Violin Studies in Chicago
My Suzuki Summer brought me full circle back to my Suzuki roots. I was able to attend the Chicago Suzuki Institute where I spent several childhood summers as a young Suzuki student playing, performing, learning and making new friends. This time, returning for teacher training, I once again had time to play and learn, but also to renew some acquaintances with my old teachers and meet some new teachers.
One of the highlights was being in class taught by Nancy Jackson, a friend of Ms. Diane’s and a teacher at one of Chicago’s finest Suzuki schools. I also enjoyed observing large and small group classes taught by teachers whose classes I remembered enjoying as a child. These teachers are still able to get smiles and joy from the students along with solid instruction. It was fun to observe some of the exercises. games and instruction Id’ enjoyed as a student and also to get some new ideas from these master teachers.
Piano Training at KSMA
While at the Chicago Institute, I was able to catch up with my first Suzuki piano teacher, Dr. Suzanne Baker, who was teaching at the Institute,. She was quite excited that I had the opportunity to study Piano Book 1 with Caroline Fraser here at KSMA. This August training was an intense week of reviewing my Suzuki piano roots, observing a master teacher and gathering many new ideas, many applicable to teaching violin as well as piano.
Back to Chicago in the Winter?!
Having Ms. Yuko in class with me for the piano training was an added bonus as we can now discuss Caroline’s instruction and ideas with each other. And, I’m looking forward to seeing Nancy Jackson again for another violin class. This time, the training will be at her school in the Chicago area in January – brrrr!