September 2014 MIC Suzuki Sentinel Tone has the living soul - Shinichi Suzuki Greetings, Suzuki families! Welcome to MIC's Suzuki e-newsletter. Each month, we'll be sending you the latest news and information from MIC's Suzuki program. For more information about any of the items in this newsletter, please contact your private teacher. You may also contact Blake Brasch, Director of the MIC Suzuki Program at bbrasch@musicinst.org or Sarah Montzka, Associate Director of the MIC Suzuki Program at smontzka@musicinst.org. In this month's issue: Suzuki Sunday Teacher Spotlight: Dr. Christina Tio Suzukinspiration - Resources for Suzuki Parents MIC Suzuki student/faculty news MIC student adventures at Suzuki Summer Institutes and Music Camps Images of summertime fun at the Chicago Suzuki Institute 2014-15 Suzuki Events Calendar Suzuki Sunday Our first Suzuki Sunday of the year will take place on October 10, 2014 in the Thoresen Performance Center at the Winnetka campus. For more information, please contact your private teacher. 1:00 Piano/guitar/harp jamboree 2:00 Cello/bass jamboree 3:15 Solo recital (by teacher recommendation) 4:00 Violin/viola/flute jamboree Teacher Spotlight: Dr. Christina Tio Dr. Christina Tio joined MIC as a Suzuki piano instructor in 2010. She teaches private lessons, group lessons, and chamber music. Below is an excerpt of her interview. The full version is available on MIC s website. What led you to become a Suzuki instructor? I stumbled upon literature on Shinichi Suzuki when working on a case study on Japanese musicians for my doctoral research back in the UK, and was impressed by his teaching philosophy. I had the opportunity to finally seek out Suzuki training a decade later when my husband and I moved to Chicago. I became convinced that the Suzuki idea of developing the whole child based on the mother tongue approach was what I would like for my (then, future) child and my students. I wish I had grown up as a Suzuki kid myself! The Suzuki experience allows for the learning of music from a very young age in a most natural way. A cooperative relationship between teacher, parent and student builds character and nurtures qualities such as respect, discipline and endurance. What also appealed to me was the evidence of strong parent-child bonds in Suzuki families over the long haul. I wanted to be part of a movement that brings family together!
Your son Micah recently began Suzuki cello lessons at MIC. Now that you are a Suzuki parent and a teacher, have you developed any new insights? My husband attends Micah s cello lessons and follows up with practice at home. However, Micah also plays the piano and I have been both his piano teacher and practicing parent. Being a Suzuki parent has been both a fulfilling and humbling experience. Working through challenges together at the piano on a daily basis has taught me many things about my child I wouldn t have otherwise known. I have also learned the need to be more sensitive, organized, patient and self-controlled. I hope this is also making me a better teacher and a more sympathetic support to parents in my sphere of influence. Suzukinspiration - Resources for Suzuki Parents We are thrilled to unveil this year's Suzukinspiration series; designed specifically for Suzuki parents. Upcoming events include "Tune Like a Champion!", "Let's Get Organized" and the "Parent Café" discussion group. Please join us for roundtable chats, book clubs, Suzuki parenting inspiration and more! Our first event, Tune like a Champion! takes place Friday, September 19, Winnetka campus, Room 108, at 7:00 PM. Please visit https://www.musicinst.org/suzukinspiration-resources-suzuki-parents for more information and to learn about our other events. MIC Suzuki student/faculty news Congratulations to 16-year-old Leevy Williams (cello student of Gilda Barston) who performed in a master class for the renowned cello instructor Richard Aaron at the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) conference in Minneapolis in May. Congratulations to former Suzuki student, Alexa Dolinko (student of Vannia Phillips), who won the only freshman spot in the violin section of the Evanston Township High School Symphony Orchestra. MIC student adventures at Summer Suzuki Institutes and Music Camps Summer Suzuki Institutes are a fun and inspiring experience for Suzuki families. Students have the chance not only to improve their skills but also to meet teachers and students from across the globe. Here are some of the students who attended Suzuki Institutes and music camps this summer: Cello students of Gilda Barston: Alejandra Abraham, Julie Basrak, Micah Chan, Darcie Kim, Jan Nedvetsky, Avery Oppenheim, Liam Tracy, Ella Wimbiscus, and Mia Wimbiscus, Chicago Suzuki Institute (CSI); Richard Li, Brendan Tarm, Nathan Walhout, and Leevy Williams, Chicago Suzuki Institute and Cello Boot Camp; Zehavi Rodriguez, CSI and Japan- Seattle Suzuki Institute; Hayley Zacheis, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute Cello students of Blake Brasch: Austin Antony, Paige Bartusiak, Jared Glaaser, L.O. Hess, Enzo Matsuzawa, and Ben Shonfeld, CSI; Nykolas Rekesius, Pennsylvania Suzuki Institute; Luke Ponko, Phoenix Fest Violin students of Reagan Brasch: Meghan Stancliff, Atlanta Suzuki Institute; Ben Eisenstein, Brandeis University; Maya Williams, Blue Lake; Daphne Anderson, Stanton Cope, Evan Mueller, Vittoria Pugina, Julia Scott, Angelica She, Nicholas She, Jordan Shonfeld, and Vivek Thatte, CSI; Jane Finlayan-Fife American Suzuki Institute, Stanford, and Blue Lake; Ellie Ponko, Phoenix Fest Cello students of Abbey Hansen: Mae Cirks, Joseph Kean, Laerdon Kim, and Aglaia Smith, CSI Violin and viola students of Sarah Montzka: Daniel Hess (viola),csi; Ellyn Harmon (viola), Music Adventure chamber music seminar in Italy; Willa Brasch (violin) Atlanta Suzuki Institute, CSI, and the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute.
Violin students of Vannia Phillips: Michael LeMasters, American Suzuki Institute; Natalya Harp, Blue Lake. Cello students of Nina Wallenberg: Oliver Mah, Eytan Raviv, Gabi Raviv, and Julia Wineberg, CSI; Ian Quan, Indianapolis Suzuki Institute Bass student of Eric Snoza: Luke Montzka, American Suzuki Institute Images of summertime fun at the Chicago Suzuki Institute Top: Cellists Micah Chan, Alejandra Abraham, and Avery Oppenheim in class with instructor Amy Barston. Center: Violinist Vivek Thatte Bottom: Violinist Miranda de Olden
Top: Joe Kean in orchestra conducted by Robert Richardson, Jr. Left: MIC Suzuki Program piano faculty member Otilia Calin with son, Matei Right: Violinist Katherine Moy 2014-15 Suzuki Events Calendar Suzuki Sundays (Winnetka unless otherwise indicated) October 12 November 9 December 14 (Multi-instrument) January 11 March 8 April 26 (Nichols Concert Hall - Evanston East) Workshops Flute - January 24-25 Violin Workshop - January 24-25 Cello Workshop February 27 March 1 Piano Workshop February 8-9 TENTATIVE Suzuki Graduation Concert (Nichols Concert Hall Evanston East) April 12 3-5 p.m. Nichols Concert Hall
Suzuki Festival Concerts (Nichols Concert Hall Evanston East) Violin and Viola Festival Concert Sunday, May 17, 4:00 pm Violin Rehearsal Saturday, May 16, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Viola Rehearsal Friday, May 15, 4:30-5:00 pm Cello Festival Concert Sunday, May 17, 1:00 pm Rehearsal Saturday, May 16, 9:00-11:00 am Guitar Festival Concert Saturday, May 16, 2:00 pm Rehearsal Friday, May 16, 5:00-6:00 pm (Room 204, Winnetka) Flute and Bass Festival Concert - Sunday, May 17, 2:30 pm Rehearsal Saturday, May 16, 3:30-4:30 pm Piano Festival Solo Concert Saturday, May 16, 5:00 pm & Sunday, May 17, 5:30-6:30 pm 100 Days Party June, 2015