial service is planned as follows:

Saturday, January 07, 2012
3:00 p.m.—03:45 p.m.
St. James the Less Episcopal Church
550 Sunset Ridge Road
Northfield, Il 60093

Mrs. Joichi was a beloved Suzuki Piano Teacher and SAA Teacher Trainer. She served on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago, worked on the Suzuki Piano repertoire revisions committee and taught at many institutes and workshops. For the past few years, health issues had limited her activities.

Yasuko Joichi’s warmth, kindness and enthusiasm for teaching will be greatly missed.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, her family has requested gifts to a charity or organization of your choice.

Yasuko S. Joichi

Oct. 1, 1945—Dec. 28, 2011

Born in 1945 in Kyoto, Japan, Yasuko became the fourth child of Hideo and Iwae Segawa. Rather unusual for the time, both of her parents had gone to theological seminary school, and although their training was just short of ordination, they each preached to their respective congregations. Lively debates and conversations with missionaries and Buddhist friends filled her youth and undoubtedly left an indelible impression on her.

In 1968, already an adventuresome traveler, she crossed the Pacific Ocean and landed in Evanston, Illinois, for graduate school at Northwestern University where she majored in piano performance. Shortly thereafter she met her husband, Max, while Christmas caroling at a church in Chicago. By 1970, her only daughter, Janet, was born.

During the next few decades, Yasuko’s days were filled with much musical activity. She played organ in churches, gave recitals, and was active in many music teachers organizations. From 1977 to 1979, even the entire family gave Sunday Afternoon Concerts at Cantigny in Wheaton, Illinois.

Always a teacher at heart since her teenage years in Japan, she taught piano her entire life until a stroke in December 2008. Most recently she taught piano at the Music Institute of Chicago and at Elmhurst College preparatory and college departments. Previously, she taught at Wheaton College preparatory school and privately at home. Perhaps central to her music teaching career was encountering the Suzuki Method in 1975, an approach to music instruction that she tried first with her daughter. She eventually became a teacher-trainer in Suzuki Piano and traveled worldwide as an instructor at institutes and conferences.

All of that traveling was hard to give up, and she continued her travels most recently to Europe, Central America, and Asia until 2008. If it were not for her stroke, she would have volunteered again in Costa Rica with Cross Cultural Solutions.

Her love for dogs and many furry creatures could be seen by all. Pictures adorned the walls and cabinets of her piano studios and even refrigerator at home. Her laugh was infections as was her charm with young students. In the past few years, she enjoyed visits from her grandson and followed her physical therapy and speech therapy exercises diligently. Unfortunately, her heart was not strong enough to continue her lifelong adventure. In memory of a life fully lived, let us wish her peace.

-Marilyn Andersen

Photo by Dr. John Chen

Nightingale Chen and Yasuko Joichi, Thanksgiving 2010

Plans are well underway for the SAA 15th Biennial Conference, May 24-28, 2012, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mark your calendar! Don’t miss our 40th anniversary!

SAA Conferences are sentinel events for teachers, parents, and students. Expect enlightening sessions on Suzuki philosophy and pedagogy in general and for each instrument. Learn to run your studio and work with parents. Become adept in new technologies. Enjoy special topics of Bach and outreach. Share and learn from colleagues. Listen to master classes, performing ensembles, the 40th anniversary Kaleidoscope Concert, Suzuki Youth Orchestras, and professional artists. Connect with the Suzuki community. See old friends, and meet new ones.

The location of the conference at the downtown Hilton Minneapolis is central to the city’s myriad offerings. Just steps from the hotel is Orchestra Hall, home of the Minnesota Orchestra and venue for the Kaleidoscope Concert. A short walk will take you to the Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and the Guthrie Theater. Navigate downtown Minneapolis on foot to shops and restaurants. Nicollet Mall, the cultural and commercial heart of the city, is one block from the Hilton and features everything from world-class cuisine to comfortable coffee shops. For those who would like to explore the Minneapolis metro area, use the affordable, handy light-rail system. Make your way to the Mississippi National River and Recreational Area, or the fully-urban Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, one of only two of its kind in the nation—all in close proximity to parks and open spaces. Minneapolis has something to offer everyone. We hope to see you there!

Special Guests

The 2012 Conference Team is excited to announce very special guest performers for the 15th Biennial Conference, 40 and Forward: the trio Time for Three.

Time for Three has roots in classical music, but explores myriad styles in a unique fusion of sounds. Their first music video, “Stronger,” debuted online in October 2011, bringing a positive anti-bullying message to thousands of viewers.

Time for Three filming “Stronger”

The groundbreaking, category-shattering trio Time for Three transcends traditional classification, with elements of classical, country western, gypsy and jazz idioms forming a blend all its own. The members—Zach DePue, violin; Nick Kendall, violin; and Ranaan Meyer, double bass—carry a passion for improvisation, composing and arranging, all prime elements of the ensemble’s playing.

What started as a trio of musicians who played together for fun while students at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute for Music evolved into Time for Three, or Tf3 for short—a charismatic ensemble with a reputation for limitless enthusiasm and no musical boundaries. Violinists Zachary DePue and Nicolas Kendall first discovered their mutual love of fiddling in the country western and bluegrass styles. Then bassist Ranaan Meyer introduced them to his deep roots in jazz and improvisation. After considerable experimentation, the three officially formed Tf3 and for the first few years enjoyed a close affiliation with, and were presented in performances by Astral Artists.

The ensemble gained instant attention in July 2003, during a lightning-induced power failure at Philadelphia’s Mann Center for the Performing Arts. While technicians attempted to restore onstage lighting, Ranaan and Zach, who were both performing as members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, obliged with an impromptu jam session that included works as far afield from the originally scheduled symphony as “Jerusalem’s Ridge,” “Ragtime Annie,” and “The Orange Blossom Special.” The crowd went wild.

To date, the group has performed hundreds of engagements as diverse as its music: from featured guest soloists on the Philadelphia Orchestra’s subscription series to Club Yoshi’s in San Francisco; from residencies at the Kennedy Center to Christoph Eschenbach’s birthday concert at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany; and from the Windpower Expo to the Boston Pops. Their jam-packed 2011- 2012 season will feature their Carnegie Hall debut, a residency at Princeton University, appearances with the Boston Pops and their first tour of South America.

Tf3 sets itself apart not only with its varied repertoire performed with astonishing technical acuity, but also through its approach. Its high-energy performances are free of conventional practices, drawing instead from the members’ differing musical backgrounds. The trio also performs its own arrangements of traditional repertoire and Ranaan Meyer provides original compositions to complement the trio’s offerings.

In 2009, Time for Three embarked on an ambitious three-year residency with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, a groundbreaking project among American orchestras where the artists not only get involved at the community level, but also curate the wildly successful “Happy Hour” series of concerts with the orchestra throughout the season. The project has generated tremendous excitement and has greatly increased the orchestra’s profile, especially among the younger demographic, and made them household names in Indianapolis.

In January 2010, TF3 released its first commercial CD, Three Fervent Travelers, on the E1 label. It was an instant success, debuting in the top ten on Billboard, Amazon and iTunes, and remaining in the top ten on the Billboard Crossover Charts for more than ten months. This followed the group’s first two self-produced CDs, Time for Three and We Just Burned This For You!, which sold more than 20,000 copies.

The ensemble has embarked on a major commissioning program to expand its unique repertoire for symphony orchestras. The first project was Concerto 4-3, written by Pulitzer-Prize winning composer Jennifer Higdon. The work was premiered in six performances by Tf3 with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Christoph Eschenbach in January 2008 and has been performed dozens of times since to great acclaim. 2010 saw the premiere of Travels in Time for Three by Chris Brubeck, co-commissioned by the Boston Pops, the Youngstown Symphony, and eight other orchestras. The next work in the series will be by William Bolcom, commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphony, for a premiere in 2013.

In addition to its demanding performing schedule, the trio is committed to reaching younger audiences and has participated in a number of educational residencies and outreach concerts including annual visits to Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Gang Camp for children with terminal illnesses; weeklong residencies at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC; Carnegie Hall’s Family Concerts; and countless jam sessions and impromptu music-making with students, anywhere from university classes to pizza parties and coffee houses. “The guys” want to share their infectious love of music with everyone.

Time for Three has been seen and heard frequently on various television and radio broadcasts throughout the country, including numerous times on Public Television and NPR, and was featured in a documentary film about Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square directed by Robert Downey, Sr. The group recorded the soundtrack to the History Channel’s production The Spanish-American War.

Zach DePue comes from a musical family: he also performs and records with the DePue Brothers Band, and his father is a composer and professor emeritus of music composition at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Born in Bowling Green, Zach graduated in 2002 from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with renowned violinists Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo. He was the recipient of a merit-based full-tuition scholarship and held the Institute’s David H. Springman Memorial Fellowship.

Prior to entering Curtis, Mr. DePue attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. He made his solo debut with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in 1994 and performed as soloist with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1995. Mr. DePue has performed at the Isaac Stern Music Workshop; the Angel Fire, La Jolla and Sarasota music festivals; and at the Chautauqua Institution and Interlochen Arts Academy. In September 2007, he was appointed Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Nick Kendall studied at the Curtis Institute with the internationally renowned violinist Victor Danchenko. He maintains a strong interest in other musical instruments and genres and is an enthusiastic teacher who utilizes elements from both classical and non-traditional repertoires in his popular workshops.

Recent highlights of his career include performances with Israel’s Jerusalem Symphony under conductor James Judd; an acclaimed Philadelphia recital debut under the auspices of Astral Artistic Services; a quartet performance at Carnegie Hall; performances as a member of the Astral Trio at both the Los Angeles Chamber Music Festival and at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall; and a guest artist appearance on tour with the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra. Nick debuted with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra as the winner of their Young Artists competitions. He has since performed in the concert halls of Anchorage, Chapel Hill, Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Louisville, San Francisco and Tokyo. In addition to his extensive recording and performance activities as a member of Tf3, Nick is also a member of both the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) and the Dryden String Quartet.

Ranaan Meyer began his musical studies at the piano at age four and, when he was big enough to hold it, took up the double bass at eleven. He attended the Manhattan School of Music and graduated from Curtis in 2003. Beyond regular appearances with ensembles such as the Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra, Mr. Meyer is increasingly in demand as a composer, creating unique new works for Tf3 as well as for other ensembles and for solo bass. Most recently, Ranaan completed a commission, “My Zayda” (for violin, piano and double bass), for the Kingston Chamber Music Festival in Rhode Island. Other recently completed commissions include a solo double bass piece for Network for New Music, a double bass and harp duet, a set of pieces for Astral Artistic Services, and a Tf3 composition for the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Symphony, “Of Time and Three Rivers.” All commissions have been expedited through the American Composers Forum.

Ranaan is also an accomplished jazz musician who has performed with Jane Monheight, Victor Lewis, Jason Moran, Mark O’Connor, Ari Hoenig, Duane Eubanks, Mickey Roker and many others. At age nineteen, Ranaan produced, directed and performed in the very first Washington Township Jazz Festival that was also broadcast live on Philadelphia’s WRTI. An avid teacher, Ranaan has held adjunct Double Bass professorships at both Princeton University and the University of Delaware. He spent several summers teaching alongside Hal Robinson, Principal Bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra, at the Strings International Music Festival in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He has also taught at the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute in Sandy, Utah, and at Mark O’Connor’s String Camp in San Diego, California.

Ranaan is the founder of a new program called Project Interactive (PI), whose purpose is to culturally connect communities’ artistic possibilities. He is also committed to expanding the double bass repertoire and will compose eight new works for the instrument by May 2008. In the summer of 2008, he launched a double bass camp along with Eric Larson (of the Houston Symphony) and Hal Robinson.

For more information, see their website at www.tf3.com.

Photo by Bill Richert

William McGlaughlin

Master of Ceremonies, Kaleidoscope Concert, Bill McGlaughlin

For millions of music fans, the intimate voice of Bill McGlaughlin signals another adventure into the heart of music-making. Whether he’s chatting with one of the great string quartets, hosting an intermission at the Met or seated at the piano with a Beethoven score, Bill’s insight and magnanimous charm are a cornerstone of classical broadcasting.

William McGlaughlin took his first piano lessons at fourteen. “Happily, I understood immediately what a wonderful thing I’d stumbled into. I can remember thinking as I walked away from my second piano lesson — ‘Well, that’s it. I’ll be a musician.’ Of course, I had no idea what that decision meant exactly.’”

Over the years, McGlaughlin was to discover that ‘being a musician’ could embrace a great many paths. He has served as an educator, as a performer—a trombonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony—and as a conductor, most recently as Music Director of the Kansas City Symphony.

McGlaughlin has also been active in broadcasting, serving as host of the popular public radio program St. Paul Sunday since its inception in 1980. In 1996 the program received the highest honor in broadcasting, the George Foster Peabody Award. He has been the host of the nationally syndicated program Exploring Music since its debut in 2003.

In 1997 McGlaughlin made a public debut as a composer. His works include Three Dreams and a Question: Choral Songs on E. E. Cummings, Aaron’s Horizons, Walt Whitman’s Dream, for large chorus and orchestra, Angelus, Three Pieces for Wind Trio, Echoes, for horn trio, Three by Six for chamber ensemble, The Bells of St. Ferdinand, and Remembering Icarus.

Clinicians

William Starr

Keynote Address, William Starr—“SAA is 40! Visiting the Past-Vitalizing the Future”

William Starr is an internationally recognized Suzuki pedagogue and a founder of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. He has appeared at workshops and conferences throughout the world, as teacher, conductor, soloist, and lecturer, and is founder of numerous Suzuki programs and pedagogy programs throughout the United States. Mr. Starr was a faculty member of the University of Tennessee Department of Music for many years, serving as chair from 1977-1982. During this time, he was first violinist with the University String Quartet and concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony. He has also served as an adjunct professor of music at the University of Colorado–Boulder. He is author and co-author of numerous books, including Perceiving Music, a college theory text, and many Suzuki-related texts, including The Suzuki Violinist and, with his wife, Constance, To Learn with Love. From his experience as a university symphony conductor, Mr. Starr has first-hand knowledge of the relationship between the understanding of music theory and the reading skills of many young violinists. Passionate about teaching theory and music reading to children, he has published a series of reading books that incorporate what he calls “usable” theory. Mr. Starr is currently a faculty member of Boulder Suzuki Strings, which he has worked with since its inception in 1982.

Laurel Trainor

Keynote Address, Eleventh International Research Symposium on Talent Education, Laurel Trainor—“Neural Plasticity and the Effects of Musical Experience on the Brain”

Dr. Laurel Trainor is a professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University, a research scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, and the director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind. She has published more than one hundred research articles and book chapters on the neuroscience of auditory development and the perception of music in journals including Science, Nature, Journal of Neuroscience, Signal Processing and Psychological Science. She is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, and an Innovator of Distinction. She holds major grants from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Science Research Council of Canada and the Grammy Foundation. She has given invited keynote addresses at many major academic conferences and her research has a high media profile. Laurel is the founding director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind, a multidisciplinary group of researchers whose mandate is to promote the scientific study of music, to promote music education, and to engage the community. This group recently received a $6 million grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and partners to build cutting edge laboratories to study music performance and performer-audience interactions. Laurel also has a bachelor of music performance from the University of Toronto, likes playing chamber music, and is currently principal flute of Symphony Hamilton.

Suzuki Early Childhood Education

We are looking forward to an exciting program of events at the upcoming 2012 SAA Conference. Among our esteemed speakers will be William Starr, who will be presenting along with Dorothy Jones never before seen video footage of Dr. Suzuki reflecting on his views on Early Childhood Education.

Dr. Laurel Trainor along with SAA member David Gerry will be presenting their research which is now complete on the Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) classes.

Leena Crothers (piano teacher trainer), Ed Sprunger (violin teacher trainer), Sharon Jones (SECE teacher trainer), and Mary Lou Cobb (President of the Connecticut Montessori Association) will be among some of the many clinicians. These sessions look to be informative, inspiring and fun. We hope to see all SECE teachers there!

For those of you who have been curious about Suzuki Early Childhood Education and how it relates to all instrumental studios please join us! We look forward to seeing teachers and parents alike.

—Lynn McCall, Coordinator, and Wan Tsai Chen, Assistant Coordinator, Suzuki Early Childhood Education

Suzuki in the Schools

Suzuki in the Schools will offer a variety of sessions at the 2012 Conference that demonstrate how the Suzuki philosophy has influenced the lives of children through the efforts of teachers who are dedicated to connecting with families in private or public school programs.

We will feature a performance by Parker Elementary Performing Strings: a group of students, teachers, and parents from Parker Magnet School in the Houston Independent School District. Approximately fifty students in second through fifth grades will perform a concert highlighting the result of more than thirty-five years of talent education in a diverse community. In addition, teachers and parents will discuss how the program has evolved and is continuing to evolve in order to meet the shifting demands of the district, state, parents, and community. The Parker program is committed to achieving academic and musical goals through the Suzuki philosophy of providing a nurturing environment for the parent and the child, and we’re excited to see them perform and speak with parents and teachers during this enlightening session.

Other sessions will feature programs that range from elementary school to university settings, including: a comparison of public school programs and private studio programs with regard to expectations of excellence; better ways to provide parent education and communication in the public school setting; a demonstration of how a private and public school partnership has collaborated to benefit the underserved in an urban area; and a look at how a university program introduces music education majors to the ideas and philosophy of Dr. Suzuki.

We are looking forward to continuing the discussion of the role of school-based programs in the SAA and discussing how we can better meet the needs of the teachers and families in these programs as we move into the future.

—Patricia Purcell, Coordinator, and Loren Abramson, Assistant Coordinator, Suzuki in the Schools

Ann Schein

Piano, Ann Schein

From the moment I learned in 2008 that I would hold the position of Piano Coordinator during the 2012 Conference, my thoughts were of Ann Schein. To us pianists, she does not need an introduction—she is simply one of the greatest contemporary pianists today. She is also one of the most sought after teachers of our time; she combines her incredible pianistic skills, expertise, knowledge and love of music with a love of teaching.

However, what makes Ann Schein so wonderful in my eyes is her love of Chopin. Those who know me a little know of my slight obsession with Chopin. In 1980-81, Ms. Schein gave six concerts of the major Chopin repertoire in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, and she has been long-honored for her performances and recordings of Chopin. Her expertise does not stop here, however. Ms. Schein’s recordings and performances range from Bach to Copland to contemporary music written especially for her.

She is spending her 2011/2012 season teaching many master classes and celebrating the birthdays of Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt by performing works by these composers in venues all across America from Boston to California. I am thrilled that she will make her stop in Minneapolis in May 2012.

—Malgosia Lis, Piano Coordinator

About Ann Schein, the Washington Post has written “Thank heaven for Ann Schein … what a relief it is to hear a pianist who, with no muss or fuss, simply reaches right into the heart of whatever she is playing—and creates music so powerful you cannot tear yourself away.”

From her first recordings for Kapp Records, and her highly acclaimed Carnegie Hall recital debut as an artist on the Sol Hurok roster, Ann Schein’s amazing career has earned her high praise in major American and European cities and in more than fifty countries around the world.

She has performed with conductors including George Szell, James Levine, Seiji Ozawa, James dePreist, David Zinman, Stanislaw Skrowacewski, and Sir Colin Davis, and with major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Baltimore Symphony, the Washington National Symphony, the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the White House during the Kennedy administration.

In 1980-81, Ann Schein extended the legacy of her teachers, Mieczyslaw Munz, Arthur Rubinstein, and Dame Myra Hess performing six concerts of the major Chopin repertoire in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall throughout an entire season to outstanding reviews and sold-out houses, the first Chopin cycle presented in New York in thirty-five years.

With the great soprano Jessye Norman, she has appeared in cities across the United States, as well as a tour in Brazil. The artists are featured in songs of Alban Berg on the Sony Classical label.

She is one of an exclusive roster of pianists chosen to present piano recitals in new venues in American cities and communities under the auspices of the Adams Foundation Piano Recital Series. The series has already sponsored 103 recitals in 25 communities in 19 states.

From 1980 to 2000, she was on the piano faculty of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She has been an artist-faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School since 1984. Her performance of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto during the 2006 season with conductor Joseph Silverstein was one of the most recent of over 100 performances of this work she has given since the beginning of her career. She was chosen to hold the Victoria and Ronald Simms Chair, awarded to a member of the Aspen piano faculty for two years, for the summers of 2006 and 2007, extended to 2008 in special recognition of her teaching prominence.

Her recent recordings include an album of solo Schumann works on Ivory Classics, featuring the Arabeske, the Humoreske, and the Davidsbündlertänze. An all-Chopin CD on MSR Classics includes the 24 Preludes, Opus 28, and the 3rd Sonata in b minor, Opus 58. In December, 2008, honoring the one hundreth birthday of Elliott Carter, MSR Classics released her recording of American works, including Elliott Carter’s 1945-46 Piano Sonata, the Copland Piano Variations, the Copland Sonata for Violin and Piano with Earl Carlyss, violinist. A new work by John Patitucci, “Lakes,” written for her, is also featured.

She has received many distinguished honors for her Chopin performances and recordings. The Marston label has included her Nouvelle Etude in A-flat Major recorded for Kapp Records in 1958 in their special collection of outstanding Chopin performances, entitled “A Century of Romantic Chopin,” and chosen by Gregor Benko and Ward Marston where her biography reads, “Ann Schein was trained in her native United States, where she studied with both Mieczyslaw Munz and Arthur Rubinstein. Her first recordings, made when she was 18 and 19, established her as one of the premiere Chopin pianists of our time.”

Renata Pereira

Recorder, Renata Pereira

With her youthful energy and outstanding skills in interpreting Baroque music, Ms. Pereira has a dynamic rapport with students and audiences alike. We are delighted to welcome her as a clinician for the 2012 Conference.

—Mary Halverson Waldo, Recorder Co-Coordinator

Brazilian Renata Pereira holds a master’s degree from the University of Sao Paulo, and a bachelor’s degree in re-corder from the Parana School of Music and Fine Arts. She received awards in several contests highlighting the Furnas Musical Generation Program in 2004. A member of several chamber music groups which have recorded CDs, including the recorder quartets Compassolivre and, currently, Quintessentia, she toured with the latter throughout Europe in 2009. In Brazil, Ms. Pereira teaches Suzuki Method recorder in schools, at festivals, and in masters classes, and is working toward developing her PhD on the Suite Sonates of the French Baroque virtuoso flutist and recorder player/ treatise writer, Jacques Hotteterre, “Le Romain.”

Nicholas Walker

Bass, Nicholas Walker

Versatile. Accomplished jazz performer. Chamber musician. Professor. Composer. Soloist. These are just some of the hats Nicholas Walker wears. If that is not enough, he has a great personality and is a kid magnet! Attend a workshop or festival and the kids follow him around. Nicholas Walker has a versatile, creative and fresh approach to the double bass. We are thrilled to have Nicholas wearing his Suzuki hat at the 2012 Conference as a soloist, master clinician and presenter.

—Nicole Castleberry, Bass Coordinator

Nicholas Walker is a musical omnivore, a musician who brings a broad range of training and experience to the double bass—classical and jazz, modern and baroque, solo recitals, chamber ensembles, and orchestral work. His enthusiasm and aptitude transcend arbitrary musical boundaries.

Walker studied bass with Paul Ellison, François Rabbath, and Joe Carver; he earned his DMA in early music at Stony Brook University with the viola da gamba. Walker toured for two years with saxophone legend Illinois Jacquet, among many other rewarding collaborations in jazz. He has been featured on a dozen CDs, three as a leader. His composition EADG for Solo Bass won the International Society of Bassists (ISB) composition prize in 1997, and he has performed his two double bass concertos, Pop Song for Double Bass and String Orchestra and A Grease Fantasy, at a number of venues, most recently at the ISB convention in San Francisco.

Walker is an associate professor of music at Ithaca College and leads a rewarding career as a freelance musician, composer, and educator. Walker has played with the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra in Boston and the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in Russia. In December he premiered a new double bass concerto by Dana Wilson with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra. Recently he performed at the International Double Bass Festival in Berlin, and at the Kaleidoskop festival in Michaelstein, Germany. Walker lives in Ithaca with his wife, Katherine, and their two daughters.

Karen Gottlieb

Harp, Karen Gottlieb

We are excited to have Karen Gottlieb as our guest clinician for the conference weekend. Her positive approach with students, her motivating style and her ability to imbue students with joy and a desire to learn and practice will be a wonderful asset to Suzuki harpists and teachers.

—Jill Whitman, Harp Coordinator

Karen Gottlieb grew up in a wonderfully artistic and musical family, her mother as one of the first female architects to work closely with Frank Lloyd Wright, and her father as violist and student and friend of Hindemith as well as a conductor and ethnomusicologist. Karen is a superb teacher and performer, having served for twenty years as principal harpist with the California Symphony, and currently as second harpist with the San Francisco Symphony. She is an advocate of contemporary music as harpist with the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, performs with the San Francisco Girls Chorus, as well as the popular San Francisco Symphony’s “Adventures in Music” ensembles. Karen holds a bachelor of music from the University of Washington, and a masters in performance from Cleveland Institute of Music. She teaches privately and at San Francisco State University and Mills College. Karen is also a certified harp technician for Lyon and Healy Harps, so we are looking forward to plumbing her knowledge and expertise in harp repair and maintenance. In addition, Karen has an energetic teaching style, acquainting students with the intimate details and nuances of the pieces they are studying, giving them a great excitement for the music, a confidence musically and technically, and much encouragement.

Julie Albers

Cello, Julie Albers

American cellist Julie Albers is recognized for her superlative artistry, her charismatic and radiant performing style and her intense musicianship. She was born in 1980 to a musical family in Longmont, Colorado. Julie began violin studies with her mother, Ellie Albers, at the age of two, switching to cello at four. Julie was submerged in the Suzuki philosophy while growing up in her home and while attending many Suzuki summer institutes where both of her parents taught. Now she is a young artist, and it is a pleasure to welcome Julie as our cello clinician at the 2012 SAA Conference.

—Marilyn George, Cello Coordinator

Julie Albers made her major orchestral debut with the Cleveland Orchestra in 1998, and there-after has performed in recital and with orchestras in the US, Europe, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand. In North America, Miss Albers has performed with many important orchestras and ensembles. Her 2009-2010 engagements include performances with the Florida Orchestra, and the Utah, Vancouver, San Diego, Edmonton, Memphis, Syracuse, West Virginia, Santa Rosa, Brevard and Fairfax Symphony Orchestras. She also performs in recital at the University of Wyoming, Laramie.

In addition to solo performances, Miss Albers regularly participates in chamber music festivals around the world. 2009 marked the end of a two year residency with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Three. She is currently active with the Albers String Trio and the cello quartet CELLO. Miss Albers is also a Distinguished Artist of the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University.

October 2005 marked the release of Miss Albers’ debut album on the Artek label. This disc includes works by Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Schumann, Massenet, and Piatagorsky. Julie Albers performs on a N.F. Vuillaume cello made in 1872 and makes her home in New York City with her husband, Bourbon, and their dog, Dozer.

Connie Sheu

Guitar, Connie Sheu

We have known Connie Sheu without realizing it: she is the little girl pictured in the beginning of Suzuki Guitar Book One; she studied for an extended period with Frank Longay. My favorite story is one told by Seth Himmelhoch: while he was observing Frank’s teaching, a seven-year-old girl came in for the lesson. Frank had her warm up, then asked her what piece she would like to play. She replied, “Canarios.” Seth was blown away by the idea that someone this young could play Canarios and play it so well. It began to make us all think about children really being unlimited in their potential. Connie also loves Bach, so we hope to benefit from her ideas.

—Kevin S. Hart, Assistant Guitar Coordinator

Past performances and teaching engagements have taken Connie Sheu from Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall to Florida, Oklahoma, Moldova, Italy, Hungary, and throughout California. She released her solo album Waking or Sleeping in 2008, of which Classical Guitar Magazine wrote, “Her debut recording displays, without a doubt, her talents as a concert artist.”

Connie received a Diploma of Study under scholarship at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana with Oscar Ghiglia in Siena, Italy, and has been a prize winner in numerous competitions, including the American String Teacher’s Association National Competition, San Jose Young Artist Competition, and the Donald Miller Guitar Concerto Competition. She performs extensively as both a soloist and as a member of Duo Solaris with guitarist Scott Wolf.

She holds degrees in US history and music from Columbia University and the Juilliard School, earned a doctor of musical arts at the University of Southern California under William Kanengiser and Pepe Romero. Her former teachers include Sharon Isbin, Antigoni Goni, Sharon Wayne, Marc Teicholz, and Frank Longay. Connie serves as Director of Communications for the Guitar Foundation of America and is a faculty member at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.

Brian Lewis

Chamber Music, Brian Lewis

This year at the chamber music sessions, we are delighted to be featuring Brian Lewis, a versatile performer and teacher with strong Suzuki roots. During the 2010–2011 academic year, he worked closely with students in the graduate program at the Yale School of Music, teaching a very successful course in community engagement that helps musicians develop skills as educators and communicators. Lewis’ own exciting violin performances are an example of that communication with an audience. We are looking forward to him sharing this passion with the young artists participating in the chamber music sessions.

—Jessica Meyer and Carlynn Savot, Chamber Music Co-Coordinators

Brian Lewis is not only an acclaimed violinist, but is also widely recognized as a leader in music education. Guided by the practiced hand and beautiful heart of his mother, Alice Joy Lewis, Brian was bathed in a ripe Suzuki environment as a child and even studied with Dr. Suzuki in Japan. At the conference, Brian will speak to us about audience and community engagement, and he will work with students in violin and chamber master classes. He will also exhibit his virtuosity as he performs for us on the Clinicians Concert. Brian is currently very active as a performing artist and is professor of violin at the University of Texas.

Katie Lansdale

Violin, Katie Lansdale and Brian Lewis

Have we got some exciting clinicians lined up for your educational and entertainment delight on the violin front! Not one but two multitalented and world-renowned artists will grace our podium and stage. Both were introduced to the violin using the Suzuki Method and have gone on to have stellar careers as teachers and performers.

“Performance should be fused with music education, and I try to show how music study is relevant to other disciplines.” —Brian Lewis

—Sue Baer, Violin Coordinator

Katie Lansdale is lauded for her wide interests and repertoire. As a keynote speaker and performer, Katie will join the conference to share her particular expertise and passion for the music of Bach.

Katie frequently performs the complete Bach unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas in concert and has recorded them on Cyberphunx Music label. The winner of the Scholsspresis Prize for solo Bach at the Salzburg Mozarteum, Katie will share insights and perform movements from this landmark violin literature. Additionally, Katie will conduct a student violin master class dedicated to performances of the solo Bach literature. Katie is a professor of violin at the Hartt School of Music. She performs regularly as soloist and chamber musician in the Lions Gate Trio. Katie is parent to two young Suzuki violinists!

Kirsten Docter

Viola, Kirsten Docter

As viola master class clinician for the conference, Kirsten Docter is coming home to both Minneapolis and the Suzuki method, which she studied as a child. Participants in her class are sure to enjoy her warm personality and benefit from her musicality and deep knowledge of the instrument. We are very pleased she will be joining us for the weekend.

—Janse Vincent, Viola Coordinator

Kirsten Docter is a member of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award-winning Cavani String Quartet. She was the first prize winner of the Primrose International and American String Teachers Association Viola Competitions. As a member of the Cavani Quartet, Ms. Docter performs regularly in major series and festivals throughout North America and Europe. Appearances include the Carnegie Hall Centennial Series in New York, the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and Festival de L’Epau in France. The Quartet records for the Azica Records label.

Docter has collaborated with Itzhak Perlman, Robert Mann, Donald Weilerstein, Franklin Cohen, Warren Jones and Stephanie Blythe. A member of the viola and chamber music faculties at the Cleveland Institute of Music, she also runs the string chamber music program at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Docter has performed and taught at numerous summer festivals including Interlochen Arts Camp, Madeline Island Music Festival, Kneisel Hall, Yale Summer School of Music and Art at Norfolk, Yellow Barn Music School and Festival, the Mimir Festival and Perlman Music Program.

She was a featured artist at the 36th International Viola Congress in Phoenix, AZ and served on the jury of the 13th Primrose International Viola Competition. Major teachers include Karen Tuttle, Jeffery Irvine and Lynne Ramsey.

Docter studied Suzuki violin with Nancy Ohnstad and Mark Bjork in Minneapolis and and Tove Detreköly in Copenhagen, Denmark. She resides in Cleveland, OH, with her husband, Paul Cox, and their two sons, Sebastian and Benjamin, both Suzuki cello students.

Jeanne Baxtresser

Flute, Jeanne Baxtresser

When I think about my experience as a student of Jeanne Baxtresser, what immediately comes to mind is her wonderful capacity to adjust her teaching style to the individual needs of each student. Understanding the person rather than just the flute player is essential to her teaching, and the connection between teacher and student is remarkably strong. Ms. Baxtresser’s vision for her students begins from the ground up, with personal artistry blossoming from a foundation of established fundamentals. Teaching more than just specifics of flute playing, she addresses all types of challenges musicians face in the professional world. Whether it is the mental processes in the practice room or tactics for public speaking, Ms. Baxtresser prepares her students to be well-rounded musicians. She is truly an inspiring and motivating mentor.

—Rebecca Swain, current student of Jeanne Baxstresser at Carnegie-Mellon

Jeanne Baxtresser has held principal positions with three major orchestras, culminating in her fifteen-year tenure as Solo Flutist of the New York Philharmonic. Making her heralded debut with the Minnesota Orchestra at age fourteen, Ms. Baxtresser began her professional career as Principal Flutist of the Montreal Symphony immediately following her graduation from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julius Baker. She was subsequently appointed Principal Flute of the Toronto Symphony before being invited by Music Director Zubin Mehta to join the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Baxtresser appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic on more than fifty occasions, and has been featured as a soloist across North America and Europe.

Recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for significant, lasting contributions to the flute world, Ms. Baxtresser was also awarded the National Medal of Arts from the Interlochen Center for the Arts and serves as a member of the Honorary Board of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She is recognized internationally as a leading recording artist, author, and lecturer.

In great demand as a teacher, many of Ms. Baxtresser’s students occupy principal and section positions in major orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. While in New York, Ms. Baxtresser served on the faculties of The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. In 1998, she was appointed the Vira I. Heinz Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where she has attracted many outstanding flute students from around the world. Ms. Baxtresser was also named University Professor, Carnegie Mellon University’s most distinguished professorial position awarded to those individuals who have achieved exceptional international recognition.

Ms. Baxtresser’s exceptional career as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician has produced numerous recordings, including New York Legends—Jeanne Baxtresser (Cala), Jeanne Baxtresser—A Collection of My Favorites (MSR Classics), and Chamber Music for Flute (Cala), featuring her performances with principal players of the New York Philharmonic. She has recorded many of the major symphonic works with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta and Kurt Masur.

Emmett Drake

SYOA 1, Emmett Drake

Combining energy, excitement, and a high level of musicianship, Emmett Drake is sure to win the hearts of the lucky participants who will perform under his baton in SYOA 1. Emmett already has a long list of fans comprised of the students in Connecticut and New York that have been fortunate enough to work with him. They look forward to his sense of humor and whimsical-yet-structured nature during rehearsals that encourages them to work as a team to bring their music making to the highest level.

Emmett Drake began his musical journey as a Suzuki student on Long Island, New York. As a composition major at The Hartt School, he studied violin with SAA Teacher Trainer Linda Fiore. After Linda asked him to compose a piece for one of the Suzuki orchestras, Emmett became captivated instantly while rehearsing the students for their concert, subsequently assuming the position of conductor and music director of Suzuki orchestras at The Hartt School, a post that he has held for the past three years. Emmett’s musical ambitions are diverse and have led him to fill his life working with groups as varied as a capella choral ensembles, high school drama departments, YMCA-sponsored summer musicals, and middle school orchestras, while remaining an active composer.

—Teri Einfeldt, Suzuki Department Chair, The Hartt School Community Division

Kirsten Marshall

SYOA 2, Kirsten Marshall

SYOA 2 is in great hands once again!

As you will discover by reading Kirsten Marshall’s biography, SYOA 2 is very fortunate to be lead by an energetic and dynamic powerhouse of a conductor, scholar, performer and composer with a background steeped in Suzuki tradition. Students will be drawn to her infectious energy while being lead through fun and challenging repertoire. SYOA has often been a life-changing experience for participants, and it is sure to be once again with Ms. Marshall at the podium. You will not want to miss this inspiring concert!

—Jim Van Reeth, SYOA 2 Coordinator

For more than fifteen years, Kirsten Marshall has inspired students across the Americas with her boundless enthusiasm and passion for making great music. Ms. Marshall is Director of Orchestral Programs and a violin instructor at Ithaca Talent Education in Ithaca, New York. In addition, Ms. Marshall is a part time lecturer in violin performance at Ithaca College. During the summer months, she is widely sought after as a conductor and clinician for her commitment to artistic excellence and dynamic ability to engage students.

Ms. Marshall received bachelor and master of music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) with majors in violin performance and Suzuki Pedagogy. Ms. Marshall also holds a bachelor of science degree in music education from Case Western Reserve University, with an emphasis in strings. Her conducting studies were with David Einfeldt (Hartt School of Music, Connecticut), Carl Topilow and Louis Lane (CIM). She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society.

In 1998, Ms. Marshall conducted the Suzuki Youth Orchestra of the Americas. In 2008 and 2010, she conducted the faculty orchestra for piano soloist at the Suzuki Association of the Americas conference. An avid supporter of contemporary music, Ms. Marshall conducted and produced two premiere string orchestra pieces that appeared on the 2002 recording Bach to the Future. She is an active performer in the Ithaca area and holds the David and Leslie Sagan Chair in the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Ithaca’s professional ensemble. In 2003, she co-commissioned and premiered a sonata for violin and piano by Robert Paterson. Her love of contemporary music is further demonstrated through her own original compositions for string orchestras.

Sasha Garver

Flute Performing Ensemble, Sasha Garver

The Flute Performing Ensemble will once again be conducted by Dr. Sasha Garver.

Dr. Sasha Garver is chair of the music program at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, NM, where she teaches flute, voice, aural skills and music theory. Sasha maintains a Suzuki studio in Santa Fe. She has been a soprano soloist with the Santa Fe Symphony. Sasha performed for two years as second flute/solo piccolo of the Macau Orchestra, SAR China. While in Asia, Sasha studied with Mr. Takahashi and helped to form the Suzuki Association of Hong Kong and Macau. Sasha holds her DMA from CU-Boulder and has her MM from The University of Cincinnati. She received two Bachelor of Music degrees in flute and voice from CU-Boulder. Sasha is a columnist for Flute Focus International Flute Magazine (NZ), and has contributed to the American Suzuki Journal. Sasha has given lectures on topics ranging from pedagogy, Suzuki and performance practice at the Suzuki World Conference, the National Flute Convention and the Suzuki Association of the America’s International Conference. Certified in Suzuki Flute Books 1-8, Practicum, and Orff-Schulwerk level 1, Sasha has been faculty at Regis University, Colorado Christian University, Desert Suzuki Institute, Santa Fe Suzuki Institute, Rocky Mountain Center for Musical Arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department, and the 2009 Suzuki World Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
Doris Koppelman, Piano Teacher and Trainer from San Diego. Doris was beloved by thousands of students, parents and teachers. A leader in the SAA, Doris was known for her wisdom, dedication and graciousness. She understood the heart of the Suzuki method and knew how to apply that knowledge in ways that have made a difference in so many lives. Doris was very special. We mourn her loss.

From Doris’ family:

Doris Koppelman of San Diego, California has died from complications of cancer. She was 85 and maintained an active personal and professional life until her final two months.

Born Doris Dichter in New York, NY, Koppelman was a descendent of Russian immigrants who came to the US from Odessa (now Ukraine). After beginning piano studies at an early age, she attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Music and Art, and received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hunter College. In 1947 she married Walter Koppelman. The couple moved to San Diego in 1965, where her husband predeceased her in 1981.

Koppelman had been a pianist and piano teacher before moving to San Diego, but shortly after her relocation she learned of the teaching method of violinist Shin’ichi Suzuki, which applies the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music. She became a pioneer in the application of the Suzuki method to the piano, producing numerous award-winning students in her private studio and influencing a generation of teachers internationally.

Photo by Elizabeth Singleton

Koppelman authored the book Introducing Suzuki Piano and wrote numerous articles for the American Suzuki Journal, of which she was piano editor. She was particularly interested in developing young teachers and was a registered teacher trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), which honored her with a Distinguished Service Award in 1994.

In a career spanning more than 30 years, she served on the faculty of workshops and institutes throughout the world, including virtually all of the US and western Europe, as well as Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Chile, and yearly visits to Peru. She gave Suzuki demonstrations for the Music Teachers Association of California, the National Council on Piano Pedagogy, the Music Educators National Conference, and many other organizations, while remaining active in the musical community of San Diego throughout her life.

Koppelman is survived by sons David of Los Angeles, CA; Daniel of Greenville, SC; and Robert of Hollywood, FL; and daughter-in-law Ruth Neville of Greenville, SC. She was predeceased by her sister Evelyn. A private memorial service will be held.

For memorial contributions, the family has designated the Suzuki Association of the Americas’ Doris Koppelman Scholarship Fund for the training of teachers in the Suzuki method. Please make checks out to “Suzuki Association of the Americas”, and put “Doris Koppelman Scholarship Fund” on the memo line.

Doris Koppelman Scholarship Fund
℅ Suzuki Association of the Americas
P.O. Box 17310
Boulder, CO 80308

The SAA is truly very honored to establish the Doris Koppelman Scholarship Fund at the request of Doris and her family. Your gifts to the fund will help carry Doris’ legacy into the future.

You are invited to post your thoughts and memories below.

Photo by Arthur Montzka

Group Lessons for Suzuki Violin and Viola

By Carolyn McCall
Book, 84 pages, $12.95

Group lesson ideas for violin and viola, organized by book level and technique/skill.

Focus on Suzuki Piano: Creative and Effective Ideas for Teachers and Parents

By Mary Craig Powell
Book, 76 pages, $12.95

During the past few years it has been exciting to watch the area of Suzuki piano develop. Through workshops, institutes, and teacher development courses, parents and teachers have been able to grow and improve their skills in an unprecedented way. I have seen their craving for more information and techniques, and it is my hope that Focus on Suzuki Piano will be a contribution in those areas and the growth of the remarkable Suzuki movement.

Gavin has already performed two times in Carnegie Hall as international winner in the American Association for the Development of the Gifted and Talented competition. He has just returned from Luxembourg where he won a full scholarship for summer study at a renowned international music camp.

See more of Gavin George’s videos on YouTube

Amy Matherly

Charlton, MA
Violin

Nightingale Chen

Powell, OH
Piano

Priscilla Jones

Bainbridge Island, WA
Cello

Sharon Jones

London, ON
Suzuki Early Childhood Education

Haukur Hannesson

Uppsala, Sweden
Cello
ESA Level V Trainer, added to SAA Registry

We look forward to their service in this new and important capacity.

Looking for a Trainer? Search for Teacher Trainers by instrument or location.

Practicum

Un gran medio para afilar tus herramientas de enseñanza.

Con comentarios de Etna Diemecke y Fabiola Sigala

Este extraordinario taller nos ha llevado a apreciar aún más el arte de enseñar.

Este arte involucra el instrumento, la música, el alumno y los padres de familia; cuando el instrumento está bien afinado o la altura del banco es la adecuada, cuando el cuerpo está en equilibrio, lo que resta es poner la música en las manos del alumno…y ahí es cuando comienza el arte…cuando la mente y la energía del profesor se unen, utilizando las herramientas correctas, que ayuden a llevar al alumno al desarrollo de las habilidades que le permitirán experimentar el placer de hacer música…

Hemos comprendido lo que el Dr. Suzuki decía con respecto a convertirse en maestro al cumplir los cien años de edad, ya que nos damos cuenta que, hasta que ese momento llegue, todos somos alumnos que vamos mejorando nuestra manera de tocar y que, a través de la experiencia, vamos adquiriendo y afilando nuestras herramientas y estrategias de enseñanza…

Recientemente tuvimos la oportunidad de participar en el taller de practicum para piano, impartido por la Mtra. Caroline Fraser, que se llevó a cabo en el “Instituto Suzuki Vive la Música” en la Ciudad de México.

Estamos de acuerdo en que el enseñar a tocar un instrumento musical, conlleva una gran responsabilidad, ya que es importante el transmitir, motivar, dar el mejor ejemplo, encomiar y ser específico sobre cada punto de la enseñanza.

Creemos que este taller es esencial para cada maestro y en cada libro. Es un paso imprescindible que creemos cada maestro debe dar; este nos ayuda a evaluar como va evolucionando nuestra manera de enseñar.

El taller comienza cuando la profesora entrenadora hace entrega de unas hojas que contienen los “descriptores” y explica su funcionamiento; mismos que servirán de base para las observaciones que se le hará a cada maestro en las clases que este impartirá, en vivo o bien en video, con una duración de 30min, en cualquier caso.

Estos descriptores están divididos en diferentes secciones según la manera en que el maestro se acerca al alumno, tales como: tener contacto visual, el uso del lenguaje apropiado a la edad del alumno, el dar excelentes ejemplos interpretativos, correcciones que sean comprensibles y que se enfoquen en un solo punto a mejorar, asegurarse que las instrucciones para la tarea les quedan claras a los padres de familia; y otros descriptores que tienen que ver con: asegurarse de que los instrumentos estén en perfectas condiciones y bien afinados, que el área de trabajo esté limpia, bien aireado y con buena iluminación, ya que esto sirve también como ejemplo de las condiciones que deben ser replicadas en la práctica en casa.

El procedimiento es el siguiente: los maestros en entrenamiento comparten sus observaciones acerca de la clase que acaban de presenciar, basándose únicamente en comentar cuáles de los descriptores estuvieron presentes. Sólo se permiten comentarios positivos.

Después sigue la retroalimentación dada por el profesor entrenador, en donde recalca los puntos más importantes que estuvieron presentes en la clase que se acaba de observar, así como los puntos en que se puede mejorar, seguidos por una demostración de cómo se pueden lograr estas mejoras, invitando al maestro a ir al instrumento y experimentar ahí mismo las nuevas herramientas o estrategias, asegurándose de que se ha adquirido la nueva habilidad de enseñanza.

Para finalizar el proceso de la retroalimentación, se prepara una estrategia y plan de trabajo con los comentarios y sugerencias del profesor entrenador, para que el maestro lo pueda poner en práctica en la siguiente clase con ese mismo alumno.

Siguiendo estos pasos, las herramientas de enseñanza son utilizadas de inmediato, ya sea al día siguiente o dos días después cuando regrese ese mismo alumno para recibir otra clase. De esta manera, las herramientas y estrategias de enseñanza se interiorizan y se convierten en parte de nuestras habilidades de enseñanza.

Todas aprendimos de cada clase, de cada comentario, ya que uno se vuelve más conciente de su manera de enseñar cuando uno observa a otros enseñando, precisamente de la misma manera en que los alumnos aprenden al observar las clases de otros alumnos.

Aprendemos de las estrategias que utilizan otros maestros, ya que cada quien aporta algo de su propia experiencia.

Los resultados de este taller se ven de inmediato. El taller de practicum ha hecho que disfrutemos más el enseñar y nuestros alumnos se han visto beneficiados de inmediato con nuestro aprendizaje recién adquirido.

Hemos creado un grupo de confianza en donde compartimos con las otras maestras nuestras ideas, puntos de vista, problemas o dificultades, porque, como ya dijimos, todos nos beneficiamos con los cometarios y estrategias de los demás maestros. Compartiendo y no compitiendo.

Este maravilloso taller se complementó con clases individuales para las maestras, en donde nos convertimos nuevamente en verdaderos estudiantes, con miras a estar más concientes de los ejemplos interpretativos que damos.

Queremos agradecer a la SAA por su apoyo para traer a Caroline a nuestro instituto y por promover este tipo de talleres que son de gran ayuda para nuestro desarrollo como maestros.

Las maestras quienes tomamos este entrenamiento: Etna Diemecke, Fabiola Sigala, Greta Licona y una servidora, así como los alumnos y sus padres, deseamos agradecer a Caroline Fraser por compartir su valiosa enseñanza, a través de sus vivos ejemplos de la Filosofía Suzuki, los cuales nos han sido transmitidos con amor y con verdadero interés.

With comments from Etna Diemecke and Fabiola Sigala

We recently had the wonderful opportunity to be part of an SAA Practicum Unit™ in Piano, given by Caroline Fraser at the Instituto Suzuki Vive la Música in Mexico City. This amazing workshop has brought us to appreciate the art of teaching even more.

This art involves the instrument, the music, the student and the parent. When the instrument is tuned, when it is the right size or the bench is the right height, when the correct body balance has been taken care of, what remains is placing the music in the student’s hands. That’s when the art begins—when the teacher’s state of mind and energy come together, using the correct tools—which allows the student to develop the skills that will lead him to flow through the joyful experience of music making.

We have come to understand what Dr. Suzuki said about becoming a teacher when we reach one hundred years of age. We realize that, before that time comes, we are all students, constantly improving our playing skills and through experience, acquiring and sharpening our teaching tools and strategies. We’ve realized that teaching an instrument is a great responsibility, for it is important to transmit, motivate, and give an excellent example, to praise and to be specific about every teaching step.

We believe that the Practicum is essential for every teacher at any level; it is a vital step that every teacher should take. This workshop helps us evaluate how our teaching is evolving—it gives us a way to acquire new strategies and to share experiences, which will enhance our skills and sharpen our tools. The result will be that our students’ playing will improve.

The workshop begins by the teacher trainer handing out and explaining the descriptors that will serve as a base for the observations of the trainees’ teaching, usually both an on-site lesson and a video recording. These descriptors contain different sections regarding the teacher’s approach towards the student, such as being at eye level, the use of language appropriate to the student’s age, excellent playing examples, comprehensive corrections focused on one point to be improved, making sure that homework instructions are clear to the parents. Other descriptors include making sure that the instruments are in perfect condition and well tuned and that the teaching area is clean, airy, and with good light, which also serves as an example of the studying conditions that should be replicated in the home practice.

The way to proceed is as follows: Trainees share their thoughts based on their observation of the lesson that has just been taught, following the descriptors only and mentioning the positive aspects of the teaching. No negative comments are allowed. Then, feedback from the trainer follows. That is where she points out the most important aspects that were present at the lesson and then the ones that can be improved, followed by a demonstration of how this improvement can be achieved, having the trainee go to the instrument and experience it “hands on,” making sure that the teaching skill has been acquired. To end the feedback process, a strategy for the following lesson with that student is planned with the trainer’s input. Through these steps, the teaching tools are immediately applied the following day or two days later, when we get to teach the same student again. In this way, the new tools and strategies are internalized and become part of our teaching skills.

We all learned from every lesson and from every comment because one becomes more aware of one’s own teaching abilities while watching other teachers at work, in exactly the same way as children learn from observing other children’s lessons. We learned from every teacher’s strategies, because everyone contributed something from their own teaching experience.

The results of this workshop are immediately evident. The Practicum workshop has made our teaching more enjoyable and our students have immediately benefited from our enhanced teaching abilities. We’ve created a trusting group where we can share ideas, points of view, problems, or difficulties with the other teachers, because, as we said, we all benefit from other teachers’ strategies and comments, sharing and not competing. This fantastic workshop was complemented by individual lessons for the teachers in which we became again actual students, looking to be more aware of our playing examples.

We wish to thank the SAA for its support in helping us bring Caroline to our institute and for promoting these kinds of workshops that are so helpful for our development as teachers. The trainees, Etna Diemecke, Fabiola Sigala, Greta Licona and myself, as well as the students who participated and their parents, wish to thank Caroline for sharing her valuable teachings through her vivid examples of the Suzuki philosophy, which are transmitted with love and true care.

Four-part series on Chopin by Malgosia Lis, which features original translations of Chopin’s letters by the author and was originally published in the American Suzuki Journal. Now conveniently bound together in a single volume. The 41-page book is spiral bound and includes photos.

You can purchase The Life and Letters of Frédéric Chopin for $12 from the SAA online store.

Memorizing forty digits of pi? No problem. I’ve already memorized Toccata by Khachaturian when I was eleven and Concerto No. 1 by Bach last year.

Choreographing counts of eight for my gymnastics floor routine? I already know how to count beats of music and subdivide beats to order to incorporate dance moves easier.

Competing a Yurchenko vault that may take me three years of working on it every summer? Sure, I have already memorized four Chopin songs on the piano even though it took nearly a year for each.

Hearing other students complain about having too much homework? I just smile and think of how I am balancing homework, piano and violin practice, twenty hours of gymnastics workouts a week, and six hours of coaching at the gym. Suzuki music has definitely taught me the wondrous results of consistent practice.

I have also become more comfortable performing in front of people. Playing the piano six different years at the Iowa State Fair has put me in front of about ten thousand people! One year I even performed on Iowa Public Television because I qualified for the finals in the Bill Riley Talent Search.

Because I have played at different fairs and nursing homes, I have learned how to play the piano even when it is very out of tune or in bad shape. At one fair, I had to perform on a keyboard that did not have all the keys I needed to play the song. At another, some of the black keys were missing. This has taught me to adjust and persevere even when conditions are unfavorable.

Participating in orchestra has taught me how to work with others towards a common goal.

Finally, taking Suzuki music lessons has allowed me to bring joy to many people over the years, sharing the gift of music at nursing homes, church, and other performances.

Blake Brasch
Cello
Mount Prospect, IL

Timothy Durbin
Violin
Carlisle, KY

Sarah Salz
Piano
Miami, FL

We look forward to their service in this new and important capacity.

Looking for a Trainer? Search for Teacher Trainers by instrument or location.

First impressions of the New International Editions of the Suzuki piano repertoire are all positive. It is obvious that the ISA Piano Committee, chaired by Mary Craig Powell, set Suzuki Piano on a new path. Twelve new pieces have been added to Volumes 4 to 7.

The choice of repertoire is one of the most outstanding aspects of the new editions. Volume 5 now includes new dimensions for the young pianist with the addition of the Chopin a minor Waltz and the Schumann From Foreign Lands and People.

Volume 6 is my favourite! Within this volume students will experience excellent examples of repertoire from the Baroque era to contemporary representing many composers, and many countries. Consider the beautiful Grieg Nocturne, the Spanish Dance by Granados and Punch by Villa Lobos. Canadian teachers will be particularly pleased with the Book 6 choices if they have students who wish to take the Grade 9 exam.

Volume 7 also displays much variety including a Prelude and Fugue, the Mozart Sonata, K.331 and Bartok’s Roumanian Folk Dances.

The repertoire will serve to develop the young pianist technically and musically.

Teacher trainers who attended the International Conference in Boston last fall were treated to a preview of each piece, and could hear each one performed by the artist chosen to make the recordings: Seizo Azuma. I trust that many trainers did like I did these past two months: daily practice of the new repertoire so as to appreciate the value and the sequence of the repertoire for our students.

Again, my commendations to the ISA Piano Committee for their magnificent achievement.

Do check with your music dealer that he is stocking the piano volumes and CD combination, a convenient and economical way to embrace Suzuki Piano from 2010 onwards.

Can you believe it was the 14th Conference sponsored by SAA?

I thought you might be interested in some of the major events, particularly the sessions related to piano.

I will begin with the Teacher Training day on the Thursday. Pam Brasch and Joanne Melvin presented a ‘promo’ for the newly launched SPA course, and it would seem that there is a hugely favourable response amongst the few teachers who have been lucky enough to take the course. Do watch for the course being offered in your area, and if any of you would like to sponsor a SPA course, check the website for details. It is an SAA course, and the Office does furnish a lot of help.

Trainers also heard about the new SAA Certificate of Achievement; nine teachers were awarded the first Certificates on Saturday morning. You will hear more about the topics covered in the cross-instrument breakout sessions from other sources.

Whether you are a Piano Trainer or not, I would like to tell you about the Piano Trainer session. It’s time for a revision of the Piano Syllabus. Trainers, have you checked your copy lately? It is the briefest of documents. Inspired by the extensive Suzuki guitar Syllabus just minted, our CEO Pam Brasch is in the process of gathering a committee of piano trainers together to develop a new Syllabus. Piano trainers recorded suggestions to pass on to the Committee. It was recommended that the Committee establish a ‘snapshot’ of what should be expected of a student when he completes each book. I think we all know what skills our book one student should have when he has finished book one. On this basis the committee could establish what needs to be covered in book one. Trainers were reminded that a syllabus details what skills should be covered in each unit; it is not a ‘how-to’ manual. Trainers can make use of the syllabus to frame their course outlines, and it will provide guidelines for their teaching. In addition, a detailed syllabus will help standardize what trainers are offering. Trainers were assured that the syllabus does not limit their creativity in how the guidelines are implemented.

Michiko Yurko had a novel idea to discuss with us. As part of piano trainers’ ongoing concern about generating positive publicity about Suzuki piano pedagogy, her suggestion was to set up a program on YouTube which would feature fine performances of Suzuki piano students. There are obvious legal and technical implications of such a project; these are being studied at this moment. Stay tuned—literally!

The theme of the Conference was Teamwork, and the theme was carried out from many points of view. While there were some traditional conference features like the Piano Concerto performance—excellently executed by Noah Kraus from New York, the Master Classes were conducted by our own well-known teachers such as Doris Koppelman and Hikari Nakamura. There was one exception: Donna Kwong of the Claremont Trio, the only Guest Piano Clinician of the Conference.

Another special feature of the Conference was the non-preformed Chamber Music ensembles including piano. Advanced students had the opportunity to audition to come to Minneapolis ready to rehearse a Chamber work, such as the Mendelssohn Piano Quartet, Op. 1, No. 1 and the Schumann Piano Quintet. Students who had never met each other before coming to Minneapolis worked for three sessions with selected Suzuki teachers to prepare themselves for a Master Class on Sunday with the young artist clinicians, all of whom were former Suzuki students.

Piano teachers had a wide variety of sessions to attend. Our thanks to Piano Coordinator, Joan Krzywicki, and her Assistant, Malgosia Lis. I will list the piano sessions, with no details; there will be a complete summary in issue 38 #4 of the Journal.

Cathy Hargrave got us started with an Overview of Piano Technique, followed by Anne Marie Olsen with her presentation, complete with a young student, on Teaching Beginning Lessons and Technique to 3-5 year old Suzuki Piano Students.

On Saturday afternoon the question was how to choose what to do from the choice of SEVEN track sessions where teachers gave shorter sessions inspired by one of the seven themes such as “Working with Parents”, “Business and Studio Development”. Pianists Jane Kutscher Reed, Nicole Elliott, Rita Hauck, Susan Bakshi were among piano teachers participants.

On Sunday, Marilyn Andersen and Gail Lange jointly presented The Growing Hand from ages 4 to 14: The Piano teacher Needs to be a “Hands-on” Observer followed by Ellen Berry’s question to us: Are you Really Listening?: Developing our Students’ Musical Taste.

Monday we woke up to attend a piano group class. Caroline Fraser proposed: Piano Group Classes: Just Do It!

A special presentation to all pianists was done by Mary Craig Powell, who is Chair of the ISA Piano Committee. E.L. Lancaster, Vice-President of Alfred Music Publishers, also on the Committee, was present with her, because the remaining volumes of the New International Edition of Suzuki Piano School were unveiled at the Conference! The new volumes are splendid collections of piano repertoire from all eras representing works by composers of many nations. Of course, many original pieces remain; some have been shifted to another volume, but I am sure you will all be excited to purchase all of the new books. Look for introductory offers in your local music store!

The book/CD combo for Books 4-7 is not available until August, but Conference participants got to hear the first draft of the new recordings, which have been performed by Seizo Azuma, concert artist in Japan. There was just time to hear performances of the new pieces in the repertoire.

A significant aspect of all SAA conferences are the keynote addresses and this Conference was no exception. Conference attendees were treated to two outstanding keynotes. Robert A. Duke, a veteran guest of SAA Conferences, presented a session: How Children Learn…and How They Don’t on the Friday and on the Sunday, Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent Code, and a Suzuki parent, outlined the inspiration for this best-seller volume. A great admirer of the Suzuki movement, Daniel Coyle referred to the young Shinichi Suzuki’s defining moment when he heard Misha Elman’s recording of ‘Ave Maria’ as an “identity level moment” in Suzuki’s life. We Suzuki teachers are motivated by our mutual belief in the work of Dr. Suzuki—the Suzuki method. Daniel Coyle referred to this as an identity linkage—one of the important factors in the motivation to pursue a passion. Suzuki teachers are linked together by this passion to help children learn to express themselves through music.

A Mini-Keynote was presented by Carrie Reuning-Hummel whose topic was ‘Teamwork: Embracing Paradox’. As part of her research on communication Carrie has analyzed many ‘teams’ that exist in different domains in the world today, including string quartets. Some individuals are part of a team without knowing how to work on a team; it is her wish that Suzuki teachers see themselves as a functional team; they have interest in their product. We Suzuki teachers work within a structure and share our ideas so we can reach out to a wider world.

Our inspiration continued through to the final hour of the Conference when Chair-elect Dr. Mark George gave the closing address: Mark challenged all of us to be “owners” of the SAA, defining SAA as a vehicle or network for ideas. If we develop an “owners’” mentality it will be natural to invest in our organization wholeheartedly. Mark contends that “owners of the SAA identify with a cause greater than simple self interest.”

In a spirit of collaboration SAA members should be unceasing in their belief that they CAN change the world. By helping parents realize the potential of their children, the world can be a better place. We all remember the famous quotation by Pablo Casals when he heard the concert of 400 Suzuki students in Tokyo in 1961: “…perhaps it is music that will save the world”. It is up to us to strive to make this wish a reality.

Having attended all 14 of these Conferences, I do believe this was one of the best!

Gail Lange
Piano Representative
SAA Teacher Development Committee
June, 2010

6-year-old Suzuki piano student Gavin George will be featured on The Early Show (CBS) on Monday, April 19.

He is estimated to appear at approximately 8:45 AM, but we can’t count on that time. The show runs from 7 to 9 AM. They will show some footage from his Carnegie Hall concert on the 18th, interview him and have him perform. Thought you might enjoy watching it!

More about Gavin George
Gavin George on YouTube

Our good friend and colleague, Nehama Patkin, passed away on Friday, March 26, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. She was 70 years old. Nehama had been in the ICU at Epworth Hospital for 19 days being treated for a massive infection which caused multiple organ failure. Her good friend, Kenneth Madl, wrote the following in his message about Nehama’s passing:

“We are all better people for having known her. She was kind, selfless, and infinitely more patient than I was. She loved life, was passionate about music, and lived to pass on her knowledge and experience to her students. We, and the world, have suffered a tremendous loss, and she will be missed terribly.”

The following video was shown in memory of Nehama at the SAA Conference, May 30, 2010.

See also:
Comments on Facebook
Nehama Patkin’s Obituary at The Age
Nehama Patkin’s website

Three esteemed master teachers will work with piano students at the conference: Doris Koppelman, Hikari Nakamura, and Donna Kwong of the Claremont Trio. Just hearing the piano students perform will be uplifting, not only in the master classes but in chamber music and in a performance of the Mozart Concerto K. 414 with string orchestra. In addition, Mary Craig Powell will describe her work with the International Piano Committee. We will all be inspired to study the new pieces and implement them into our teaching. Our full list of Piano Area Presenters also includes Ellen Berry, Caroline Fraser, Cathy Williams Hargrave, Rita Hauck, Gail Lange, Anne Marie Olson.

Of course, perhaps one of the best reasons to attend a conference is to reconnect with colleagues that one has not seen for awhile. And, if you have never attended before, please come and experience our extended Suzuki Piano family, our “team,” working together to carry out Dr. Suzuki’s mission.

–Joan Krzywicki, Piano Coordinator

Six-year-old Suzuki Pianist Gavin George has been named a Gold Medal winner in the competition sponsored by The American Association for Development of the Gifted and Talented. Gavin will perform in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on April 18 in the “Passion of Music 2010″ Festival. He will perform Mendessohn’s Venetian Gondola Song, Op. 30, No. 6.

Gavin can also be seen and heard on YouTube.

Congratulations to Gavin and his teacher, Mary Craig Powell!

The Suzuki International Piano Committee is currently completing its work on the newly revised and edited International Editions of Suzuki Piano Books 4-7. These books are projected to be released at the SAA Conference in May, 2010. The accompanying CDs, performed by Seizo Azuma, will be released approximately mid-summer 2010.

Teacher Training

Piano training at 2010 Institutes will be based upon the new volumes, which include some exciting new repertoire, along with new edits for many of the pieces being retained in the new editions.

Several opportunities to enhance your teaching of the new repertoire are being offered at summer institutes.

Course: Changes and Additions to the Suzuki Piano Repertoire

A special 10-hour course is being offered to introduce teachers to the new pieces. Prerequisites are Piano Books 1-5 or 5 completed Piano units.

Chicago Suzuki Institute, July 10-11 with Mary Craig Powell
Greater Pittsburgh Institute, August 1-5 with Kiki Barley
Hartt Suzuki Institute, August 7-8 with Mary Craig Powell

Course: Overview of Suzuki Piano Books 4-7

In addition, the Greater Washington Suzuki Piano Institute is offering an Overview of Suzuki Piano Books 4-7, a full five-day course especially suitable for those who have completed Books 4-7 previously.

Overview of Suzuki Piano Books 4-7, June 28—July 2 with Fay Adams

New Repertoire List

Below is a list of the repertoire in the new books:

*New repertoire
**Repertoire moved to another book

Book 4

Rondo, Mozart
Minuet 1, Mozart
**Arabesque, Burgmuller
**By the Limpid Stream, Burgmuller
Musette, Bach
Sonata, Op. 49, No. 2 (both movements), Beethoven
*Bagatelle, Op. 5, No. 9, Tcherepnin
Gavotte, Bach
Minuets I and II from Partita in B-flat Major, Bach
Gigue from Partita in B-flat Major, Bach

Book 5

Fur Elise, Beethoven
Old French Song, Tchaikovsky
2-Part Invention No. 1, Bach
Sonatina in F Major (both movements), Beethoven
*About Foreign Lands and People, Op. 15, No. 1, Schumann
Sonata No. 48 (all 3 movements), Haydn
*Waltz in a minor, Op. Posthumous, Chopin
**The Cuckoo, Daquin

Book 6

Sonata, K545 (all 3 movements), Mozart
*Gondola Boat Song, Op. 30, No. 6, Mendelssohn
*2-Part Invention No. 8, Bach
*Nocturne, Op. 54, No. 4, Grieg
Sonata “Pastorale,” Scarlatti
Sonata, K330 (first movement only), Mozart
*Spanish Dance No. 5 (Andaluza) from 12 Spanish Dances, Granados
*O Polichinelo, Villa-Lobos

Book 7

Sonata, K331 (all 3 movements), Mozart
*Prelude and Fugue in D Major, No. 5 from Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, Bach
*Nocturne in c# minor, Op. Posthumous, Chopin
Harmonious Blacksmith, Handel
*Maid with the Flaxen Hair, Debussy
*Romanian Folk Dances, Bartok

Message from the International Piano Committee
Mary Craig Powell, SAA representative, Committee Co-Chair