LET US WORK TOGETHER!
4th Suzuki Teachers’ Xchange Weekend in Germany
for Suzuki Violin, Viola, Cello, Recorder and Piano Teachers
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Intensive Courses for Books 1-5 for Suzuki Violin Teachers
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Suzuki Violin teacher training for Levels 1-4
Certainly one of the high points in my Suzuki year is the annual meeting for Suzuki teachers in Remscheid, Germany. Now back home, I reflect on a fantastic four days of reconnecting with old friends, intensive exchange of pedagogical concepts and even an evening “session” of (mostly) Irish and (a bit of) American fiddle music with colleagues from Ireland and Germany.
The Intensive Course for Suzuki Violin Books 3-5 under the direction of Kerstin Wartberg took place on Friday and Saturday morning.
Topics included scales, improving intonation, shifting using ideas from Mimi Zweig, comparison of Vivaldi recordings, preparation for thirds and a view into the monthly technique class of the team from Ingolstadt.
As Saturday progressed, more and more teachers began arriving from all over Europe for the European Xchange Conference. It is impossible to list all of the lectures and presenters here.
EVERYTHING I experienced provided new impulses and ideas for my furture work.
A brief list: a discussion round about ADHD (Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder). with Dr. Ingrid Schlenk (Germany); a brief report about the establishment of a new Suzuki Association in Austria; presentation of a Suzuki Violin Project for needy children in India (Claire Raybould, Great Britain); an introduction of the “Children’s Music Laboratory” by Marco Messina and Sara Migliorini (Italy); two fact-filled presentations by Claudio Forcada (England/Spain); and never to miss, an animated presentation of rhythmic exercises for group lessons by Gino Romero Ramirez (Columbia/Germany). An absolute high point was the conferences last formal presentation by Europe’s most experienced Violin Teacher Trainer Tove Detreköy (Denmark) with the core message:
“To teach is to touch a life forever”.
A festive close for the conference was a performance of Bach’s E Major Violin Concerto by three different soloists and the Conference Orchestra under the direction of Bela Detreköy.
After many goodbyes, the remaining participants returned to work at the Intensive Course for Suzuki Violin Books 1-2. Our heads already full to the brim, we continued to contemplate better ways to teach our beginners with tips from Kathrin Averdung, Veronika Kimiti, Andrea Vayer, Sergej Simkin, Max Paetzold and of course, Kerstin Wartberg.
Many, many thanks to Kerstin Wartberg and the Piecks for their superb organization of a fantastic conference.
Mike Hoover
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Once again, “Exchange” workshop has been a source of fresh air where Suzuki teachers from all around Europe have shared ideas, projects and enthusiasm. Although it is just a two-day meeting, the timetable includes time for lectures, talks and to play together what makes the experience quiet intense and fruitful.
The Suzuki Exchange has become part of my annual agenda and it is a pleasure to come back home renovated and full of inspiration after meeting so many friends.
Claudio Forcada
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Conference Materials
During the next weeks we will publish several
Teaching Materials, Abstracts and Manuscripts.
No. 1: Enjoying Violin Technique, Vol. 2A
by Kerstin Wartberg
ONE and TWO Octave Scales & Arpeggios for Suzuki Violin Students in Books 3-5
Piano Arrangements by David AndrussFREE DOWNLOAD:
Violin book (35 pages) and piano accompaniments (95 pages)
It was great!
When I returned to Spain, I was so motivated and have had such a joy in the heart, like a child!
To Ms. Wartberg, all the teachers and Ms. and Mr. Pieck, Thank you!
I was at this convention. I saw a forest of great violin teachers who are going to decide the dircetion of violin teaching all across the world. Teachers willing to learn more so that they can give more to their pupils.
It was a long trip coming from Africa but very worthwhile.
Looks like you all had a wonderful time.
Hi Kerstin. That looks Great!
Janice
Thanks for your wonderful download, Kerstin Wartberg!!
I look forward to using your material for years to come — best to you in getting the word out about your wonderful books!
Martha
What a fantastic weekend it was, Kerstin!
Noelle & I so enjoyed it. We learned so much and enjoyed it.
It was so great to exchange ideas and meet like minded teachers from all around Europe.
Congrats to you and your husband. Can’t wait for the next one!
Bernadette
Kerstin, thank you for your gracious generosity!
A very successful conference at which I have personally contributed most on the lectures by Claudio Forcada, especially the lecture on “Memory and string playing.”
Thank you for the excellent organization!
Hi Kerstin,
I enjoyed the whole workshop I got great new ideas and i am working on my students with them. Your STEP by STEP books are fantastic and for the slow speed students they enjoy them because then can play with the CD’s.
I am looking forward to the next in Germany.
Every year the program is very tight. Again it was full of inspiring, enriching, practical ideas!!! and helpful for any type of music educational activity.
Thanks to you, Ms. Wartberg and the other lectures for the efforts and good preparation and professional mediation.
Thanks also to Ms. Monika Pieck and her husband having lovingly chosen for us the family room. It was perfect for us.
The point which is especially heart-touching for me is, that I can experience every time the friendly, warm atmosphere between each other – you can feel the spirit of Suzuki.
Thanks for the great weekend! It was very interesting and very nice!
Too bad that sometimes very attractive lectures / courses took place at the same time. There were only a few lectures scheduled without “competing events” at the same time.
Now I am looking for some private video material of the lessons in order to “catch up”.
(I live in Vienna and the way is long and expensive. Therefore I want to acquire as much as possible).
The lesson of Gino I have, now I’m still looking for a person who has made recordings of Claudio Forcada’s lectures. Who could help me with this?
Dear Mrs. Wartberg,
The teaching team of Ingolstadt is very grateful for the all the organization work and the realization of the international conference. This time our whole teacher team could attend all 4 days of the conference and the intensive courses. Even though every one of us works on different levels, it was for all of us a very enriching conference, we learned not only for our own development, but also so much for our everyday teaching.
The absolute highlight for all of us was the last day, the violin intensive course, where you, Mrs. Wartberg, were teaching. During our long trip home to Ingolstadt we spoke again and again about this great teaching session. All of us agreed and hope so much, that you are willing to enrich the next conference with your deep teaching again.
It was an inspiring meeting, a place to get information, exchange ideas, meet other experienced professionals and become a better teacher.
The recorder and flute teachers would like to thank as well for the very motivating European Suzuki Teachers’ Xchange Conference in November. There were wonderful and enlightening lectures which were also very helpful for our own teaching at home.
The atmosphere was so warm and friendly and made us feeling very comfortable between all the violinists and cellists. Especially fun for us was the conference orchestra under the competent direction of Bela Detreköy.
My sincere thanks go to Tove Detreköy for her outstanding philosophy lecture! Her wise and experienced words in the spirit of Suzuki was for each of us a great encouragement as Suzuki teacher and a confirmation why it is so important continuing the long road with our students …
Best wishes!
Angela Christin Kunder
Our daily teaching brings always new challenges.
Therefore it is so helpful, to exchange with other Suzuki colleagues from all over Europe, USA and Africa. Also during this conference there were excellent lectures and I got many valuable ideas and inspiration for my daily teaching from them.
The whole conference atmosphere was harmonious and helpful for everyone to strive for a better way of teaching. Particularly Tove and Bela Detreköy were very inspiring. They demonstrated clearly through their long life experience what counts.
They showed us how much responsibility our profession brings with it: Our profession is not to teach only notes, but to encourage and to support the child’s overall development through learning an instrument.
Thank you for this highly successful Suzuki Xchange weekend at Remscheid Academy!
I look forward to the coming next year!
Hi Kerstin,
Thank you, I enjoyed so much the workshop November 2012. I have returned with lots of fresh ideas and abundance of energy. It is such a good idea for teachers around the world to get together and exchange ideas in an organised way.
Your books are fantastic and well planned. My students love the CD’s with the different speeds.
They can see their progress. I have implemented what I learned into my programme and see great results.
Just something else on my mind. Teachers spend their lives giving and giving and love to do it.
They forget the most important person, themselves.
Teaching is very draining. We need to be replenished.
I returned home from the workshop motivated and energized. Meeting the community of Suzuki teachers gave me the injection of love and support that I needed.
I look forward to the next one.
Bernadette Robinson
Dear Mrs. Wartberg,
There were so many good, exciting and profound lectures at the conference in November. But there were special moments in which all of us almost didn’t dare to breathe – in order to hear everything as clearly as possible. One of them was the moment when Tove Detreköy entered the podium. Her words were based on a long intensive musical life and gave us an insight view of her teaching life experience.
Her sentence “To teach is to touch a life forever.” brings it so clearly to the point. We should be aware, what possibilities and responsibilities we have, when we teach children, not only musically, but also in which direction we can guide children and provide them an impetus for personal growth and maturation.
Best wishes and thanks again,
Traute Ehlerding
Dear Suzuki family,
On behalf of the Ingolstadt Suzuki team I’d like to thank warmly all persons involved for this great weekend in Remscheid.
Personally, I think still today with great admiration about the energy and enthusiasm of Bela Detreköy, who conducted the conference orchestra with the spirit of a very experienced deep music lover and at the same time with the joy of a very young boy.
Thank you, Bela Detreköy, for letting us participating on your musical inspiration and your personal way to make so fantastic music. For me as Suzuki teacher-to-be I regard you in many ways as my example and model.
Warmest greetings to all participants
from Ingolstadt and Nuremberg, which are full of snow today.
Sergej Simkin
I sincerely want to thank all lecturers and organizers for this wonderful Teachers’ Xchange Weekend in Remscheid.
I came home very motivated, with many new ideas and teaching inspirations. The whole conference was really a great gift for all of us!