On Saturday, 2 June, we gathered at the Leo Arts Centre at Canadian International School for our Spring Orchestra and Chamber Music Concert.

Vivace and Allegro orchestras both played, conducted by Mr. Daniel, and assisted by some of our advanced violinists:  Charlotte, Charmaine, and Mel.  In Vivace Orchestra, it was the first-ever time that piano students had joined the orchestra!  Evana, Ryan and Vivian served as the percussion section for one of the pieces, playing the sand blocks to mimic the sound of the trains.

Our seven chamber ensembles all performed the pieces on which they have been working this term with their coaches.  Mr. Daniel, Ms. Ryoko, Ms. Sonomi and Ms. Yuko have been very dedicated to helping students grow as chamber musicians, working to increase their comfort and skill at communicating with one another in order to be able to play more musically together.

It was a great end to the orchestra and chamber music term, and we are all looking forward to next year!

Congratulations to all of the students and coaches on all of their work throughout the term!

Saturday, 5 May brought our annual Graduation Concert.

Dr. Suzuki created Graduation Levels for each instrument.  Each graduation level reflects the first time that all of the skills a student has learned appear in the same piece!  This is the reason that often the graduation pieces seem much more complicated than the pieces that are right before and after.

This year’s graduates are:

Piano Level I                                                                                        Piano Level II
Sophia Edwards                                                                              Aidan Chan
Lucas Ho

Cello Level IV
Ian Mak

Viola Level III                                                                 Viola Level I
Jessica Elliott                                                              Aslan Au
Ashley Won

Violin Level I                                                                                        Violin Level II
Christopher Morris                                                                       Shreyas Rajaram
Isabel Zeng
Vera Zhang

Violin Level III
Hermione Au
Naphat Chanpongsang
Nithit Chanpongsang
Caleb Chung
Andrew Zeng

Violin Level V                                                                              Violin Level VI
Charlotte Cheung                                                                 Charmaine Chan
Tom Chiang
Marcus Poon

Suzuki Talent Education is the “Mother Tongue Method“.  One of the most important things about the Mother Tongue Method is the creation of the environment for our children’s learning.  Our parents learn alongside, and just ahead of their children. Both so that they can provide a good model of practicing, effort, and determination at home, and also to prepare them to be ready to be successful as the Home Teacher during daily practice.  Each year, our beginning parents join together and represent all of our parents and the work they do as Home Teachers every day.  This year, we had beginning parents from cello, piano and violin all playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star together!

We also presented the medals for our annual Go For The Gold 100 Days Challenge!  This year’s challenge was 100 days of Listening.  Daily environmental listening to the reference recording is the foundation for success as students of Suzuki Talent Education.  We had over 100 students who received medals for listening at least 75 days during the challenge period!

To end our concert, all of the students and teachers performed Dr. Suzuki’s “Wishing” together in its original Japanese form, and in English translation:

Video link: https://youtu.be/88v1dJT-8QE

We are all Good Children

Father, Mother, Please Help Me

Every Child Can Learn

Father, Mother, Please Help Me

Thank you to all of our parents for helping us every day on our path to learn!

On Sunday, 22 April, 16 of our students and their families – plus Mr. Jason, Ms. Lan, Ms. Shoko and Ms. Diane – donated their time and music to helping others by performing at the Oxfam Musical Marathon.  It was wonderful to see all of our instruments represented, as cellists, pianists, violists and violinists each played solos, and then joined together for a group performance of  Musette and Twinkles.

Each year, Oxfam has a designated recipient for the monies raised during its Musical Marathon, and children are always part of those who benefit.  This year’s donations are going to the Small Holder Farmers’ Foundation, which will help make it possible for small farmers to continue to grow food – for their families and ours!

Students had really great things to say about the experience.

“I’m very happy n honoured to help raising money for these small holder farmers to grow their food for families n for us. I especially happy because mom brought me to organic farming n I know how tough the work farmers has.