“Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.” ― Shinichi Suzuki
Shinichi Suzuki was a musician, educator, philosopher, and founder of the Suzuki method for music education.
He lived in Japan and believed that musical ability can be developed in all children. The technique is taught in pieces rather than dry, technical exercises.
He believed in nurturing knowledge and ability through love.
The Suzuki method is unique because there are three teachers: the Suzuki instructor, the parent, and the child. I am beyond grateful for finding the Suzuki method because I have been to every single one of Anna's lessons from her first to her last. For thirteen years. I am the note taker, the listener, the encourager. I have spent more hours than I could possibly count with my daughters and their violas. Time that could have been lost in the day to day of their childhood was captured and I was there, every moment.
Some day I will tell the story of how I happened upon the Hartt School of Music and was captured by raising my daughters in the Suzuki method.
It is more than learning 'how to play the viola' - it is about time time time time with them. It's a philosophy of raising children with a beautiful heart. (this is his book)
And this evening - it was the culmination of all of this. I cried as she played, for it filled my heart. I never felt more close to Anna and more grateful to be her mama.
(this photo was taken at the end of her first year of instruction - kindergarten was almost over - she was almost six years old - oh how I wish I had a photo of the first day)
(and this is her at the end of her senior year)
The concert:
It was magnificent.
Yes, it was on zoom - not in a theatre as we always thought it would be - but it was magical in its own way.
And we are so grateful for the memory we now have in our hearts from this night.
Once we knew it would for sure be a zoom senior recital I wanted to make it special. Last Sunday I rearranged all of the flowers we had into milk glass vases. I lit the candles and arranged some lights on the mantle.
Elegant. Simple. Beautiful.
Anna was sixth on the program and she was not playing a recording, but live. So after she played (and all of the nerves were relaxed and she could breathe again) I decided we'd celebrate and enjoy the rest of the concert with a family room tea party.
I decorated the table with my vintage table cloths and plates.
I chose two different kinds of loose tea and prepared the pot.
And I baked homemade raspberry vanilla scones from a recipe I found in Victoria magazine.
And I made some homemade raspberry jelly (that Anna loves) The recipe was amazing. They were so different than anything I'd ever made in a scone. Lots of different layers - soft in the middle, scone texture on the outside. Pure heaven - and beautiful too.
The recipe called for zero sugar (always good for me since I really have to watch sugar) but I served them also with organic honey. Delicious.
Anna was excited but nervous about this concert - especially because all of her past viola teachers would be on the zoom call tuning in to this live performance.
I have been listening to Anna play the viola for thirteen years. Thirteen! And we've never heard her play like this. She was magnificent. Words can't explain and the small recording on my phone just can't capture. But I will save it forever to listen to when I miss her music in my home. Just typing these words bring tears to my eyes.
As soon as her piece was played she got texts from her beloved teacher, Lee Hadden and her current teacher, Melinda Daeuthch - both who teach the Suzuki method at the Hartt School of Music.
This was the first event of her 'end of senior year'. And although I thought I'd feel sadness, I didn't. I felt deep pride and happiness. Such pride. Thirteen years of hard work and determination to get to this advanced level and skill at the viola. And what beautiful music she makes.
Thank you Anna for allowing me in your journey of music. You have given our family a gift - not just in your viola but with your heart. It is true, you have a beautiful heart.
When my girls started playing the viola (at age 5) I did a lot of reading about Shinichi Suzuki. A class (series of parent meetings) were actually required before they could start playing at University of Hartford, Community Division as well as observing lessons and group classes. Though all of that and of course being a viola parent for about 16 straight years I've learned that this Suzuki method of learning to play an instrument is beautiful. In Suzuki's book, Nurtured by Love, he talks about learning to play an instrument is more than just the notes, it's about "creating a beautiful heart".
There was something about that quote I read in his book all those years earlier - something I wanted for my daughters. And so I trusted, and went, and week by week, lesson by lesson, group class by group class, orchestra rehearsal by orchestra rehearsal, I watched what music did in my girls lives - it created a beautiful heart.
Recently I've had the privilege of watching Abigail's 'heart grow' through her viola. She's preparing for an upcoming audition. She's been working extra hard with her teacher to prepare and yesterday she has an online lesson. All of her lessons are in person but for some reason this one was a Facetime one. I wanted to capture just a bit of how hard she was working. (BTW it's always the next time that I wish I captured when she 'nailed it' - I seem to always record the one before) But wow Abigail!!
She will also be playing this piece that she played back in a "Friends and Family Holiday Concert" back in December:
Suzuki actually talked a lot about music and what it does for the heart:
Yesterday this email came across my eyes. It's a mid-year progress report from her viola teacher. I wanted it here to remember. I read it out loud at dinnertime so that Abigail could hear. It had me with tears in my eyes.
Student Name: Abigail Baker
Teacher: Melinda Daetsch Date: January 11, 2024
List strengths and accomplishments during fall 2023
Abigail has made beautiful, consistent progress on both technical and artistic fronts this fall. Her work on vibrato continues to bear good fruit and although sometimes she doesn't appreciate how well it is going, it IS going very well! She has a lovely palette of colors available to her now as she develops increased control over the speed and width of her vibrato.
Shifting accuracy has also increased, and her fluency in reading treble clef (and in reading in general) has also improved.
Abigail has been working on unaccompanied Bach Suite no 2 in D minor this fall. In a recent performance of the Prelude movement of the Suite, her phrasing, expressivity, and overall depth and sensitivity moved me profoundly. I know that I was not the only one who responded in that manner to her performance at the Friends and Family recital, but I learned from Abigail, however, that she wasn't pleased with the performance.
It is my ferventhope that Abigail will be able to enjoy her playing this coming semester and perhaps be able to accept that she really does offer an exquisite and personal gift to those who hear her. She is extraordinarily sensitive in her music making. Her phrasing choices are intuitive and creative, and I have heard similar comments about her playing from some of my colleagues. She has so much to offer!
Abigail is an organized and disciplined worker. She is very hard on herself, but sometimes that can be a good trait as it can be used as a touchstone for focused, purposeful work. The problem comes in when being hard on oneself turns into self-flagellation, so I hope we can work on using the desire to reach for perfection to her advantage instead of getting mired in perfectionism.
Amidst all of the excellent practicing she has done and progress she has made, Abigail has performed in numerous concerts this fall:
as Principal Violist of the Camerata Orchestra,
as member of the Viola Tour Group (Ode to Joy, Viola Day, Cookie Concert, Group Class concert)
as member of the Opus 89 Orchestra.
Solo Bach in the Friends and Family concerts
Hall High School orchestra performances
Friends and Family recital
She is also a member of the Hall Jazz Dance group and a serious academic student. She works hard at finding the balance with all she is doing and knows that balance, though often elusive, is so important.
Abigail is also one of the kindest and most humble students I have had in my studio in all the years I have been teaching. In a recent example of her selfless compassion, she helped one of the younger viola group class members without a moment's hesitation when he got sick in class. The whole rest of the class sort of froze, but Abigail just went to the student and took his instrument and spoke kindly to him facilitating a gentle, caring solution.
When I mentioned to her how impressed I was by how she handled that situation, Abigail was surprised and said something like: "I didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't have done..." But in fact, she did do something that nobody else did.
Abigail always appreciates her peers and teachers and offers the most thoughtful, encouraging and constructive comments when the VTG runs mock auditions or during Achievement Days,. She is an empathetic, insightful, and accurate commentator.
List goals for next semester and beyond
Abigail is preparing for what she has described as "the most important audition of my life" with the Solisti audition. While I applaud the tremendous amount of work she has put into preparing for the audition (and I do believe that she will do very well and has an extremely good chance of getting in) I hope that she will remember to enjoy the gift she has to give those who are listening... even in an audition setting.
We will continue to work on her technical growth through the Trott Double Stop book, vibrato exercises, three octave scales, and I would like to work through Robert Starer's Rhythmic Training book with her to help her sight-reading. We will perhaps add more composition exercises as well as they tend to help us to understand reading "from the inside out"
SPRING WORKSHOP
I also hope that Abigail will participate in the Spring Suzuki Workshop in March. You can read about the Spring Workshop HERE. I know that she will learn a lot and have a wonderful time with the guest viola clinician Gabe Remillard.
Additional comments on fall lessons and development
Abigail is a joy to teach and a wonderful member of every group of which she is a part. I look forward to her weekly lessons and very much look forward to where she will go musically this spring.
I would also like to talk about some summer musical study ideas for Abigail as well. The HCD is offering a new one-week chamber music program the last week of June with the Azul Quartet that I think Abigail might enjoy, and there is also a one-week Hartt Suzuki Institute in the beginning of August with an exciting chamber music component.
Additionally, there is a new Advanced Viola Program at Ithaca College which is very near my house in Ithaca and in the past, I have had students, and their families stay at my house when they go to the Ithaca Suzuki Institute summer programs. If this might be something you/she would enjoy, I would be happy to talk about it.
Goodness, I've never written a post about how it all started in our family but there are so many 'viola' posts on this blog -- I just peeked, over 124! Just click on the label viola on the side and you'll so many, in case you feel like it, ha!
The Hartt Suzuki Institute was offered every summer and our family never participated. I've always believed in taking time off in the summer -- pool days, playing afternoons, time to think, dream, create... and I just didn't want my girls in something so focused as an 'institute'.
Now that Abigail is a rising senior and asked to be a part of this I said a resounding YES because she got into Solisti (that post back here) and I thought it would be good for her to have a intensive week with her viola during the summer... almost like a big week of practice because it sure is hard to motivate yourself to practice in the summer.
We had no idea just how awesome this program would be and I'm so very glad she was a part of it this week. She completely loved it!
Here she is walking into her end of the week concert:
Here's a close up of that sweetie and her big smile:
And in just four days ... yes just after FOUR of the days this was the outcome:
1. Chamber Group Concert (only 4 days together)
2. Fiddling Class (just after 4 days together)
I love her smile and just how into it she is (middle of the group with red hair)
3. Orchestra (just after 4 days) (and yes, that's Beauty & the Beast)
4. Viola Master Class (just after 5 days together)
Piece: Romance sans Paroles, Op 17, No. 3-G Faure arr. J Gower
She has grown so much as a violist and her love for playing, joy, and enthusiasm delighted me.
I was the photographer for Anna's senior photos. She really didn't want me to hire a photographer, have outfit changes, have all that stress. I completely understood. So we took it one season at a time. At first I didn't really have an idea for each season. I really just wanted to space it out throughout the year. But once my lens caught the light on this photo I knew what I wanted to create throughout the year. (first musica)
Here is Autumn...
The light, the way it back lit her, caught the organza in her dress, and lit up her hair, the autumn all around, the viola in her hands, and I knew the first of the Four Seasons was born.
Months later...
I remember our snow day in February. We already had tons of snow and ice on the ground, mounds by then, and there was another snowstorm that day. Right in the middle of the snow day I told Anna, "let's do it!" So I helped her quickly with an outfit {her light blue coat, books, dress} and off we carefully drove to the same park as the autumn photo. It was magical. Pure magic. I knew we had found just the right spot because I felt like I was in Narnia...
“If ever they remembered their life in this world it was as one remembers a dream.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
A magical afternoon of snow filling up the branches like a blanket. Feet of ice and snow under us, snow in her hair as it fluttered down. Too cold this time for her beloved viola. But not too cold for her adventurous spirit and her smile.
The second in my Vivaldi's Four Seasons idea I have for her senior photos. In this one, the branches, the woods, the snow, and the cold... it reminds me of Narnia.
And here is Winter...
Along came spring {the longest wait of all it seemed}. We had a April vacation week and the cheery tree right in our backyard was in bloom.
Spring ~ the third in a 'Four Seasons' senior year photo shoot with Anna.
In his book, Nurtured by Love, Dr. Schinichi Suzuki said, “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”
In May (link to that post is here) was Anna's Suzuki Senior Recital. The first of many 'lasts' this spring. In her thirteen years playing the viola I have never heard her play more beautifully. She played live - with a zoom audience of all of her past teachers. My thoughts and feelings on this day, of the Suzuki program, and of the viola in my daughters hands is on a post in my blog
Photo Description: Anna stands in front of a weeping cherry tree in full bloom... a place where I've taken a portrait of her every single year since she could stand. The blossoms on this tree last only three days each year and then they fall and fill with with green leaves. The tree was a gift from my first grade class many, many years ago to remember my Grandpa.
Anna may pack up her beloved viola and take it with her this fall, but her music will always be in my heart.
And summer, well that came up f a s t ! I had to get those photos done very quickly to be able to get her Graduation Announcement out on time (the week of graduation)
The fourth in "Four Seasons" senior photoshoot... summer. As we near the end of the year and the season turning I am have on my heart Psalm 139:1-3 for Anna, "O Lord, you have searched me and and known me. You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off. You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways." And with that knowing my mama's heart has peace.
Photo Description: Anna, a senior, sits with a huge smile across her face. She is surrounded by roses on all sides of her. Wearing a whimsical stripe, organza dress... The beautiful park background pales in comparison to the joy radiating through her. For she knows Who knows her and Who has the next steps planned for her.
Here is Summer, the final in the Four Seasons:
I used all four seasons photos and one extra that I took in the fall to create this graduation announcement.
Yes, there was a big birthday party here on the weekend. And yes, Monday hit us running so here I am with an itty bitty post because it's what I can squeeze in today. During a week where Anna has FIVE concerts at night! FIVE! Spring is exciting in our house. It's the kind of week where vacuuming and dusting feels like a treat.
This was last week. Anna played in Suzuki Achievement Days. Her courage astounds me. When she came out she told me she played even though her hands were shaking.
This is me trying to get one little shot while she was tuning.
Achievement Days means that she played solo in front of eight top Suzuki teachers. Her three pieces are critiqued. It's kind of like an end of year assessment. No pressure Anna!
We started our girls in Suzuki lessons when they were just 4 years old. The orchestras came when they were in elementary school. That is a lot of Suzuki orchestras. I've loved every single concert. I was sad today, Abigail's final concert. A chapter in our life ended today - I am so grateful for all of the memories and the fact that they will always have their music and gift of being able to play the viola.
Here is the livestream link ~ Opus (the orchestra Abigail plays in) starts at 1:06
I can remember her very first ~ ever viola lesson. She was five. She wore a yellow Gymboree dress with flowers on it. She had the cutest short bob back then and I put up the front every day.
We weren't quite sure what we were getting into with the Suzuki program. Scott and I went to a few parent meetings and thought we'd give it a try for a year.
That was nine years ago.
Nine years ago Abigail was in diapers, crawling, into everything and often on my hip.
Nine years ago we started a journey into music. One that I knew nothing about. I took piano lessons for a very brief time when I was a child but certainly knew nothing about string instruments.
But this program, Suzuki was supposed to be the best and the one that "nurtured the heart" not just taught the instrument.
I'm so glad that nine years ago happened to us.
Because Anna and her viola are one. They are beautiful together.
Part of the Suzuki program is based on a triangle of learning. The teacher, the child, and the parent. Is it not up to the teacher to teach and the child to practice (and the parent to nag).
It is mandatory that the parent goes to each and every lesson, takes notes, and is an active participant/observer. Then with practice at home the parent is THERE. Sitting with at same notebook and working WITH their child through the entire practice. This has been going on for nine years.
I can remember half way through the second year it got hard. Really hard. And I talked to Scott about the possibility of leaving the program/the viola. As we were talking it dawned on us that I'd miss all that ONE on ONE time with Anna. Just Anna. Not folding laundry. Not cooking dinner. Not on my phone (not that I had a smart phone back then). So nine years later I count all of that sweet (and sometimes not so sweet) time as a blessing. A blessing of TIME with my daughter. And I am grateful.
Today (at 4:52) Anna had an audition for her high school select orchestra. We walked in together. Scott came to the parking lot to see her off (and to scoop up Abigail so that I could focus all of my attention on Anna)
For some reason this audition (after so so so many auditions) felt like a turning point for us. Her the violist, me the parent. Like I had brought her from a kindergartner to this moment.
And I was proud. Oh so proud of this girl. As I've said before for the beautiful music she plays and the beautiful music in her heart.
I sat in the hallway and watched her walk in to play, hands trembling. She played seitz concerto no. 5 1st movement, and it sounded oh so perfect to me. Like heaven. I closed my eyes and thanked God for the girl that she is and that I get to call her my daughter.
(she also has to play a piece that she has never seen before... sight read... which she informed me she "did horrible at") (first ever picture in her high school... graduating class of 2021)
(ps... in case you want to know about this orchestra we are not expecting her to 'get in' until perhaps her senior year... it is a internationally known high school orchestra that is simply amazing... but Anna wanted to audition for the experience and to get her foot in the door... or perhaps I should say her bow in the door)
Years and years ago before Abigail was born, toddler Anna and I were in a darling little mommy and me class called Kindermusik. She loved it. I loved it. We were together - singing, making music.
I remember after a couple of years of Kindermusik, when Anna was ready to start kindergarten one of the Mom mentioned that her daughter was starting at the Hartt school of music. She was just five but was going to learn how to play the cello.
Well, that intrigued me. I did my research, attended a few lessons so I could see what they were all about. I learned all about Suzuki - the philosophy. And I adored that the parent was part of the lesson. So we started. And yes, she was only five years old.
When Abigail was a toddler once again I had the opportunity to do Kindermusik with her. Oh how I loved living those days again. Magical.
She too started learning viola through the Suzuki method when she was five.
It was all just yesterday, wasn't it?
And here we are. Abigail is a freshman in high school.
She plays in orchestras so grand it baffles me. I wonder how the years flew by on her strings. And I am grateful for afternoons like these. (we opted for just us and not grandparents as the Covid numbers are really high where we are right now)
Listening to a concert is magical. It is relaxing and inspiring. It is one of my very favorite things to do. How lucky am I that it's spring and our calendar is packed with them!!!
Here are just a few snippets from my phone:
I think the concert might have been recorded but I just can't seem to find it right now, so my phone will have to do...
We are blessed blessed blessed that Abigail is our own little violist. I can't wait to see where her music will take her!
And can I just add in that we are all thrilled that our Anna is home with us!!!
A few days late but I'm finally getting to post some pictures of our weekend.
Scott and I can be quite a team. Sunday night (closer to Monday morning) we fell into bed with a "we did it" exhaustion.
See this weekend we shouldn't have been able to fit in all the Christmas we did. Scott's been writing and writing and writing his papers. (Now officially done!)
But Christmas only comes once a year, so he stayed up so late every single night so that we could do our family Christmas things on the weekend.
So, Friday morning started with a picture of Abigail and her first real Kindergarten project. She had to make a disguise for a gingerbread girl. She chose "a hula girl". Daddy worked with her on this one so I just had to get them in a picture together.
And then we all picked up the girls at school so that we could go straight to the Christmas Tree Farm. Grandma surprised the girls at dismissal time!
Love their smiles!
And then off to the Christmas Tree Farm... in the rain.. and mud!
Not quite the dreamy day I had in mind. But we all made the best of it!
Their little country store and crackling fire made up for the yucky day!
On Saturday after Anna's art school and Abigail's group viola class we met my parents at the Festival of Trees at the Wadsworth Museum. There were hundreds of trees each decorated with a different theme.
On the way home we noticed that it was the Christmas Open House at the Governors Mansion. Of course we stopped!
The dining room was the most beautiful. Oh I love the swags on the back of each chair!
And that's it... I'm putting a full sized Christmas tree in the dining room next year too!
And that evening despite having to write 70 or so pages we all built a mini gingerbread village. It was so much fun!
And yes it keeps going! On Sunday I taught my 4th Grade Religious Ed class and then in the afternoon the girls had their Suzuki concert. It was Abigail's first viola concert. The excitement and nerves were sky high!
She's holding a "real" bow and a "box viola". The Suzuki method stresses the importance of learning posture and pride before the "real" viola is used. Good thing since she's dropped her box viola a few times.
She's been going to Anna's viola concerts since she was born. I was so happy for her that she could finally shine on stage! And shine on stage she did!
And then she cozied in her daddy's arms for the rest of the concert.
I think we packed enough Christmas in for one weekend, don't ya think? I love this time of year!
