YUMI KENDALL, Founder

"The Suzuki Alumni Project is the inevitable culmination- and continuation- of joy for me. Colleagues around the world who have expressed pride --of bold, humble, modest, loud, grateful sorts-- in their Suzuki roots have inspired me to harness that collective energy and channel it into a united effort: to celebrate the Suzuki method of music education.

For those of you already involved in the Suzuki method in some way: tell us who you are, and tell us your story! I invite you to create you own “top (ten) moments of Suzuki Joy”, as I have done below, and email it to us (connect@suzukialumniproject.org). For those of you lurking for inspiration, thank you for indulging me in a “Suzuki kid” pursuit of going down memory lane with my Top Ten Moments of Joy from my Suzuki life so far:

#10 • Nancy Hair, my first Suzuki cello teacher (when I was age 5): she gave me a clip-on Raccoon for my bow tip, to feel the weight of the whole bow.

#9 • Carol Tarr, my second Suzuki cello teacher (age 6-7): tissue vibrato!

#8 • from Alice Vierra, my third Suzuki cello teacher: in group class, at the Unitarian Church of Arlington, I realized I could teach myself perfect pitch! (5th grade)

#7 • from Rodney Farrar, Suzuki Institute teacher: keyhole bow angle

#6 • Games group class at Suzuki Institute! with Pam Devenport

#5 • Unit practice from Grandfather: The nine families of unit practice, “Divide and Conquer like Alexander the Great!”

#4 • Practicing (i.e, negotiating) review pieces with Nicolas, my older violinist brother

#3 • Four Family Get-Togethers – once/month gatherings with Suzuki families consisting of capture-the-flag, potluck dinners, performing our latest Suzuki pieces for each other’s families, and dessert.

#2 • “Practice only on the days we eat”- Suzuki mantra lived up to in my home growing up!

#1 • The Suzuki Alumni Project: As grateful Suzuki “kids”, it is our sincere obligation to pay it forward- and back!- to the Suzuki education that gave us our musical roots. Our shared joy is The Suzuki Alumni Project."