Beaver Creek News

Hello from the Colorado Suzuki Institute, live in Beaver Creek, Colorado. In case you are new to the blog, Suzuki Institutes are "camps" where kids go for a week to study their instrument, but unlike other camps, in keeping with the Suzuki triangle, parents accompany their kids to institutes and follow them around and take notes and practice with them and stay in a very small hotel room and spend 24/7 hours a day with them for a good 5-7 days. There is wine available. Here in Beaver Creek, us poor parents are also exposed to luxury hotels, high-end shopping, the Rocky Mountains, world class gardens, nightly ice-skating, bungee jumping and concerts in one of the finest halls you will ever visit.

Mary and Matthew, one of my students, are here doing the institute. They both auditioned and were selected to perform on one of two student honor recitals. Can I express the impact that auditioning, being accepted, preparing for, finding the God-blessed dress for, and performing in the recital has?  I don't think I can. The kids just grow. This was number six for me--as a parent. Three times per kids. So---just like when I used to get pulled over by the state patrol coming home from late night Texas gigs--eventually, after this many times--my blood pressure barely even rose. But you still want the kids to have a positive experience. And they did. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm really proud of Mary and Matthew, but that's just a selfish icing on the cake of their experience.

I've been doing informal research about how to get kids to love music. How to get them to stay. How to keep them engaged. My back of the envelop says that kids who go to summer institutes don't quit. There's something very deep and engaging about the whole deal. Every class and every faculty member that they are exposed to has some impact upon them. My kids remember every teacher they ever had for every class. We've got pictures of Mary at 2 running around Beaver Creek like she owns the joint.

There's a million reasons why this is important. Kids are really smart. Does the fact that mom and dad bought airline tickets or drove across the country and booked a hotel and bought groceries and paid for ice-cream and dinners out go over their heads? Or does it send the ultimate message that this is really important and special. Music is really important and special. They are really important and special.

It's just one tool in the tool-box. There are kids who can't afford institutes and we are all working on that. MacPhail in Minneapolis is an extremely affordable option. There are many, many scholarships available. My kids' childhood summers are punctuated by these institutes.

Here's a couple links to Mary and Matthew's performances. And that. . . is the Beaver Creek News.

Link to Matthew's Ecossaise at the Vilar Center
Link to Mary's Gavotte at the Vilar Center

While you are at it. . . check out Calvin's concerto last week at his freshman recital and check out my youtube channel. . . there are a bunch of new videos to share.
Link to Calvin's F Minor Concerto at Sundin Hall