The biggest highlights for cello last year
were with our overseas guests at Winter
Festival and the Mini Festival, although
many events were enjoyed and provided
great learning opportunities for students.
CELLO PLAY-IN (5/3/06) As well as cello
playing at the Play-In in 2006 (which several
teachers joined in with as well), there was
lots of dressing up, and the telling of the
Two Grenadiers story.
WINTER FESTIVAL (26-30/6/06) International
Guest teacher Yoshihiko Terada (from
Japan) gave the students many
warm-hearted and extremely engaging
lessons. We had lots of teachers
enthusiastically absorbing Yoshi's ideas for
teaching, too.
CELLO GRADUATION The Cello Graduation
was a great celebration of new levels of
playing achieved yet again in 2006.
MINI FESTIVAL (22/10/06) At the last-minute,
Master cello teacher Gilda Barston became
available to teach, adding very much to
the rich opportunities for fun and learning at
the festival.
GRAND ANNUAL CONCERT (29/10/06) What
a great way to finish the year! There was a
good number of cello students playing,
and five teachers this time - all sounding
great!
Jacinth Powell
CHAIRPERSON
CELLO COMMITTEE
Cello
Flute
In 2006 the Autumn festival became the
Winter festival because of the International
Suzuki Conference held in Turin, Italy in April.
This Italian experience was rather
disappointing for the flute players because
there were so few attendees - only thirteen
students from around the world! (Compare
this with eighty harpists and of course
hundreds of violinists.) However it was
inspiring to experience the other instruments
and to play with them and for them.
In contrast, we had twenty one students
attending our own Winter Festival. Sarah
Hanley from Cornwall in the UK was our
imaginative and energetic teacher. We
would love to have her come again. The
teachers also enjoyed and benefited from
her expert guidance, improvising expertise
and lots of fun. We were pleased to
welcome Sally Tibbles from NZ to our
teacher group.
Graduations There were twenty six
graduating students in 2006, from Level 1 to
Level 6 and ranging in age from 8 - 17. Ten
of them were `live' which made a
wonderful concert experience, and it was
good to see the students' growing ability to
present their music to the audience with
confidence, finesse and good posture, as
well as fine musicianship.
Twenty six students attended and
performed with a number of teachers at
the Grand Annual Concert, ably rehearsed
by Christine Morris. Teacher graduates to
be congratulated were Jane Rayner
(Primary) and Felicity Kelly (Intermediate).
Mini-Festival was very much enjoyed by all
students who attended. Thanks to Kate,
Nathalie, Christine and Julia for inspiring
them.
Flute Concerts were not as popular as we
had hoped. There were only 21 solos and
not enough ensembles. We feel it was too
late in the year and we are changing the
timing for 2007 in the hope that every
teacher will send as many students as
possible, and start preparing now for group
items.
Our Fund Raising was successful, largely
due to our wonderful life member Hilary
Bergen who sold Freddo frogs through her
salon for us. In 2007 we plan to sell apples
instead.
Thanks are due to Julia Breen for her
constant inspiration and leadership for all
flute teachers. We would love to see many
more teachers participating in events.
Please make your presence and your
abilities felt and join in as much as you can.
Your contribution means so much.
Phyllis Todner
CHAIRPERSON
FLUTE COMMITTEE
Suzuki Music Annual
Report
2006 7
