By Araceli Lugo Oliva
The Mexican Suzuki Association (Asociación Mexicana del Método Suzuki; AMMS for short) held the Fourth Mexican Suzuki Conference in the city of Puebla, Mexico in November 2024. It was organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) and the University Cultural Complex (CCU).
Community Principles of the AMMS
It is a great pleasure to share with the Suzuki community the joy of the Mexican Suzuki Conference, now in Puebla, Mexico. For the culture of Mexico and many other countries, it is very important to hold a meeting of families in person, and even more important for those focused on the development of music. The conference is a way to strengthen bonds of friendship and reinforce learning through experiences, while sharing musical skills among peers and groups. In this way, participants can internalize, appreciate, and embody a significant and lasting experience that enables them to return home or to their school environments filled with new learning and motivation to continue with the Suzuki music programs. This allows for “success to bring more success,” reflected in the desire to learn and practice for their classes, recitals, and concerts, as well as the patient waiting to attend the next meeting, see friends again, and to share unforgettable moments. It is a way to unite the great community, contributing to its growth in all senses.
The Mexican Suzuki Association promotes this type of project because of the success and results that we have witnessed through our past programs. These programs have benefited every student, family, and school by strengthening the motivation to learn throughout our community.
It must be mentioned that carrying out these types of events requires a vast sum of wills and resources. However, the inspiration itself is the energy of a community united by the objective to achieve its goals. The miracle of music is a living example for the whole world, even if it seems that there is no hope for a good future; yet, the dream of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki is still present every day in each child and young person, manifesting itself through love and sensitivity to others in order to reach the largest number of families and impact a fairer and happier society.
The AMMS fully believes in the importance of good academic preparation for students and teacher training, which requires great preparation and constant work. It also believes in the importance of nurturing relationships through uniting and working together from the heart, to have a receptive body in all senses to the teaching-learning process of the teacher student, along with the support of their parents.
The AMMS works every day without haste but without pause in each of its projects; now we will share the special events of the Fourth Mexican Suzuki Conference.

Development of the Fourth Mexican Suzuki Conference
With more than 800 participants from Mexico and abroad—including students, teachers, directors of AMMS academies, trainers, collaborators, and organizers, as well as countless families and the general public—this long-awaited conference took place. It featured a wide array of different activities, including training courses for all instruments, seminars, group classes, choir, Suzuki children’s education, piano recitals, ensemble presentations, Suzukiada (informal outdoor group playing), a traditional outdoor party, concerts of Suzuki Orchestras Mexico, as well as the opening concert characterized by its folklore, and the grand closing concert.
Groups of children, young people, and talented musicians performed in the events, such as the Esperanza Azteca Orchestra from Puebla, the BUAP Ethnochoreology Traditional Dance and Music group, and the didactic regional music group Yolopaqui from Puebla.
The five orchestras of the AMMS performed at the CCU Theater: the Suzuki Mexico Orchestra, Suzuki Mexico Guitar Orchestra, My First Orchestra, Suzuki Mexico Teachers’ Ensemble, and Suzuki Mexico Teachers’ Guitars. In the auditorium of the Faculty of Arts BUAP, eighty recitals of piano students took place, and the open-air stage featured ensembles of recognized AMMS Academies, as well as the organization of an incredible Suzukiada at sunset, which closed with a traditional party where countless families danced excitedly to the rhythm of the region’s popular music.
It is very important to emphasize the outstanding trainers and teachers who lead the training units, conference sessions, master classes, and group classes. Thanks to their preparation, talent, and dedication, students and teachers received an expert level of teaching.
The presenters were: Caroline Fraser, Kate Jones, Nancy Modell, Miguel Aguirre, Kelly Williamson, Wan Tsai Chen, Joaquín Olivares, Víctor Martínez Gardoqui, Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, Patricia Pasmanter, Allen Lieb, Sergio Gil Gomes, Elena Roig Martínez, Laura Jauregui, Matías Estigarribia, Leslie Mizrahi, Elías Flores, Samuel Alemán Hidalgo, Ania Vera Barroso, Andrea Ledesma Alvarez, Zaira Ruiz, Patricia L. Oropeza, Imer Acuña, Nidia Adame, Lydia Mills, David A. Balcázar Rodríguez, Francisco Rocha Romero, Clara Estrada, Alma Georgina Gómez Adame, Diego Sánchez, Yahré Fernández, Gabriel Pliego Carrasco, and Araceli Lugo Oliva.
To conclude the event, a closing concert was held in the spectacular University Cultural Complex Auditorium. Students, teachers, and coaches of violin, viola, cello, piano, bass, flute, brass, guitar, and SECE participated, complemented by percussion and choir.
The Suzuki community from Mexico and abroad expressed their gratitude, motivation, and the learning they received from this unforgettable experience. The organizing committee included Oscar Estrada, Susana Manjarrez, Silvia Ortiz, Sharon Sanchez, Jorge Enriquez, Armando Hidalgo, and the project director Araceli Lugo Oliva, president of the AMMS. Thank you to all of the participants for being part of the Fourth Mexican Suzuki Conference.

United to build “a better world through music.”
–Shinichi Suzuki