Chapter Affiliate News

New Chapter Welcomed

July 10 2008

Over the past Memorial Day weekend, at the 13^th Conference in Minneapolis, the SAA was delighted to announce Heart of America Suzuki Association’s Chapter Affiliation. Founded in 1979 by Beth Titterington, HASA is one of the oldest Suzuki associations in the Americas. They have a large membership base that is concentrated in the Kansas City area and additionally surrounding counties on both the Kansas and Missouri sides.

Jean Dexter and Beth Titterington accept the HASA Chapter Affiliation certificate. Photo courtesy of Michiko Yurko.

Becoming a Chapter Affiliate

As the Chapter Affiliate program grows, the SAA would like to remind ongoing members and inform new members about the program’s purpose and potential. In effect, the SAA created a membership category under which existing state, local and provincial associations that meet our criteria may become Chapter Affiliates. Debuted at the Leadership Retreat at the end of May in 2001, the SAA’s Chapter Affiliate program was established to create a more formal relationship with local Suzuki associations so the mission to spread the vision of Dr. Suzuki can garner recognition across the Americas. We believe the relationship is a mutually beneficial one in which local Suzuki groups have presence on the National Level while the SAA has presence at the local level.

Basic criteria includes that the Suzuki group has a minimum of 30 teacher members, is open to all instrument areas, and covers a continuous geographical area. A list of benefits, the application, and details about the application process can be downloaded from the Chapter Affiliate section. If you have any questions about requirements or the process of applying to be a Chapter Affiliate, please do not hesitate to contact the SAA office at 1-888-378-9854 or by email at affiliates@suzukiassociation.org

Special Thanks to SAM

Thank you to the Suzuki Association of Minnesota for all of your volunteer help at the Conference. In addition to providing volunteers and lending equipment, SAM organized and sponsored an outdoor play-in and picnic for local students and Latin American students at Peavey Plaza by the Orchestra Hall on Saturday, May 24^th. It was a lovely day for the event, and everyone had a great time!

Suzuki Association of Utah: Fall 2007 News

August 16 2007

Three Thousand Utah children, ages 3 to 18, will gather in the LDS Conference Center on October 20, 2007 with their musical instruments under their arms and their music in their hearts. They will be there to share with the community, the fruits of their study, and their joy. These are not musical protégés; they are your neighbors and your friends. They come from all walks of life and they come with all the different benefits or challenges that exist. The one common denominator is their love of music and their dedication to playing well. They all have a wonderful self-esteem from being able to share their work. The students of the Suzuki Association of Utah present this Celebration Event only once every three years.

This year Kurt Bestor has written the grand finale concert presentation entitled Jubilate! He will be there to conduct all 3000 children as they perform this beautiful tribute to music.

Please attend this concert and bring your family and friends and hear the children play and sing. There will be violinists, pianists, cellists, violists, bassists, flutists, harpists, guitarists, organists, and singers. Visit the Suzuki Association of Utah website to find how to support this event and purchase tickets.