Dr. Suzuki’s Birthday Celebration at SAI’s fall 2015 events
The Suzuki Association of Indiana (SAI) was formed several years ago by Jillian Chrisman, Dawn Evans, and myself for the purpose of making connections between the various Suzuki teachers in the state, both private studio and organized schools. The main conduits for these connections are our annual meetings, quarterly e-newsletter, regional play-ins, and Facebook presence. We have been joined and supported by members from all over the state—from Evansville to South Bend, Bloomington to Indianapolis, and more.
The Suzuki Association of Indiana currently has 30 active teacher members from all over the state and more than 100 associate (family and friends) members.
The annual meeting for the SAI is held in July of each year and rotates between the north, central, and southern parts of the state. This year (2015) the annual meeting was held at the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy in central Indiana. There were 15 SAI teachers in attendance. The guest speaker was Glen Kwok, the Executive Director of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI). Mr. Kwok grew up in the Suzuki tradition, studying violin. And his mother, who attended the meeting, was the administrator for the large Suzuki program he was involved in. He gave a thoroughly interesting and insightful sketch of the world of advanced instrumental competitions.
This year, the SAI was lucky to have a logo designed by Peggy Mastropaolo, who is the mother of Maria Mastropaolo, one of the SAI board members. The logo is designed in the shape of the state of Indiana, with the border being the repetition of our favorite rhythms—Variation A.
This logo was then made onto T shirts, which were sold and worn at various SAI events.
The SAI had some regional events to honor the 117th anniversary of Dr. Suzuki’s birthday. The central area of Indiana had a play-in at the Indianapolis Arts Garden in downtown Indianapolis on Sunday, November 1st. There were around 30 violins, violas, pianists, and cellists from various Suzuki studios and schools in the area. There were balloons, cake and of course, an incredible play-in.
The SAI has a quarterly e-newsletter, which is distributed to active and associate members. In addition to sharing the latest information on workshops and Suzuki events, there are book reviews, opinion articles, and personal stories about students and teachers. The Facebook page also shares information about music, lessons, and life which are helpful to Suzuki families, students, and teachers.
Indiana has come a long way in the Suzuki world. We now have a sanctioned Suzuki institute (the IAM Festival) and a state Suzuki organization. And some of the finest Suzuki teachers ever, who now have the tools to share their knowledge, experience, and ideas with each other.
Liz Efroymson-Brooks
President , SAI
Suzuki Cello Instructor
Suzuki Early Childhood Instructor
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