The 2019 Greenville Suzuki Workshop was a BIG success!
Many of the 126 students attending the workshop began their classes on Friday evening. Students were involved in one, two and sometimes three activities on Friday. Their choices included Advanced Ensemble for those already playing in an orchestra or ensemble, Introduction to Ensemble Playing, Cello Choir, Viola Ensemble and Fiddling. Another option available on Friday night was an individual Master Lesson with the Suzuki clinician of their choice.
The first class of the day on Saturday was a Suzuki Early Childhood Class for babies and toddlers ages zero through 3. This class is designed to teach developmental skills to very young children through the use of music and games. The class was attended by 12 children and their parents, the youngest being 5 months and the oldest, 3 years old.
Eleven Suzuki Clinicians came to Greenville from Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, Colorado, Missouri, Florida and Texas. We offered four enrichment classes to expose our students to musical experiences in other disciplines including Art, Rhythm & Tap, Music Invention, and Fiddle. Three pianists provided accompaniment to the students.
The day ended with a concert performed by every student attending the Workshop on the stage of the Paul Mathews Auditorium at Greenville High School with the exception of Early Childhood. Jenny Burton, a Greenville Suzuki Workshop clinician from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, served as our consultant and director of the Festival Concert. The beautifully performed concert was a real treat, touching the hearts of all in attendance and the culmination of a day and a half of fun and work.
Many students and parents attend weekend workshops during school and week-long institutes in the summer to enjoy making new friends and renewing relationships with old friends. They come because they have opportunities to play an instrument they love with these new and old friends. All students attending a Suzuki workshop or institute have learned to play from memory the same music in the same order from the Suzuki repertoire. These students can go anywhere in the world to have lessons or perform with Suzuki students they have never met even though they may not speak the same language. Music is the common language. Suzuki students and parents came to Greenville last weekend to enjoy the opportunity to make music, to socialize, to compare notes and experiences, and to learn from our outstanding Suzuki clinicians who have a strong grasp of the Talent Education philosophy in their minds and a strong dose of the Suzuki spirit in their hearts.
Many thanks to the Leadership team members, who have been working since March organizing the workshop. They helped create, print and mail all of our various flyers and brochures, register students, make schedules for teachers, parents and students and so much more. The 2019 Workshop Leadership Team members include:
- GISD Suzuki instructor Dr. Jenny Lee Vaughn
- GISD Suzuki instructor Dr. Monica Rodriguez de la Hoz
- GISD Suzuki instructor Muriel Kerr
- Greenville Suzuki Strings Association President Frances Green
- Greenville Suzuki Strings Association Member Trena Stafford
- Greenville Suzuki Strings Association Member Lucy Chung
- Parent Club officer Chie Wilcock
- Parent Club officer Laurie Spivey
- GISD Deputy Superintendent Sharon Boothe
This nine-member team planned and directed all aspects of the workshop with the assistance of 40 volunteers who are members of the Greenville Suzuki Parents Club. Without this dedicated group of volunteers devoting their time and efforts in every conceivable way, the Workshop simply could not have happened.
