Conference

Instruments

Bring your violin, viola, flute, recorder, guitar, or cello, if possible. There will be sessions with instruments and other playing opportunities, such as the informal chamber reading parties on Saturday afternoon.

Claremont Trio Tickets

You can purchase Claremont Trio Benefit Concert tickets with your conference registration. If you’ve already registered and didn’t get tickets, you can purchase them at check in, Thursday, May 27.

Minnesota Orchestra Tickets

Don’t forget to purchase your Minnesota Orchestra concert tickets and hear the SAA preformed chamber groups in the pre-concert concerts.

Are you younger than the SAA? (b. 1972)

If so, stay tuned for a special invitation. Update your age so we know to invite you!

Chamber Scores

Bring your scores of selected chamber music that will be featured in master classes.

Read more of Conference Reminders »

Support the conference by bidding on items in our first online auction!

The auction will begin online on May 3rd and conclude at the conference, with final bids placed in person.

Auction items include:

• Blue Lake Institute Teacher Scholarship
• SPA course offering
• Violin or viola outfit
• Pottery by Alice Bernal
• Many more!

We’ll email you when the auction begins, or you can check the website on May 3rd.

If you would like to donate an item for the auction, please get in touch by April 28!

Now is your last chance to get early bird pricing for the May SAA Conference! You must register online or by mail by Wednesday, March 31 to receive the early bird prices.

To make food and hospitality plans we need a good idea of how many people will be attending. Please make your conference and hotel reservations early if you can so we can plan appropriately.

The conference is at the Hilton Minneapolis, Friday, May 28 through Monday, May 31, with some pre-conference events on Wednesday and Thursday.…

Read more of Last Chance for Conference Early Bird Rates »

Now is your last chance to get early bird pricing for the May SAA Conference! You must register online or by mail by Wednesday, March 31 to receive the early bird prices.

To make food and hospitality plans we need a good idea of how many people will be attending. Please make your conference and hotel reservations early if you can so we can plan appropriately.

The conference is at the Hilton Minneapolis, Friday, May 28 through Monday, May 31, with some pre-conference events on Wednesday and Thursday. You should arrive on Thursday…

Read more of Last Chance for Conference Early Bird Rates »

The 2010 Conference schedule is now available online. It may change, but you can get an idea of what is happening each day, AM and PM. You can use the filter at the top to select specific categories, like Piano and SYOA.

Just a quick reminder: early bird pricing for the conference ends next Wednesday, March 31. You must register online or mail in your registration by that date to receive the early bird prices.

The conference will be held at the Hilton Minneapolis, Friday, May 28 through Monday, May 31, with some pre-conference events on Wednesday and Thursday.

• Conference Highlights
• Schedule Overview
• Clinicians
• Keynote Speakers
• Sessions

Basic full conference fee for members staying at the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel is $190, plus $20 tickets to the SAA Gala Benefit Concert featuring the Claremont Trio. (Conference fees remain at the 2008 rate!) **Register and…

Read more of Register Now for Conference Early Bird Rates »

Our track sessions are fast-paced and fun, programmed to provide practical and helpful ideas–5-10 per session on specific topics always of interest to Suzuki teachers!

• Practicing Track features Danielle Charboneau, Ronda Cole, Nicole Elliott, James Hutchins, Allen Lieb and Alice Ann O’Neill.

• Improvisation and Alternative Track includes sessions by Joanne Hall Erwin, Jody Harmon and Christopher Rathbun.

• Working with Parents Track offers sessions and panels to include Joanne Bath, Carol Dallinger, Jane Kutscher Reed, Carrie Reuning-Hummel, Sarah Smith, Edmund Sprunger, Dorothy Jones and others.

• Especially relevant to this year’s conference: Suzuki Philosophy: Excellence and Teamwork Track, presents sessions by Elizabeth…

Read more of What about Tracks? »

In addition to master classes and a session “Good Vibrations” by Flute Clinician, Bart Feller, Flute Teachers will be able to take part in sessions by Sasha Garver, Jane Lenoir, Stephanie Pedretti, Noelle Perrin, Kelly Williamson and Mary Halverson Waldo. Teachers will have opportunities to observe Flute Choir rehearsals with Sasha Garver and participate in round-table discussions and a lunch get-together.

–Susan Friedlander, Coordinator

Suzuki Harp students and teachers will gather at the Conference for a weekend of learning, sharing and inspiration. Harp sessions include Master classes and a harp session by Angela Willis; Supplemental Materials for Suzuki Harp Students, Books 1-5+ by Elinor Niemisto; “Five Different Animals”—Aria in a Classic Style by Grandjany, presented by Shru De Li Ownby; reading sessions by Mary Kay Waddington and Phala Tracy; 20 great teaching ideas by Mary Kay Waddington and a session by Delaine Fedson.

–Janell Lemire, Harp Coordinator

The Suzuki in the Schools are continues to grow! The list of this year’s presenters includes Daniel Gee, Alicia Kulla-Branz, Constance Barrett, Patricia Purcell, Laurie Scott, Davis Holden, Linda Branch, Frances Green and Amy Rosen. In addition, Teachers will be inspired by the great lineup of ensemble and chamber music presentations.

–Connie Barrett, Coordinator

Our 2010 SAA Conference includes a full palette of Guitar opportunities—varied and informational activities for our instrument. As a bonus we will enjoy keynote sessions, concerts and camaraderie with the wider community of Suzuki Teachers. In keeping with the theme of “Teamwork,” our invited clinicians for the Master Classes are William and Adam Kossler. Bill is a Co-Founder of Suzuki Guitar and one of two original Teacher Trainers. His son, Adam, began his music lessons at the age of two as a violin student in Matsumoto, Japan. Adam is now a doctoral student of renowned Guitar Professor Bruce Holzman at…

Read more of Guitar Gathering »

Piano teachers at the 2010 SAA Conference will have the opportunity to be inspired and stimulated from several different directions. Topics include Technique, Tone, Suzuki Listening, Repertoire Review, and Piano Group Classes will also be on the menu and will give us the opportunity to reflect on how we can improve these areas in our own home studios.

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…

Read more of Attention, Pianists! »

• Collaborate with colleagues on new layer ideas for Suzuki ECE Weeks 1 and 2!
• Learn the developmental advantages of Suzuki ECE!
• Discover the history of Dr. Suzuki and ECE!
• Investigate how to promote and develop your Suzuki ECE program!
• Enrich your Institute with Suzuki ECE!
• Invigorate your studio instrumental program and concerts with Suzuki ECE!
• Improve your Suzuki parent education program with Suzuki ECE! (General Session)

Presenters include Dorothy Jones, Sharon Jones, Shirley Jamison Koch, Alyse Korn, Lynn McCall, Danette Schuh, Joyce Hodge, Nancy Brown and Jennifer Webb.

See you there!

–Shirley Koch, ECE Coordinator

The class offerings and activities reflect the growth of Suzuki double bass programs across the nation in recent years. Many of the presenters are new to the conference this year. Teachers of young bassists will benefi t from Tracy Rowell’s “Starting a Bass Program from Scratch,” Nicole Castleberry’s “Book One Bass-ics” and Kathryn Jones’ “From the Bottom Up.” Dennis Whittaker’s “Teaching Points of the Bach Cello Suites,” will be fascinating for teachers of all levels, as the cello suites represent an important milestone in any bassist’s development. Michael Fanelli will discuss the pedagogical merits of teaching young students to stand…

Read more of Suzuki Bass is Growing! »

The Cello conference team is so excited to offer these fabulous sessions in Minneapolis. There are amazing opportunities to learn and explore the wonderful aspects of cello playing:

• Body Mapping with Constance Barrett
• Cello Ensembles with Jeanne Johanessen, Carol Ourada and Sally Gross
• Chording and Chopping with Renata Bratt
• Cello Group Class ideas for Pre-Twinkle through Book 4 with Tanya Carey
• In keeping with our Teamwork theme, Carey Beth Hockett and Annie Barley (former teacher/student team) will talk about flexibility and freedom with our students from the very beginning.
• In addition, there will be time for cello teachers to share…

Read more of Cellists Always Love to Get Together! »

We are excited to offer several special sessions for Viola teachers!

William Preucil, Sr. will present a session on the Hummel Viola Concerto. Julia Hardie and Dee Martz will offer a session on teaching and playing the Stamitz Concerto. Bring your viola for our traditional Viola Ensemble Reading Session, coordinated by Betsy Stuen-Walker!

–Emily Williams, Viola Coordinator

Margot Jewell and Sue Baer, conference violin coordinators, are excited to announce the many special violin sessions that will be offered this year.

Teachers are always inspired by the excellent performances and insightful teaching we can observe at the instrument-specific master classes. In keeping with our theme of teamwork, master classes will be team-taught by father and daughter, Tom and Allegra Wermuth.

New to the conference will be a master class focusing on Suzuki core repertoire taught by Scott Conklin, violin professor at The University of Iowa School of Music.

Sessions will be offered on a variety of violin-related subjects. These include…

Read more of Violin Sessions Abounding! »

I remember, as a young teacher, reading about the SAA conference and thinking that it might be a good idea to go. I knew there would be interesting speakers to hear, important people to meet, and ideas to stimulate my growth as a teacher. And yet, for many years, I did not go. The cost of travel and lodging was a hardship, but the primary reason was that I didn’t have anyone to go with. What made me decide to attend my first conference? It was the invitation from a friend and her suggestion that we room together. Suddenly the prospect of attending a conference no longer seemed daunting. Not only was I going to nurture my soul, I was going to have fun!

Read more of Teaming Up »

Planning to attend the Conference in May? It will be worth your time and investment. Please see details in this issue and watch for your March and April newsletters and the website for further details.

Remember that this year’s Conference is starting a half day earlier! Check in begins on Thursday evening, May 27, 6-9 PM and sessions begin Friday morning.

The first SAA Certificates of Achievement will be awarded at a special ceremony at the Conference in May. If you would like to be among the first to complete the Certificate and receive it at this ceremony, you must have all your application materials postmarked by March 25. You have just 10 days to get your application ready!

Please note: Instructions for application have been revised for clarity. Requirements are unchanged. If you have previously downloaded the Certificate instructions document, we recommend that you use the revised version as your guide…

Read more of Certificate of Achievement Ceremony »