Memorial

June 15, 2020

June Warhoftig: 1943-2020 It is with great sadness to note the death of flutist June Warhoftig, who passed away peacefully on February 22, 2020. June was known for her easy manner, her friendly, sweet smile with quick laughter and her readiness… Read more ▶

April 13, 2020

On March 18, 2020, our dear colleague Geri Tata Arnold passed away after a six-year battle with cancer.  She departed this life peacefully in her home with her husband Gary, and children Chas and Sara in Seattle, Washington.  Geri graduated from… Read more ▶

April 10, 2020

Doris Harrel passed away April 5, 2020, in Austin, Texas, of complications of pneumonia (not the current virus). She was 93 years old. Doris was an SAA piano teacher trainer and long-time member of the SAA Piano Publications Committee. She… Read more ▶

December 12, 2019

Mr. John Reglin passed away on Friday, December 6 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was a talented and well-loved Suzuki Piano Teacher for over 40 years. . Many of his students and fellow colleagues will mourn his passing.… Read more ▶

August 28, 2019

The SAA regrets to announce the passing of Suzuki Piano pedagogue Constance Starr at her home in Boulder, CO, Monday, August 26 . Prior to her pioneering work in the Suzuki piano movement, Connie had established a career as a… Read more ▶

January 21, 2019

It is with great sadness that we inform SAA members of the passing of Mary Craig Powell of Columbus, OH. She was a much beloved Suzuki teacher and Teacher Trainer. As many of you know, she had a long battle… Read more ▶

January 19, 2016

Dear Suzuki Family, It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Idell Low, SMPLA Director Emeritus. She passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 16th. We will keep you informed of the details of the funeral services… Read more ▶

June 4, 2014

There is no living in love without sorrow; but the greatest sorrow is not to love. —Anonymous REMEMBERING MICHELE HIGA GEORGE It is with great sadness that we share the news with the extended Suzuki Talent Education family that Michele Higa George passed… Read more ▶

December 17, 2013 by Beth Titterington

June 5, 1915—November 27, 2013 Read more ▶

October 11, 2013

We regret to announce the passing of Dee Martz, Director of the Aber Suzuki Center and the American Suzuki Institute 1984-2009. An active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Dee was elected to the Board of Directors in 2001… Read more ▶

June 17, 2013

With great sadness we pass on the following message from the Talent Education Research Institute Office in Matsumoto. Many knew Ms. Mori well and will remember her wonderful teaching and strong support for Dr. Suzuki and the Suzuki Method. Read more ▶

April 30, 2013

Janos Starker, master cellist, educator, and member of the SAA Honorary Board of Directors, died Sunday in Bloomington, Indiana, at age 88. In addition to serving on the Honorary Board, Mr. Starker was a guest at the first SAA Conference,… Read more ▶

March 18, 2013 by Renee Chomet Robbins

Armena Marderosian, much-beloved Suzuki piano teacher, teacher trainer, colleague, wife, mother, sister and friend, died peacefully at home on November 3, 2012 after a seven and a half month struggle with cancer. Armena was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and later… Read more ▶

February 20, 2013

It is with deepest sadness and sorrow that we announce the passing away of the Talent Education Research Institute President, Mineo Nakajima. Read more ▶

December 14, 2012 by Victoria Vorreiter

The music world has lost an inspiring teacher and intrepid sonic explorer in Don Campbell, whose pioneering work extolling the transformative power of sound and music is now reverberating in homes, schools, universities, healing centers, and concert halls throughout the world. Read more ▶

November 5, 2012

Suzuki Teachers are greatly saddened by the passing of long-time Suzuki Piano Teacher Trainer Armena Marderosian on Sunday, November 4. Read more ▶

May 1, 2012

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. She studied… Read more ▶

May 1, 2012

A pioneer of the Suzuki violin method in North America, June’s first of many trips to Japan was in 1967. She became a close friend of Dr. Suzuki and was well known in the Japanese Suzuki community. June was especially… Read more ▶

May 1, 2012 by Caroline Fraser

Doris died peacefully on September 11, 2011, accompanied by her sons, while I was on my way to Guanajuato, México, for their VI Festival Suzuki. Etna Diemecke and I dedicated the Festival to the celebration of Doris’ life. Her life inspired us to work with yet more dedication, more energy and more persistence towards the fulfillment of Dr Suzuki’s dream: a world without violence and conflicts, a world of love, peace and compassion. Read more ▶

January 18, 2012

Hannah Stieg, daughter of Linda and Roger Stieg, has passed away at the age of 23 after a 5 1/2 year battle with cancer. Hannah grew up as a Suzuki child, attending many institutes with her parents. Suzuki piano became… Read more ▶

January 18, 2012

We are sad to inform SAA members and friends of the passing of June Itami of Nampa, Idaho, on January 14, 2012. She was one of the pioneers of the Suzuki violin method in North America. June’s first of many… Read more ▶

January 3, 2012

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… Read more ▶

December 1, 2011 by Sheila Keats, Alexander Yudkovsky

It is with great sadness we share with you the news that The School for Strings’ founder, Louise Behrend, has passed away. Miss Behrend was one of the pioneer musicians who introduced the educational philosophy and teaching concepts of the violinist Shinichi Suzuki to the United States. Read more ▶

December 1, 2011 by Jean Dexter

Kristi Ann Rassmussen Knecht, 61, of Gladstone, Missouri, passed away September 12, 2011. Kristi was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was the second of seven children. At age five, her family moved to Northfield, Minnesota, where Kristi graduated from high… Read more ▶

December 1, 2011

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. Read more ▶

August 5, 2011

With sadness we are sharing the news that Louise Behrend passed away August 3, 2011. In the fall a memorial concert will be planned by the 40-year-old music school Miss Behrend founded, The School for Strings in New York. We will… Read more ▶

July 15, 2011

Dr. Masaaki Honda, long a respected supporter and leader in the Suzuki movement, passed away on June 8, 2011. A memorial service and concert are scheduled on Monday, July 18, 2011. Memorial Service: 16:00—17:00 Memorial Concert: 18:00—19:00 Fujisawa Catholic Church 1-1-17 Ishigami Kugenuma Fujisawa-shi Kanagawa-ken Japan Tel:… Read more ▶

May 25, 2011 by Andrea Cannon, Mychal Gendron, Seth Himmelhoch, William Kossler, Andrew LaFreniere, David Madsen, Joseph Pecoraro, MaryLou Roberts

It is with difficulty and great sadness that the SAA Guitar Committee has attempted to put into words our sense of loss over the recent passing of Frank Longay. Read more ▶

March 25, 2011

Merna M. Thomas, a long-time Suzuki Teacher Trainer and pioneer of Suzuki piano education in northern California, passed away on Saturday, August 28, 2010. She was 85. Read more ▶

March 25, 2011

It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the passing of Frank Longay on Wednesday, January 19. Frank was a founding member and chairman of both the Guitar Committee of the International Suzuki Association and the Guitar Committee for the… Read more ▶

March 25, 2011

John D. Kendall August 30, 1917 – January 6, 2011 John Kendall, 93, a violin pedagogue widely known for his role in introducing the Suzuki method of music education in the United States, died at Arbor Hospice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on… Read more ▶

January 7, 2011

Mr. John Kendall passed away on January 6, 2011 at the age of 93. John’s life’s work as an educator has influenced thousands of students and teachers. The SAA will forever be grateful to him for his contribution to music… Read more ▶

December 17, 2010 by Gilda Barston

December 19, 1924 – September 6, 2010 Presented at the Memorial Service by Gilda Barston My first encounter with Nellie Robin Novak was in 1973. I had met her husband, Kal, at an informal chamber music gathering, and we discussed the emergence… Read more ▶

March 26, 2010

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… Read more ▶

March 8, 2010

Robert Klein Reinsager, age 59, passed away unexpectedly of a cardiac arrest on January 25, 2010, at his home in Muscatine, Iowa. A private memorial service was held on February 7 at the Muscatine Presbyterian Church. Robert was an organist,… Read more ▶

March 5, 2010 by Malori Fuchs

In October of 2009, the founder of the Suzuki Institute of Dallas, Dr. Evelyn Hermann, passed away. A short while before she died, she sent a tape of herself speaking about how SID was begun. I listened to it and… Read more ▶

June 16, 2009 by Sally Gross

Carole L. Bigler of Big Flats, NY, died Saturday, April 18, 2009 at home in Big Flats surrounded by her family. Carole was born in Kingston, PA on October 16, 1940, the daughter of the late Hans and Irene (Papp)… Read more ▶

October 8, 2008

Barbara Schneiderman, pianist, and nationally acclaimed author, lecturer and teacher who brought music into the lives of hundreds of grateful young students and their families died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at her home in Del Mar, California. She was 73.… Read more ▶

March 7, 2008

Julian Leviton, 89, resident of Albuquerque, died peacefully in his home Tuesday morning. He is survived by his son Lawrence Leviton, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, daughter, Barbara Leviton of Albuquerque, her husband, Kenneth Hodder, and their son Sam Hodder. Read more ▶

December 11, 2007

Lynn Sengstack, educational music industry leader and well-known equestrian, died in her Ottsville, PA home on Sunday, December 9, 2007 of colon cancer. She was 53. She was well-loved and will be missed very much. Lynn was born in Evanston,… Read more ▶

May 10, 2007

Lynn Baughman, a long-time SAA member and Teacher Trainer, died unexpectedly on April 25th while on a trip to Italy. A memorial mass with family and friends was held at St. Benedict Church on May 7th in Duluth, Georgia. She… Read more ▶

April 10, 2007

With great sadness we have learned that Yuko Honda passed away April 9 at home in Bellevue, WA. She was with family and friends, and her passing was peaceful. Yuko Honda was known by Suzuki teachers, families and friends throughout… Read more ▶

April 19, 2006

Rudolph “Rudy” Albin Hazucha, 63, accomplished musician, teacher, avid golfer and great humorist passed away peacefully Friday, April 14, 2006. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 19, 1942, he was a son of Albin Hazucha of Columbus, Ohio, and the… Read more ▶

February 5, 2006

Chris Hayakawa, Suzuki cello teacher in Wayne, PA, passed away on January 25, 2006. Chris taught Suzuki cello privately in the Philadelphia area and was a respected teacher and a beloved friend to all who knew her. She was a… Read more ▶

January 29, 2006

Gwen Runyon, a Suzuki violin teacher, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2006. In honor of Gwen Runyon, a scholarship fund to benefit young music students has been established at Young Musicians, Inc. P.O. Box 2407, Keller, TX 76244. Please… Read more ▶

October 25, 2005

Jerilee Taverniti Kechley, Suzuki flute teacher, died on Monday, August 23, 2005 in Williamstown, MA at the age of 56 from breast cancer. Her influence was wide spread and includes all the friends she made in her travels, the teachers… Read more ▶

July 11, 2005

We were saddened at the passing of Anastasia Jempelis, July 7, 2005. Jempelis was a beloved long-time faculty member at the Eastman School of Music and a pioneer of the Suzuki method in the United States. Read more ▶

February 1, 2001 by Caroline Fraser

In November I was notified of the passing of a pioneer of the Suzuki movement in Latin America, Dolores Olivia Soaje Bermann. I had met Mrs. Bermann personally at the International Suzuki Conference in Edmonton, Canada in 1985. Mrs. Bermann… Read more ▶

November 1, 1993

[url=]Tait Memorial ASJ 22#1[/url] Read more ▶