News & Events
Announcing a new addition to the ISA Online Archive: The Early Years of the Talent Education News in America
Prior to the founding of the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 1972, and indeed the International Suzuki Association in 1983, an organization titled Talent Education - USA Inc. was founded by Dr. Howard M. Van Sickle, Professor of Music at the former Mankato State University in Minnesota.
Van Sickle published the first newsletter in the United States devoted to the Suzuki Method. Enjoy reading these articles and seeing photos from the earliest days of the Suzuki movement in North America.
Talent Education News from Mankato State University
New Posting in the ISA Online Archive:
The Early Years of the Suzuki Method in the Americas from the ASTA Journal Archives
The Talent Education movement in the Americas owes a great debt to the original pioneers of the Suzuki Method who were leaders in the American String Teachers Association during the 1960s and 1970s. The following ASTA Journal articles highlight many of the activities sponsored by ASTA members around the US and Canada in these early years, exploring this new pedagogical approach advanced by Dr. Suzuki.
ISA appreciates the cooperation of Lynn Tuttle, ASTA Executive Director and CEO, and the current ASTA Board of Directors for permission to reprint these fascinating articles.
New ISA Online Journal for January 2025
Use the link below to access all the articles, news and pictures from Suzuki regions around the world. Many thanks to all our contributors for this latest edition.
In this issue:
- The Suzuki Method: The Life and Times of Dr. Shin’ichi Suzuki
- In Memoriam Mr. Yasuki Nakamura, NSW Honorary President, Australia
- Suzuki Talent Education Association Singapore hosts Funtasy 2025
- Taiwan Talent Education Association Flute Ensemble plays in Macao
- Suzuki Music Association of Indonesia Hosts Grand Concert
- Suzuki Teachers’ Convention Italy 2024
- European Suzuki Viola Gathering 2024
- A Letter from La Plata
- Ed Kreitman’s Retirement Celebration
- TERI Updates from Ryugo Hyano
View the January 2025 ISA Journal
Chinese Translation Now Available
Many thanks to the Taiwan Talent Education Association for providing this translation in Mandarin and Simplified Chinese.
New Publication: The Life and Times of Dr. Suzuki
by Fumiyo Kuramochi
Translated by Lili Selden
The ISA is proud to present the first installment from this new biography of Dr. Suzuki by his former student and noted Suzuki pedagogue, Fumiyo Kuramochi. In her capacity as Vice-Chairperson of the Textbook Committee for TERI, she has undertaken this important and daunting task of chronicling not only Dr. Suzuki’s work to establish the Talent Education movement, but also an in-depth look at his family and their roots in Japanese society that fostered Dr. Suzuki’s reflections and motivated his pursuit of this idea that has affected so many lives around the world now for generations, and continues to greatly influence not only instrumental pedagogy, but educational philosophy in general.
Memories of Matsumoto from Suzuki Graduates and Pioneers
The ISA commissioned TERI Violin Graduate and SAA Teacher-Trainer Amanda Schubert the daunting task of collecting and creating a permanent archive of written memories and photos from Suzuki teachers around the world who were fortunate to attend and graduate from the then-named Talent Education Institute (now known as TERI) in Matsumoto, under the tutelage of Dr. Suzuki and the other trainers at the school in cello, flute, guitar, oboe, piano and violin.
Truly we are indebted to Amanda for this comprehensive archive of prose and photos that will be updated as we continue to receive additional material from contributors. If you are one of those (!), please contact the ISA office for information concerning submissions. The goal is to collect as many memories as possible to share with our Suzuki family around the globe.
Enjoy browsing through this vast treasure of memories of lessons and experiences in Japan.
Kendall Pamphlet on Talent Education
Original pamphlet on Suzuki Method by John Kendall and related artifacts - now in the ISA Online Archive.
The ISA announces the addition of the original cover and Preface from John Kendall’s 1966 publication - signed by Dr. Suzuki - that spurred teachers around the world to explore the Suzuki Method. Also included in this archive are a signed postcard from Dr. Suzuki and rare photos of the 1966 Annual Concert in Tokyo.
The ISA thanks Beverly Char for contributing these valuable and fascinating documents to our Online Archive for the wider Suzuki community to enjoy.
Kendall Pamphlet on Talent Education
Announcing the Addition of Explanatory Graphs to the Kendall Teaching Videos Archive
The ISA is indebted to Dr. Brian Buckstead for permitting his research on the teaching techniques of Suzuki Method pioneer John Kendall to be posted on this website. His illustrations provide a valuable visual resource to the aural presentation in the Kendall Teaching Videos.
Please use the link below to access these materials (bottom of the page):
New Video in the Archive:
My Time with Suzuki Sensei by Mihoko Hirata
The following video was recorded March 31, 2014 during the Spring Hawaii Suzuki Institute for Suzuki Talent Education of Hawaii. ISA thanks Hirata Sensei and Helen Higa, Director of STEH, for their permission to post this fascinating and humorous remembrance of Dr. Suzuki on the ISA website for Suzuki families and teachers around the world to enjoy.
My Time with Suzuki Sensei by Mihoko Hirata
Suzuki Audio Downloads
The recordings are an essential part of the Suzuki Method®, and it’s important to us that the official professional recordings are available to every student and teacher. As CDs and CD players are becoming a thing of the past, we’ve now made the recordings easily accessible in a digital format.
All official Suzuki recordings are available to purchase and download from Amazon Music, iTunes Store, and Alfred Media. When purchased from any of these platforms, recordings can be played from a computer, phone, smart speaker, or even a smart TV from the respective online library or app.
Updated AMPV List
Be sure that you have the most recent versions of the Suzuki materials by consulting the updated AMPV list.
AMPV numbers are now on the title page of newer or updated Suzuki Method™ books to allow teachers and families to know if they are purchasing the latest edition of a book.
- AMPV numbers are now on the title page of newer or updated Suzuki Method books.
- AMPV stands for Alfred Music Publishing Version and is followed by a number, such as 1.0.
- These numbers apply only to books, not to recordings.
- If a book is not listed, the book has not been changed since 2010.
- This list will be updated as needed. Please check back occasionally.
New Video: The History and Philosophy of Tonalization by Fumiyo Kuramochi
In March 2022, Fumiyo Kuramochi presented an inspiring Zoom session entitled "The History and Philosophy of Tonalization" to an appreciative international audience. This beautiful video presentation includes newly translated texts and in depth insights into Dr. Suzuki's lifetime research on tone development.
New to the ISA Video Archive. Now available:
The Suzuki Method Video Guidance Series
Use the following link to access these newly posted videos of Dr. Suzuki speaking about the philosophy of Talent Education and the pedagogy of the Suzuki Method.
The Suzuki Method Video Guidance Series
This series was produced in the mid-1970’s under sponsorship of the Sony Corporation. The videos were made on the recital hall stage of the Talent Education Research Institute, at the National Concert in Tokyo and in venues around Matsumoto used for the TERI Summer School.
Now Online:
The Suzuki/Starr Videos
The ISA is thrilled to announce the posting of this original video series, first recorded beginning in 1968. This series is a comprehensive collection of interviews with Dr. Suzuki explaining his ideas on Talent Education, and demonstrating the teaching points of the Suzuki Violin School, with additional footage of Japanese teachers and students in lessons and concerts during that time period.
Summaries for each of the 12 videos are included:
The ISA gratefully acknowledges the family of William Starr and the SAA for providing ISA the rights to post this video series on the ISA website.
Announcing a New Publication from ISA
The ISA is proud to announce this important new publication chronicling the life of Dr. Suzuki decade by decade through text and pictures, from his early upbringing, his time in Germany, the return to Japan, and the flowering of the Talent Education movement worldwide.
The ISA is indebted to Mikio Shin of TERI, the original author of the Chronology, for his permission to expand and translate this significant new document. And to Lili Selden and Ruth Miura for their work on the English translation.
Currently the Chronology is only available to view online. Any inquiries about print copies should be directed to your particular Regional Association.
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