Utah Suzuki Celebration IX

Utah Celebration Concert

I took my violin out of the case, rosined up the bow. I had butterflies in my stomach. As I ran that bar of sap across the hairs I could imagine all the strokes, scoops, and grip that would be needed today for this special moment. I put bow to string and let it sing. It was just a simple moment to tune and get all the fellow strings to ring and sing as one. One after another, many instruments were tuned. The voices of excitement and eagerness to play were tangible. Timid and scared were a few, but when we all entered the room we were in awe of its vastness. It was a dizzying site to look up organ pipes leading to ceiling up and over to vast balconies and back down again. It made me feel so small. The feeling fled quickly when over a thousand children and teachers took their places. Lights dimmed as a slide show began.

Fifteen hundred performers waited for the special moment. We watched in eagerness as she rose, we all stood. Her arms raised and we all quickly and excitedly set our instruments to the ready. The beat was set by a slight upward motion and as her hand fell to hit an invisible barrier the life force of all began to sing and swell to tell the stories. The stories were of love, peace, unity, the building of a community and the many instrumental villages that give strength one to another. It cast a spell on all those in the room. The magic holds us in anticipation and stretches and extends until all hearts unite. It feeds and builds to a climatic end, when you realized that, where love is deep, much can be accomplished. Let’s celebrate. Join us for the Suzuki Association of Utah’s 2015 concerts!

Utah Suzuki Celebration IX Concerts

Sept 12, 18, 19, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Saturday, September 19, 2015—Gala Concert 7 p.m.

at the LDS Conference Center Auditorium (1500 performers)

Saturday Sept. 12, 2015—Harp Concert 4 p.m.

at the LDS Tabernacle (150 Harpists)

Friday 18, 2015—Five Piano Concert 7 p.m.

at the LDS Conference Center Theater (140 pianists)

Tickets for all three concerts online price $8 or group of 5 for $30 (or at the door for $15, so buy online)—available through www.lds.org/events or 801.355.2787

September 15, 2015
Topics: Chapters

Connie McCullough is the Sistema Utah Director at American Preparatory Academy West Valley One Campus. She manages and runs an Afterschool music program where 125 kids receive three hours of free music instruction daily. She loves teaching music and has taught violin and viola for nearly three decades.

Mrs. McCullough served on the board of the Suzuki Association of Utah (SAU) for five years, three of those years as President. She has chaired four state music conferences and the SAU Celebration IX Gala, with over 1300 children performing. Mrs. McCullough has taught at local, national, and international conferences and workshops for over two decades. In January 2024, she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Grand Canyon University. She has training in character development (social-emotional learning), trauma-informed practices, and working with students with ADHD, autism, and special needs. She loves teaching children of all ages.

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