At 2 pm: Austin McMahon is “one of the most in-demand jazz drummers in Boston.” Sought out for his versatility, he actively performs in an array of jazz and world music ensembles ranging from trio to chamber jazz and big band. He recently recorded with the Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra. McMahon has recently performed at such iconic venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Dizzy’s, Jordan Hall and numerous festivals, concert halls, theaters and clubs throughout the United States as well as the Dominican Republic, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Finland, China and India.

At 3 pm: Join keyboardist Hankus Netsky , bassist, singer and songwriter Tim Kiah, and gospel, jazz, and blues vocalist Janice Octavia Allen for a delightful set of Jazz Standards, Gospel, Blues, and original music.

A multi-instrumentalist and composer, Hankus Netsky is co-chair of New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Improvisation Department and founder and director of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, an internationally renowned Yiddish music ensemble. He has composed extensively for film theater and television, and has collaborated closely with Itzhak Perlman, Robin Williams, Joel Grey, Theodore Bikel, and Robert Brustein. An artist at home in many musical styles, he has recorded on Sony, EMI, Rounder, Vanguard, Tzadik, Wild Garden, and Traditional Crossroads. Learn more here.

Bassist and vocalist Tim Kiah has recorded and performed with Deborah Harry, Lenny Kravitz, Jerry Douglas and An dy Statman. He is the founder of the Endangered Quartet and has toured internationally with Sotto Voce, a quintet led by saxophonist and composer Roy Nathanson. He has received commissions from Chamber Music America, the Chelsea Symphony (New York) and the Lincoln Center Theatre. His songs and compositions directly take on issues such as homelessness and hope during the pandemic,

Vocalist Janice Octavia Allen has performed in the Boston area to the delight of many, and she has also been blessed to travel to South Africa, Brazil, Jamaica, and Nicaragua to share her musical talents in spirited performances of Gospel, Blues, and Jazz repertoire. She is currently a featured soloist at Union Church and St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Boston. She received her Diploma in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music and her teachers have included Hankus Netsky, Dominique Eade and Semenya McCord. Her recordings are available on CDbaby.

At 4 pm: Newton’s own, Crowes Pasture, staring Monique Byrne and Andy Rogovin perform original music and eye-opening covers that reflect a mutual passion, sense of discovery and celebration of life. Their tightly blended vocal harmonies are mixed with an expressive instrumental style that is best described as “a banjo-guitar romance.” Crowes Pasture’s style of escapist folk transports and connects listeners through universal experiences in their “skillfully crafted,motional songwriting” (Chris Eastburn, award-winning composer).

In case of rain, performances will be moved inside the Waban Library Center across the street.

Calling all violin and viola students! The Harvest Fair is a performance opportunity for violin and viola students who are Suzuki book 2 and up (who are on / past Hunters Chorus), and it is coming up later this month on Sunday, October 17th from 12:00-12:30 at Newton Center. Sign-ups are now open! If you're interested in signing up, please click this link and sign up your student.

Dust off your instrument and get ready for the new school year with a celebration! The Back To School Block Party will consist of a play-in and a picnic on September 12th from 4:00-6:00pm at our school’s parking lot. We hope to see you then! (Rain date is Sep. 19th from 4:00-6:00).

Are you interested in enrolling your child in music lessons here at the Suzuki School of Newton? Do you know anyone else who is? If so, please join us for our remote Parent Information Session on Thursday, September 2nd at 6:00pm. There, we will have teachers from SSN answer questions and explain the Suzuki method to those who are interested. The Zoom link will be available upon sending an email to email@suzukinewton.org.

We are hosting a Potluck Picnic celebrating our Preschool Director Deb Leary, who will be leaving us at the end of August.

When: Thursday, July 15th from 5 to 7 pm
Where: at the Suzuki School of Newton, outdoor parking lot (we will block it off like a block party)

Bring a dish to share--we'll have drinks, plates, napkins, utensils and a large cake!

Contact Sachiko Isihara (sachiko.isihara@gmail.com) or Barrie Wheeler (barrie@barriewheeler.com) if you have any questions. Please let us know if you can join us!

The Suzuki School of Newton will serve as a host for the Festival of Arts in Newton on Saturday, July 10th. Performances will be on the front lawn.

We will have performances in 30 minute blocks at:

11:30 am - Rob Siegel

1:00 pm - Isabel Stover (and the Mayor arrives for a visit)

2:30 pm - Nate Arronow

4:00 pm - Tal Sholom-Kobi and Triology

5:00 pm - The magician Steve Weiner

5:30 pm - Tema Siegel and Couch

There will also be a Newton Art Association meet the artist in Room 112 in between the performances. These are the artists whose artwork is displayed in SSN’s Fishman Building.

Eligible violin students can sign up to perform at the Hyde Center in late June! The Hyde Community Center is located at 90 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands. The performance dress code for students are a white top and black bottom, teens may wear all black. Masks optional.

Informational sheet to be given to parents and students who are eligible to perform. If you want to have your student attend and perform, please contact your individual lesson teacher and have them sign up your student.

Please arrive 15 minutes before performance time. Park anywhere on the street.

Below are the performance times for students:

6:00-6:30 Advanced cello group

6:45-7:15 Violin mid book 2-4

7:30-8:00 Violin book 5+

On June 13th, 2021, we will be holding a graduation ceremony for students graduating from Suzuki books from twinkle classes to Book 8. The time is subject to change and is not fully confirmed yet.

Come by on Monday, June 7th with a coffee or tea and chat with our Executive Director Sachiko! You can ask questions, chat with fellow parents, or inquire about fall or summer lessons. Stop by on Zoom on the 7th! Zoom link will be in our Friday Upbeat.

Join us on Zoom for the virtual Solo Recitals! They will be in three sessions on Sunday — one at 3:15, 4:15 and 5:15. The Zoom link will be given out in our Friday Upbeats.

Join us on Zoom for the virtual Solo Recitals! They will be in three sessions on Saturday — one at 3:15, 4:15 and 5:15. The Zoom link will be given out in our Friday Upbeats.

Join us on Zoom for the virtual Solo Recitals! They will be in three sessions on Sunday, May 9th — at 3:15, 4:15 and 5:15. The Zoom link will be given out in our Friday Upbeats.

Join us on Zoom for the virtual Solo Recitals! They will be in two sessions — one at 3:15 and another at 4:15. The Zoom link will be given out in our Friday Upbeats.

Join us on Zoom for the virtual Solo Recitals! They will be in three sessions on Saturday, May 8th — at 3:15, 4:15 and 5:15. The Zoom link will be given out in our Friday Upbeats.