The Baltic States welcomes SUZUKI™ Violoncello

By Sirje

09th June 2016

It was hardly a year ago, at the 2015 Estonian Suzuki Summer Camp, when representatives of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Martin Rüttimann Chairman of the ESA, held a meeting to start a Baltic Suzuki Violoncello project.  Although all three Baltic States are quite small, there was a keen interest for Suzuki Violoncello Teacher Training in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania so all three countries joined together to focus on establishing a joint Suzuki Violoncello Teacher Training course.  Leaders of this project are Janne Vasser (Estonia), Kristine Ravina (Latvia) and Valdas Povilaitis (Lithuania).

That Autumn, the search for a Violoncello Teacher Trainer for this project began and we were delighted when Anja Maja from Finland agreed to help us. 

On the 4th and 5th of June this year, the Baltic Suzuki Violoncello Introductory Course took place in the Estonian Music Academy, Tallinn. Altogether, there were 26 participants- students from the Estonian Music Academy and Violoncello Teachers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

These two days were full of real Suzuki spirit.  Anja Maja gently introduced all participants to the basics of the Suzuki approach and gave them the opportunity to take part in improvised group lessons and review some points of the Suzuki repertoire.  The teachers asked many relevant questions and discussions were held about Suzuki Pedagogy and Violoncello Teaching.

The course ended with Anja’s students from Helsinki playing together with the Violoncello teachers from all three Baltic states so that the participants could feel the sharing and caring atmosphere of Suzuki teaching. We are very thankful to Anja and her wonderful students! 

The Baltic Suzuki Violoncello Teacher Training Course will start in September this year.   Special thanks to the STT for their support in making this project possible! 

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