Who is the Suzuki School of Newton?
We are a community of learners. The Suzuki School has two main programs, our music school and our Suzuki Preschool. According to the philosophy of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, we believe that talent is developed through a nurturing environment created by expert teachers, caring adults, and an encouraging peer group. It is a combination of these conditions that make our learning environment successful, but also a true community. Our teachers are excellent musicians and early childhood specialists, and our leaders are made up of experienced professionals who bring this expertise in guiding faculty and staff. We, the adults, are always learning and improving. Our board of directors play an active role in this and so do the parents of the students in our school. Without all of you, we are not the Suzuki School of Newton. For that, I am so grateful.
We are also producers of events. We have a presence in Waban Village and have a role of providing a community space for music, visual arts, meetings, rehearsals, and entertainment. Our Multicultural Festival last Saturday was a huge success, and many people made that possible. We are grateful to the professional performers Yoni Battat and friends (including Alyssa Lawson), Odaiko New England, and Zhonghe (Elena) Li. With art exhibits from Newton Art Association, Newton Watercolor Society and our artists from the Suzuki Preschool, we had a very lively afternoon that was also infused with the music from our Violin graduations thanks to all our dedicated Suzuki violin faculty. We have now become producers of events on a much larger scale. This Sunday, May 19th at Waban Village Day, our In Harmony Tour group is the featured performance at 11 am.
Our new logo represents the uplifting spirit that our students bring to the community. Abstractly we see the image of a person, of a musician, or even a sun in the sky, and we hope we bring this sense of joy to within our student body and to the friends and neighbors that we gather together. It is a symbol that helps us affirm our identity.
Sharing our identity with others is important. To the growing child, they, too, need reassurance as to their identity. As caregivers, we want to affirm their positive impact on our lives. We want to encourage their efforts, their accomplishments, and acknowledge their courage in the moments of challenge. Everything may not always be perfect, and mistakes will happen. But these do not change the identity of the person if we can affirm our belief in them as people and affirm our love. It is helpful for teenagers especially to have a connection to their peers and to their musical instrument. Through our group classes, we hope we are building this sense of identity and also the sense of belonging. These connections are very important to growth and to positive mental health.
As this is a busy time of year, it can be said that missing a deadline or an event can be disappointing to ourselves and to others, but we are only human. If we stay true to who we are, and encourage our children to believe in who they are inside, then what happens on the outside can sometimes not meet expectations and they are still okay. Likewise, success and bright moments can strengthen the inner being of the student that can then build confidence and inspire others.
Who we are is important. If we stay true to our core values, then we can be at peace with our inner selves.
This is our identity. This is who we are.