Japan

Greetings from Raleigh, NC. My name is Wilinda Atchley and I am a Suzuki violin teacher in Raleigh, NC. I know many of you and hope you will take a moment to read this invitation.

Recently we were all shocked to witness the earthquake and tsunami horror that destroyed lives and property in Japan. The news was tragic, and I, like you, was following with stunned disbelief.

A day after the catastrophe in Japan I received a message from one of my former students, Michael Danchi, who is back in our area after having completed his studies with Charlie Castleman. Mike had…

Read more of Triangle Area Suzuki Japan Relief Benefit Concert in Durham, NC »

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami, conditions continue to change in Japan from day to day. Earlier this week, the Talent Education Research Institute in Matsumoto (TERI) (the Suzuki Association in Japan) was able to determine that all Suzuki teachers were safe and that most Suzuki families were safe, as well. (Communications lines were down, making it impossible to reach a few families in the northeast coastal area.) We are relieved that members of the Suzuki family are doing OK amid so much destruction.

We are aware that Suzuki students throughout the world desire to express their…

Read more of News Brief—Japan »

Year 2008 has been designated by the Japanese Suzuki teaching community as the Shinichi Suzuki 10th Anniversary Memorial Year. Concerts and ceremonies are being held throughout the year at various locations in Japan to commemorate Dr. Suzuki’s birth, death and legacy. I was deeply honored to be one of three teachers from America invited to participate in the Shinichi Suzuki Memorial Concert in Tokyo on March 28th. The others were Nicholas Kendall, violinist from Philadelphia and Takeaki Miyamae, flutist from Pittsburgh. We were invited to Japan for a week to teach master classes and group lessons, to rehearse and direct…

Read more of Rodney’s Fabulous Adventure: Honoring Dr. Suzuki in Japan »

Amy and mom Vicki Abramowitz in Kyoto, Japan

My mom took me to my first Suzuki violin lesson at the age of six. I had watched older kids playing the violin, and I aspired to create the same beautiful sounds I had heard. My mother had no musical background but we excitedly set off on a new journey together. The Suzuki Method and the violin were foreign to us, and we quickly found that they required practice and encouragement. With the support of my mother and my curiosity about music we learned together.

Read more of Mother & Daughter »

The 50th Suzuki Method Grand Concert was held in Tokyo, March 30, 2004, at the Nippon Budokon. 3,300 violin, cello, flute and piano students participated. In addition, 100 teachers and students from America, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and other countries took part in this special 50th anniversary of the annual Suzuki concert in Tokyo.

Read more of 50th Annual Concert: A Grand Celebration »