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 | | | Dear Suzuki Community: After too many years without an in-person conference, I couldn’t be more excited to announce our gathering next year. Our colleagues at ASTA are thrilled to connect with our membership and its variety of instrumentalists, musicians, artists, and leaders. A huge thank you to all who have written in excitement, asked questions, and engaged in conversations about your hopes and wishes for the conference! Your energy is infectious. This month our Suzuki Training Committee gathered for the very first time! In the months ahead, the group will have a few retreat sessions, and we look forward to keeping everyone updated! As we look ahead, we’d love for you to consider writing for our next journal, which focuses on pedagogy and its real-world applications. We’ve also extended the deadline for nominations to the Board of Directors. Please consider nominating someone, or yourself! We’ll see you throughout the month! Best, Angelica Cortez
Save the date, and don’t worry—even though we’re in a new space and co-located with amazing colleagues, the conference is for all instruments of our Suzuki community! Please join us March 20-23, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky, for a co-located conference with the American String Teacher Association (ASTA). We are pleased to be sharing space with another music-centered organization. Each organization will host its own conference in the same venue, with opportunities for members to overlap. Details about registration, travel, volunteer positions, student opportunities, and call for proposals will be shared in the coming weeks. While we’re sad to miss our return to Minneapolis in May as we have done for so many years, we are excited to finally come together as a community. We also hope to reunite in Minneapolis at a future date. Our co-location with ASTA brings a wonderful opportunity to connect with new and familiar faces. Keep an eye on our website or join our Community Gathering in April! As always, any questions can be sent to info@suzukiassociation.org. We look forward to sharing more information soon!
We construct our teaching from a world of pedagogical ideas. Dr. Suzuki’s ever-creative mind codified the concepts that have become a wellspring for our teaching. But what are the ideas that make Suzuki pedagogy unique and special, and how do they manifest themselves in practice? For our next issue, the American Suzuki Journal is seeking articles based around the theme of Pedagogy in the World. We will explore all facets of Suzuki pedagogy, both inside and outside of the studio. What Suzuki pedagogical concepts are central in your teaching, and how do you implement them? Which principles puzzle you, and which do you argue with? What skills can students transfer from Suzuki pedagogy into real life? What pedagogical connections do you see with other methodologies? What is missing from Suzuki pedagogy? We welcome views from students, teachers, and parents in exploring the world of Suzuki pedagogy. Submissions are due April 1, 2023. Further information and the submission form can be found here: https://suzukiassociation.org/news/guidelines/ To share ideas, general inquiries, or just to say hi, please contact Andrew Braddock at editor@suzukiassociation.org.
Join us at our next Community Gathering Thursday, April 27th at 9a PT! SAA Community gatherings are a time for us to connect as a community—to hear about recent updates and share time and space together. Have questions you’d like to have answered by our Executive Director? You can register for the meeting, and submit questions at the links below! SAA Community gatherings are a time for us to connect as a community—to hear about recent updates and share time and space together. We hope to see you there! Our next Community Gathering is Thursday, April 27th at 9a PT!
Have Questions? Submit them HERE.
 Congratulations to Laurie Scott, who received the Marvin Rabin Community Service Award from ASTA Conference!  A huge thank you and congratulations to all SAA members who presented at the ASTA conference! Check out James Hutchins, Oscar Soler, and Rolando Freitag—pictured left to right—who offered a 5 hour pre-conference session for ASTA attendees!  Thanks to all who visited the SAA Booth and said hello to our Executive Director and Board members! Check out Directors Bruce Walker and Kerri Williams along with Executive Director Angelica Cortez!
The SAA and Alfred Music are partnering to offer members of the Suzuki community a webinar series that aims to create space for those committed to the Suzuki philosophy, music education, and lifelong learning. With opportunities for students, parents, and teachers, each session challenges artists to think creatively and build better musical practices in community with one another. Translations available! Upcoming Suzuki in Action! Sessions! Our next Suzuki in Action Session will be focused on Intentional Business Practices and will take place in late April/early May! Keep an eye on the SAA’s website for the registration link!
 Teach music in Tanzania this summer with Daraja Music Initiative! DMI provides an interdisciplinary music and conservation education to students in Moshi, Tanzania. 2, 3 and 4-week sessions available June 15—August 6. For more information, visit www.darajamusicinitiative.org
Interested in advertising with us? We would love to work with you. Find out about advertising opportunities here.
 Suzuki Principles in Action (SPA) focuses upon the art of Suzuki teaching and is open to those who have registered Unit 1, taught at least one year, and have a current studio. Its cross-instrument format addresses how to teach, not what to teach, and allows for the sharing of ideas among teachers of all Suzuki instruments and specialty areas. As one veteran teacher said, “SPA affirms our beliefs in the Suzuki philosophy and empowers us to continue to grow and be even more productive in our teaching and outreach.” (Betsy Stuen-Walker) Click here to read more about what the SPA course entails! The SPA course is available in-person or online! Current courses include: April 22-30 with Facilitator Gail Lange (hosted by SAA) We encourage you to consider hosting a SPA course (in person or online) for your chapter, program, school, organization, or area! If interested, please contact the SAA office directly: info@suzukiassociation.org
There are still a few days to complete our Member Survey! This survey aims to get a general temperature check on the SAA. There are 22 questions total, and we anticipate the survey will take between 10-15 minutes. The survey will allow members to offer their feedback anonymously. We have extended the survey date through April 1, 2023! We will report key findings in the Spring. Thanks to those who have already participated!
We love hearing from our members! If you have feedback for us, a question to ask, or an idea for us to consider, please either (1) fill out this form, (2) attend a community gathering (see dates below!), (3) sign up for virtual coffee with our Executive Director, or (4) email us at info@suzukiassociation.org.
We are delighted to announce the launch of our “Get to Know the Board” video series, where each month we will introduce you to a new board member. They will share their personal experience with Suzuki and how the philosophy has integrated into their own life. Meet April Losey! 
In addition, our committees are working diligently to review policies, bylaws, and the overall structure of our organization. We believe in being transparent and are always eager to hear feedback from our members. Our commitment to our members remains strong, and we will continue to work hard to provide you with the best possible resources and support. Date Extended! We’re still accepting nominations to the Board of Directors! Interested in joining the Board of Directors? We’re currently accepting nominations to the ballot for our Board of Directors! Nominations will be accepted through April, interviewed by the Board, and a ballot will go out for members to vote on. This process offers members of the SAA an opportunity to self-nominate or nominate someone they know for the election ballot of the SAA’s Board of Directors. Learn more about who we’re looking for, our timeline, and the nomination process at the link below.
The very first Harp Unit 1 Training in South American took place in Argentina at the Escuela Suzuki del Paraná! Marcela Mendez writes, “the training was inspiring for all the teachers and students. Mary Kay Waddington was such a marvellous teacher and person. We are very gratefull for having her in our first Unit 1 course here.” Marcela continues on to say “there are no words to express how much we enjoyed and learned during the training…. So, now I hope, we hope, the harp will begin blooming with Suzuki in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.” 
“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart”—Shinichi Suzuki Suzuki Music/Musique Canada (SMMC) was honoured to host the video presentation, “The History and Philosophy of Tonalization” by Fumiyo Kuramochi A beautiful presentation illustrating the magnitude and depth of Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy.
Ms. Kuramochi’s Zoom presentation, organized by Suzuki Music/Musique Canada and the Suzuki Association of Ontario, took place in March 2022. “Un beau son, un bon coeur”—Shinichi Suzuki Suzuki Music/Musique Canada (SMMC) a l’honneur d’accueillir la présentation vidéo “l’histoire et la philosophie de la tonalisation” par Fumiyo Kuramochi Une présentation qui montre bien l’ampleur et la portée des principes de la philosophie du docteur Suzuki.
La présentation Zoom de Mme Kuramochi, organisée par Suzuki Music/Musique Canada et la Suzuki Association of Ontario, a eu lieu en mars 2022. | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Translate: Español / Français / Português The Suzuki Association of the Americas is a nonprofit organization of teachers, parents, and educators dedicated to the advancement of the Suzuki Method in the Americas. You received this message because you are a member or supporter of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Suzuki Association of the Americas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
