Suzuki Institute

We are back from our week long Suzuki Institute experience. It was fantastic and the girls loved it. We all learned so much and I'm glad we went. The girls are already talking about next year.

We were very blessed to be able to stay at the house of some friends we know through Compassion. They have a very cute little dog, and the girls loved playing with Bella.

We arrived Sunday and the Institute kicked off with a "play in". Basically this means the different institute teachers take turns leading pieces from all the Suzuki books. If you know the piece, you stand up and play it. If you don't know it, you sit down.

Each day our schedule looked the same:
8:15 am - Sydney Dalcroze (this is a movement class)
9:15 am - Kayleigh Dalcroze
10:15 am - Violin group class
11:15 am - Arts and Crafts
12 - lunch
1:15 pm - student recital
2:00 pm - violin lesson

7:00 pm - evening concert

We were expected to practice each day as well. Usually I would practice with Kayleigh during Syd's Dalcroze class and then practice with Sydney during Kay's Dalcroze class.

I recognized some of the teachers from my Institute teaching days in North Carolina. Most of the teachers, however, were new to me. We were so blessed to get one of the more popular teachers for our private lessons. She tends to teach the more advanced students and our class was the only intermediate class she taught.

Now for some pictures....

getting tuned in group class

with Sandra Payton - their group class teacher

in master class lesson with Clarisse Atcherson

Practicing outside was a highlight. Sydney walked around the rows of this rose garden playing her violin one morning.

I'll try to put up some videos of the final concert tomorrow.