Dear SuzukiMusic Families, 

I’m looking forward to another wonderful year at SuzukiMusic with you all! This year, our theme is Community Crescendo: Nurturing our Connections. 

So much loving work goes into so much beautiful music within the four walls of our teaching and practicing spaces, that it seems such a shame not to share it as freely and often as we can — with each other and with the greater Ottawa community! After a successful library performance last year, we will be returning to the Greenboro branch in February to share our music there. Throughout the year, we will organize various opportunities for students to perform in retirement homes, festivals, schools and markets. If you know a part of the Ottawa community that you think would appreciate our presence, do not hesitate to suggest it to us and we will do our best to make it happen! 

Not only will we be reaching the Ottawa community with our musical offerings, but we will also be encouraging families to take advantage of the rich musical community in which we live. Music is being shared somewhere in the city nearly every day, and being on the receiving end of these musical offerings can be an extremely inspiring experience for students and their families. Efforts will be made in this google doc as well as the weekly emails and our social media to keep you in the loop about upcoming concerts (particularly free and family-friendly ones, as well as those featuring members of our community!). 

Last, but certainly not least, we will be nurturing the connections within our own SuzukiMusic community. Music and Snacks in Britannia Park this weekend, the Play-In Potluck in November and other social events will bring us together to celebrate and share our experiences. Additionally, our Teen Mentorship Program exemplifies the potential of connections within our community! 

So, I hope you look forward to this year as much as I do! Keep your eye on the email newsletters and social media for recognition of our school’s achievements in working towards these community-focussed goals. I can’t wait to witness the growth of our SuzukiMusic community as it crescendos its connections! 

“Live by looking for things to do for other people…If your heart is set to work for others, then your mind should be able to work more sensitively in an expanded world.” ― Shinichi Suzuki

Sincerely, 

Emma Grant-Zypchen

SuzukiMusic Artistic Director 

Emma and a few of her students performing in June at the Polaris Spring Fair.

Welcome to the start of another fantastic year of making lovely music and new acquaintances! It is great to see the familiar faces from previous years, and super awesome to see new faces coming to our awesome school! The Board of Directors extends a hearty welcome to everyone!

The Board would like to thank Keite for all of her dedication to the school over the past several years! We would also like to welcome Emma, who will be taking over the Artistic Director position! We are excited for the new year that has been planned for us.

Please take a moment every week to read through the school news to stay in touch with all the latest news! 

Regards

Hubert Furey

President, Board of Directors

On Saturday September 23rd from 2pm-4pm we will be hosting a 

Beginning-of-Year Kickoff Social: Sharing Music and Snacks in the Park 

for all of the SuzukiMusic community! This event will be a casual opportunity for us all to reconnect after the summer, meet some new families and enjoy sharing some music, snacks and time in the park! 



• Bring your friends, families and furry creatures, or just your wonderful self! 
• Bring your instrument to play some Suzuki tunes (no need to prepare anything in advance) or just relax and listen! 
• Bring games to play, if you like! 
• Bring folding chairs or picnic blanket for your family.
• Bring snacks and/or drinks to share, or just enjoy what others have brought! 
• Stay for the full 2 hours, or just drop by for a few minutes! 

Location: Britannia Park. Park at the Britannia Beach Parking lot - see photo - we will be between the beach and the parking lot. Look for our Orange SuzukiMusic banner. 

Rain date: Sunday September 24th, 2pm-4pm 

RSVP (not required, but appreciated): by writing in this doc.

Our faculty and collaborative pianist, Liko Yamane, are getting ready for our annual Faculty Benefit Concert. This is always a very special event; a chance for students and their families to see their own teachers in performance while supporting our Bursary fund.

Our faculty and Liko donate their time to rehearse and perform for this special concert.

This is a pay what you can event with all proceeds going to our Bursary fund in support of students who needs some financial assistance to continue their music studies.

We have some exciting perks for attending this concert.

• All who attend are welcome to put their name in a draw for 2 tickets to an NAC event.
• There will be a silent auction for a house concert provided by faculty members Emma Grant-Zypchen and Erik Johnson-Scherger.

Spread the word and come enjoy a lovely concert with your friends and families!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Violin Faculty, Jenna O'Connor. Prior to moving to Ottawa, Mrs. O’Connor taught violin at the Orpheus Academy of Music in Austin, TX, and at the Vancouver Academy of Music in Vancouver, BC. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Music degree in Music Education with an emphasis on Suzuki Pedagogy from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.

Jenna is an experienced violin teacher. She will be teaching in her private studio, at group class and will be running the Teen Mentorship Program.

Welcome Jenna! For her full Bio click here.

We are very pleased to be offering the Suzuki Teen Mentorship training program this September through November of 2023! Students wishing to enroll must be aged 13 or over and be studying Suzuki Book 3 or over. Interested teen students and their families can view an outline of the program here, and email [email protected] to register or to ask any questions. You can also find details about this program on our website here.

Announcing a new online program for parents and their children as old as 3 years old, and as young as prenatal. It is designed to prepare younger children and their parents for entry into the Headstart program (ages 2.5 to 5). Children aged 2.5 to 3 can be placed in either the ECE program or the Headstart program, at the discretion of the teachers and parents. 

Click here for more information and to register.

The Government of Canada Workplace Charity Campaign(GCWCC)  is on now and is a great way for SuzukiMusic members and friends who are Public Servants to support our school.

Through the GCWCC, public servants can support any registered Canadian charity of their choosing, including our school. Our special thanks to those of you who have chosen to direct your donations toward SuzukiMusic. This year any donations will go first to supplying our group class classrooms with air filters.

SuzukiMusic is a non-profit corporation and registered charity. 892776378RR0001

Headstart registration for the 2023-2024 school year continues. Thank you for spreading the word among your families and friends with children between the age of 2 and 5 who may be interested in this wonderful introduction to music concepts and the instruments we teach at our school.

Please click here for more information and to register: 



We received Bronze in the Community Votes 2023 campaign! Thank you to everyone who voted for our school!

The SAO is running its annual conference on the weekend of November 11th. This year the conference will be held in Waterloo.

There will be no group classes on November 11th in Ottawa so that families can attend the student day at the conference. This is a great opportunity to meet other Suzuki families from other Suzuki schools and to get the perspective of a different teacher for a day.

Activities for Students

On Saturday November 11th there will be a workshop day for students that will include a group class, enrichment and a play-in. A parent session, presented by Robert Richardson (MB) will round out the student events. Cost will be 50$ per student to register.

Please click here to get more information and register for the student day.

Kickoff Social in the Park

Saturday Sept 23, 2023, 2-4 PM

Britannia Park

Teen Mentorship Program Registration Deadline

Saturday Sept 23, 2023

New Parent Orientation

Wednesday September 27th 6:30 to 8:30PM

email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

First Group Class

Saturday October 14th

Canterbury HS

Faculty Benefit Concert

Sunday October 22nd, 2:15 PM

Bells Corners United Church, 3955 Old Richmond Rd, Nepean, ON K2H 5C5

Annual General Meeting

Saturday October 28th Time TBD

Canterbury HS



Join the Suzuki Association of Ontario this fall for Planting the Seed: Growing the Suzuki Triangle. This 4-part online series is for Suzuki families and teachers. Each session will have a presentation and discussion providing valuable resources for all Suzuki families. 

You will receive an automated reminder before each event with the Zoom link. 

Event Dates:

Session 1: Welcome to the Suzuki Community with Anita Buttemer

Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 7pm

Session 2: Nurturing Independent Learning through Collaborative Note Taking with Paule Barsalou & Christie Zimmer

Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 7pm

Session 3: Developing Practice Independence with Sally Gross

Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 7pm

Session 4: Keeping Our Eyes Open: What can we observe in our children through music study with Danette Warren

Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7pm

Series registration includes access to all session recordings until August 31, 2024, and an SAO subscribing membership, connecting Suzuki families to the SAO quarterly newsletter and the Suzuki community.

Family Subscription 25$ 

Purchase of this subscription includes registration for the 4 Parent Education workshops, the quarterly SAO Newsletter, access to our members-only preferred rate for instrument insurance, and early registration for the SAO Conference.

This subscription level is intended for individual families.

Click here to register, select individual family rate.