In January, the VII Festival Internacional Suzuki was held in Santiago, Chile. In addition to teachers and students from Chile, 18 teachers and advanced students from Argentina participated in the annual festival. The festival training sessions, auditions, and recitals were well organized and student performances showed a remarkable level, both musically and technically.

SAA teacher trainers Marilyn O’Boyle and Caroline Blondet and others worked with the South American teachers throughout the seven-day festival. The courses encouraged the exchange of ideas and experiences applied to a varied range of instruments, provided new perspectives on certain aspects of musical pedagogy, and stressed the importance of training parents. Overall, the sessions emphasized Dr. Suzuki’s belief that a superior education for our children depends on the quality of our teaching.