Suzuki Idiocy - Soonee? anyone?

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Registered: 11-22-2006
Suzuki Idiocy - Soonee? anyone?
9
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 11:06am

OK so I posted yesterday that there was a bit of a Suzuki fiasco going on in my violin studio. They are such a bunch of goons. I really have been sitting on an email from them from last friday and I have waited to respond because there were still issues up in the air. Now I could use some advice. I dont want my response to be too wordy or scattered.
So basically here is the backgound. I have 3 virtuosi in my studio. NIcholas is 11 and has Aspergers which was diagnosed a few years ago. He is brilliant and quite a prodigy having already performed as soloist with orchestra right before he turned ten. He is VERY challenging to teach and sometimes I am tempted to start notes for a book on it because I have to assume that cases like his exist everywhere since with great talent sometimes you have great issues to contend with. Nicholas has a brother who is 8 and just as talented except he has a larger focus and attention span than I do. Both boys have been out of Suzuki for years now so they are well beyond that stuff but still enjoy the old repertoire. It is part of their history with the instrument and they love it. I do all of the review with them for the festival as well as teach them new materials for the top levels which sometimes takes us out of my curriculum for weeks. I do it because they have done the festival for years and I want the kids to enjoy themselves and play in groups occasionally. Isabella is their little sister and she is five and cute cute cute. She is in Suzuki book 6 . For those who know Suzuki that last sentence doesnt even make sense she is so advanced. She plays Vivaldi Concertos like she is eating a fruit snack and sometimes in the middle will ask if she can go pee. Very cute and all three LOVE the violin. They are also all homeschooled.
We have a violin teacher in town who is kind of famous in the land of Suzuki and fancies herself to be sitting at the throne of these festivals. In fact she made it difficult for me ( ME at nine ) to play in her top group. She forced me to perform the piece in front of all of them to prove I could do it and was just cold. Then she approached me with my parents after and told us I was playing on a horrible instrument and needed to change teachers immediately. My parents werent stage parents at all and just kind of thought she was crazy but I will never forget it. Years later I would beat every one of her students in competitions and she would never even look or speak to me backstage. My teacher would always talk and congratulate her students but she would never return the favor. I think the woman probably hates me but for no good reason in my eyes.

So now my precious students would be having to work with her in that top level of playing. Nicholas has been at the top level of the festival (which is 98% her students) for three years now so he was up there when he was eight. She is obviously annoyed by this and yes, Nicholas does have trouble focusing but his Mom is always there to help out. She apparently asked for them to tell any kid who couldnt focus/stay on task/maintain the level of playing to step down and they refused last year to implement that. There were complaints from the clinicians that SHE HIRED for her students top level that Nicholas was difficult a few years ago ( 3 years ago I think!!) and when the director of the festival wouldnt implement the policy about focus and consistency of playing she demanded an age limit be placed stating that the concepts were too mature for the little ones. Neither the parents nor I were notified of any of these concerns about Nicholas EVER. Keep in mind this is a SUZUKI festival. Suzuki toured with the youngest players playing large concerti all over the world to promote his method which if you follow it to the letter should be started VERY early. These kids I have are a literal Suzuki commercial in the making. So they placed the age limit at 10 this year which meant Nicholas was in ( that surprised me - might be an oversight on their part because NIcholas is VERY small for his age) but Joshua who is now ready for the final level and had prepared it suddenly is out. Also, soon I have to think Isabella will be facing this roadblock. The kids have been attending the festival under the umbrella of their old Suzuki teacher with whom they still do group lessons and events and she is great. She is a SAGWA member so she meets their requirements. This year I get an email sent to my student (??)to give to me that states that the kids can no longer attend at all if I dont join. I dont teach Suzuki except to little Isabella because I focus on advanced or virtuosi players. This is my niche so to speak so I really have never thought to join SAGWA. I wrote a few emails, some pointed, and managed to get them in this year still under the old teacher's name and yesterday received notice ( again from the student, no word from the festival itself) that they are now allowing Joshua in the top group because they admit that their literature was inconsistent ( this new rule wasnt placed everywhere - I pointed out this in my pointed email) They stated clearly that they will not be contacting me directly since I am not a member. ??
So I have got what I wanted right? Well, not really because for them to keep going I would have to join. The age limit will continue and prevent Joshua next year for sure. Isabella will have the same problem. AND they admitted in their one and only email to me last week ( it was also sent to their old teacher) that they only made this rule because of the complaints from the clinician they received years ago with Nicholas. I think they may have admitted to this because I pushed them and said in my pointed email that although they reserve the right to implement new rules at any time, those effected reserve the right to question the new rules and ask when the decision was made and for what reason. They NEVER contacted me or the parent about it these complaints on Nicholas so that we could work with them toward a solution- instead they just invented this new anti Suzuki rule to make sure they could exclude these children in the future. WTH? The clinics he had trouble focusing on are scheduled a the discretion of the the director and are THREE hours long with no break except for five minutes between the second and third hour. The clinics get harder with each hour as they change from a local teacher in charge to a slightly better known teacher to a nationally renown one brought in especially for the festival. How is an eight year old supposed to do well under these circumstances? It isnt like they dont know that there will be an eight year old there since he has registered before hand and they just seem to overlook this, schedule in this crazy way and then enjoy scrutinizing him. They also have mde a point in criticizing me by saying in three emails to other people that have forwarded them to me that I am not honoring my roots by refusing to join their group. Why would I want to join a group like this? I am sure they would enjoy using my name but I dont want to be listed next to that other teacher on her throne. Somehow I have to decide whether I want to cave in and join so that the students I have at least COULD go if they wanted and attempt to change some thigns from the inside if at all possible or to just explain to the parents that I have no students of mine in this atmosphere because I dont find it to be...well...good enough for them.

FYI Nicholas has been diagnosed with Aspergers but the parents are private about it. I dont think they would want that info out there for fear he would be forever labeled and so I cant put that in any communication with them.

Any advice? I am so frustrated even though I have one a few battles with them from last week... It is just grueling.

Lilypie - Personal picture
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Registered: 09-11-2007
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 12:45pm

Hi City,


I don't have a single word of advice for you on this.

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Registered: 11-22-2006
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 4:30pm
Thanks Moon....I am glad things worked out for Joshua and I do feel like I was right to stand up for all of them. Unfortunately in doing so, I had to deal with people who were catty and snobby and defensive. I am still reeling from some of what was put in those emails and do feel I will have to respond in some way if not just to defend myself a bit and to advocate for this family and others like them. It occurs to me that the only children this young coming to me are going to always fall under those restrictions because I dont end up teaching the average young violinist. I teach the special cases which is wonderful and a privelege I feel I have earned and love very much. I guess my big question to myself has been to ask myself how much this festival really means to their development as a young musician and would I be taking it away from them by taking a stand and refusing to join for next year and the years that folllow. I dont want my students missing out on something just because I disagree with some of their views even though these views seem very major to me. There were just no steps taken to accomodate Nicholas or his siblings in what should clearly be a special set of circumstances. Instead the children are just expected to have the focus and awareness of older students and when they dont they are punished. At the very least since my students level of playing is well over where it is required to be to play in this thing, you would think the organizers would see how young they are from the application and contact them to let them know that they are allowed to take small breaks and have a parent on hand for support if they need it. It should be celebrated that these kids are so amazing and they deserve special consideration - again, this is exactly what Suzuki was shooting for in his method so thy are sparkling examples. I would be offering them gas money if I was heading the organization just to make sure they made it but that is just me and obviously I am biased!!
Lilypie - Personal picture
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Registered: 11-03-2003
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 4:59pm

I loved this: She plays Vivaldi Concertos like she is eating a fruit snack

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Registered: 11-22-2006
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 5:03pm
thanks soonee for your thought on this. I really want to handle it in a way which will leave an impression without them being able to dismiss me as a temperamental soloist who thinks she can now teach....
It really bugs me that they arent making considerations for the individual. They MUST see how special Nicholas is with his way of being and suspect he has learning issues to boot. But NOOOOO, they have chosen to just exclude them with this bogus age thing....very annoying and as you say entirely anti Suzuki!!!
Lilypie - Personal picture
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Registered: 05-13-2005
Tue, 04-08-2008 - 9:08pm

Sorry - I have no idea either - but was so impressed with the kids talent and you looking out for them.

I think you should stall and not join unless they are willing to include you more - but maybe discuss everything with them in person or by phone and offer a solution that you want?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2003
Sat, 04-12-2008 - 5:42pm

Well, these ideas definitely weren't worth the wait, but I'll offer them anyway.


It seems to be that if it's not specifically a SAGWA-sponsored event, they can't exclude non-SAGWA members.

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Registered: 11-22-2006
Sat, 04-12-2008 - 11:10pm

Thanks Soonee!
Well the festival is this weekend and I decided to wait to send them any response until my students were done and outta there. No need to make things more tense.
It is/was a SAGWA event so they have a right to ask me to join but I think it is rude considering the kids still take group classes with their first violin teacher, a Suzuki member who is up on her dues and a member of SAGWA and volunteering there, although begrudgingly after this fiasco. It seems only common that an advanced teacher who only teaches younger ones if they are prodigy material would not be a SAWGA member unless they are being pushed in a corner and this is my current situation. They insist they run solely on the registration and membership fees and this is why they must insist on no exceptions but still the kids already have a teacher on board that is paying so what gives? I have half a mind to offer them the fee and tell them to never print my name just to see if it is my name they are really looking for. I doubt that though because they have the big wig teacher in their festival and events and she is very good and intimidating everyone else's students out of there so that the top groups can be exclusively her studio. She is the one who I am sure has excluded my students and lodged complaints about the one with Aspergers without notifying the parents or trying to work with them. I am nowhere near as known as she is as a teacher even though I am quite well known as a violinist and especially in my area. I think my presence in SAGWA would annoy her which is tempting but I am not confident I could sway any of their policies with her sitting so firmly on the throne as the top teacher there. I think my energies might be better spent elsewhere so I am thinking of writing them an email AFTER I hear how the festival goes and I will take everything that happens this weekend and factor it in to my response.

I have used some choice names this week in my thoughts of them so I had to laugh at yours. It has been hard to keep my mouth shut and wait but I am proud of myself for doing it. The fact that her last email to me said straight up that I needed to embrace my roots more just bugs the living daylights out of me.

I did have an advanced student here the other day and I asked her mom out of curiosity whether she had ever attended the festival. I got this "ugh, yessss" from her and then she asked if the young prodigies were going and I said they were but we were in a bit of a mess. I couldnt believe it but she said " Oh God I hope ****** isnt still running it. That woman shouldnt throw a tupperware party let alone a Suzuki festival...." I laughed so hard. It really made me feel better about things....lol

Lilypie - Personal picture
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Registered: 11-03-2003
Sat, 04-12-2008 - 11:44pm

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Registered: 11-22-2006
Sun, 04-13-2008 - 12:34am

I think there is a widespread thing with Suzuki fanatics ( even ones who go anti Suzuki on a whim to play politics) that children can stay with Suzuki as a life long Program and that includes studying even the highest concerti with Suzuki accredited teachers. This idea to me is ludicrous and I pointed it out in my email to her last week although I did it nicely. I merely wrote that it seemed only par for the course that children as talented as the ones in question would eventually move from their Suzuki teacher to an advanced instructor who by and large in this area are NOT Suzuki. I can teach Suzuki of course but the information I lend in an advanced lesson on something like the Mendelssohn or Tchaikovsky Concerto has 20% (maybe) to do with anything I learned in Suzuki and 80% to do with what I learned after. Suzuki ends at book ten which is a good 5 years (if you are tunnel-visioned) before most would even attempt to read the Tchaikovsky so the technique is staggeringly more difficult. I finished the Suzuki books at nine or ten and I played the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the NSO at 15 but I missed my whole childhood practically -not that I am complaining! I simply dont believe even a great Suzuki teacher has the chops to teach one of these huge concerti at the same level someone who regularly performs them does. It is a different level of thinking altogether. I guess the possibility exists that there is a teacher out there that teaches pure Suzuki and has a flourishing concert career in the solo world but I doubt it. There isnt time in the day for both. It would seem to me I would be the best of both worlds to them since I have taught Suzuki in two countries and run a successful studio here ( two of my students just one great prizes locally the other week) as well as playing with orchestra regularly here and out of town as soloist with great reviews. So maybe they want the name after all - it is just hard for me to see myself that way.
Basically though I think she truly has no understanding of the level of teaching that is required for very advanced young players. If she thinks a number of Suzuki teachers in the area already can do this she is just not aware of what the bigger concerti entail. So the fact that I am standing up and saying hey look I am one of a few teachers in the area that could teach these kids the way their talent deserves and none of us have a reason to be a SAGWA member annoys her because she thinks the kids could easily study somewhere else, Suzuki and still be well trained and succeed. She is basically a snob and she is stubborn and wrong all at the same time.
I do support my roots in agreeing to review and learn new material outside of my own curriculum for months in order to support these young talents in participating in a Suzuki festival - one that barely seems to accommodate them while they conveniently reap tons of rewards by the sheer sight of them on stage. Pretty aggravating to even think about.
I loved the Tupperware comment more than I can describe.
I am wondering how it all went today. I wont know until Monday. Depending on what I hear, my email will either be curt or cutting. I can only hope they are behaving themselves at this point. And I dont meant the kids.

Just to point out how corrupt the big teacher in the festival is - a violin maker I know and love just sold a $20,000 violin to one of her 12 year old students. She normally only sends her students to one violin shop in town and they kindly in turn rack up the violin prices to give her a cut. I wasnt positive how much her cut was but the rumor was 25% - all of which gets paid by the parents who have no idea BTW. Sends her students in, they buy, she profits. They tend to have the most expensive violins in all of the studios too which makes them sound better and her look better and her get richer. great, right? So anyhow, my violin maker friend has won numerous awards and is a really great guy - her student must have heard about him somewhere and contacted him without informing her teacher. They picked his violin over 8 others and informed the teacher of their choice. This teacher called the violin maker at 8 am the next morning to arrange her 30% commission. Can you believe that? She didnt even send the kid there for goodness sake and even if she had - how corrupt can you get? 30% tagged on to the price is ridiculous. I dont know how she even expected him to do this after the fact since surely they would have asked for a price before then. I know with the other shops she has the salesmen trained to ask who the kids study with upfront and there are no prices ever on the violins so they adjust them in their heads. Ugh. If I was as corrupt as her BTW I would be a very rich woman. I bet I have made this guy 150000 in the past few years in sales. I send everyone there and he goes to all of my concerts. He refused to pay her anything and pointed out that it was illegal - she was apparently very surprised to hear this! (hah)

Lilypie - Personal picture