Yes, You Can.

Here in Minnesota folks go to the cabin for Memorial Day weekend. It's unbelievable that after the long winter, the first 70 degrees days would be spent. . . going farther north. I can't even really believe this. My dream cabin is actually in Hawaii.

Suzuki teachers don't take this luxury. We hunker down in Minneapolis and settle ourselves to eat at restaurants where at least we can sit outside for lunch. We are at the five day Suzuki Association of the Americas Conference. I spent 45 hours there between Thursday and Sunday. I'm not going back today. You can't make me. I'm going to the green house. If it rains toady I'm going to garden in the rain.

My friend Vickie came from Texas and stayed with me for the conference. You never know that moment when the real bond was formed. Was it the 2010 conference? Was it 2003 at Snowmass? Was it in Houston or at a meal at Doris Harrel's home? Somewhere along the line it just happened and now you have a lifelong friend. A friend who will sit and watch your teaching videos without yawning or criticizing. A friend who says, that one--is not quite good enough, but I know you can do better, and you believe her. And you watch her videos and you don't yawn either.

Character first, skill second. This is a Suzuki core principle. All the people we celebrated this weekend are folks of such character, generosity, and musicianship that you really can't even believe it. It's over the top daunting to think that somehow your generation is going to have to step up to the plate as these folks, the Starrs and the Preucils, the Doris Harrels, the Doris Koppelmans this whole generation of leadership, these people who brought the Suzuki method to the United States and fostered it like a child, approach retirement. Sadly we have already lost a few. We are not worthy.

So we do teacher training applications. For hours and hours and hours. Not because we are worthy. Because somebody has to do it and it must go forward.

One of the gals who spoke about the Preucils fought back her emotion as she just kept saying over and over and over what they had said to her over and over and over. Yes, you can. Yes, you can.

Yes, you can get up at 6:00 a.m. every morning and practice with your son. Yes, you can take that extra student. Yes, you can be organized enough to be a teacher mother. Yes, you can teach your daughter with patience after a long day. Yes you can plan that Chamber Music event.

In the case of folks like Caroline Fraser, yes you can take the Suzuki method to Latin America. Was there a dry eye in the house when those kids, from countries who did not have music education, at all, performed at the concert Saturday night, with amazing love and skill. Oh. My. God.

I'll never leave that kind of legacy. And who from the next tier will? Perhaps it will have to be like a tree, where these folks, these Dorises, these trunks of the tree grow their branches through us and even though we may never carry that weight, the leaves will still multiply and grow toward the sun. Even if my branch is smaller, it's still a branch and it's still fed from that trunk and shares those roots.

I watched a ton of super inspirational masterclasses with amazing kids and super amazing teachers. I listened to translators take Japanese to English so we could hear from the first Suzuki violinist who came to the United States to tour in 1964. I learned about the history of Suzuki. More about the history that is. And I reconfirmed my belief that every child can, but added to that that it's better when they start at birth and ideally we should be following around pregnant women with our business cards. (I'm only half kidding. . . )

Congrats to all the teachers who gave sessions and masterclasses. Congrats to Jeremy who brought a major Dalcroze focus to the weekend. Without his rhythmic movement classes I might have slunk into a powerpoint induced coma. Congrats to all the teachers who brought students--what amazing pianists! To Gail who chaired the piano portion. Safe travels home for everyone.

I saw so many friends. I met a new friend named Susan. I'm so warm and fuzzy. Suzuki teachers are just really really good people. Character first.

I also saw world class music making. There aren't any other kids who play like this. Skill may come second after character, but . . . don't sell it short. Dr. Suzuki wasn't messing around and neither was the next generation and I'm here to say, yes I can, on behalf of those of us who never saw Suzuki face to face.

I wish I had.
Can I be good enough to be a branch of this tree?
Yes, I can.
Yes, you can.
Yes, we can.