Yearly Archives: 2019

For parents and family members looking for gifts for the young string player. When I was a kid, getting music themed gifts was hit or miss. Anything that I could play or use right away to make music was always a big hit. Music-themed accessories that I could wear, such as treble clef earrings or a music note umbrella were […]
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by Katie Sutton             In August my daughter, Sophie, presented her complete Suzuki Book One recital for friends and family at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Nashville. This half-hour concert represented three years of hard work and commitment. For those familiar with the technical aspect of playing the violin, the journey from young beginner to competent student during formative Book One […]
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By Anca Simon “This is our first time at the workshop, and it was wonderful!” exclaimed Michelle Zhu as students were carefully descending from the stage, violin cases snapped closed, and the enthusiastic chatter about another wonderful recital was increasing around us. Others who have attended the annual MTSA Fall Workshop for many years, like the Gadd family who were […]
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By Stephanie Taylor When I was 5 years old, my mom took me to a Suzuki Institute. I remember vividly when the teacher said, “Who’s a Happy Farmer? Come on up here!” I enthusiastically thought to myself, I’m happy and I live on a farm, I ran up to the stage, violin in hand and started playing the song. I’d […]
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There is such a thing as a “teacher’s high.” This describes the state I was in as I entered the last FSA Board meeting, several days after I returned from my Book 6 & 7 Teacher Training Course at the Chicago Suzuki Institute this summer. As each board member arrived and asked how I was, I immediately began summarizing the […]
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by  Shabnam Aminmadani  After group class in November, Roxy celebrated her first one hundred days of practice. Roxy was actually celebrating day 128. If someone had told me in July that November 27th would mark Roxy’s 128th consecutive day of practice, I would not have believed it. After two years of failed attempts to develop a consistent practice routine, I was almost […]
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