Looking Back

25 years! Who could have imagined that a belief shared by Gail Lange and myself back in the 1970's that Suzuki music education was something of vital importance for our own children would lead to this?!

The successful establishment of the Suzuki String School of Guelph and the devotion of many local Suzuki families and teachers gave me the courage to galvanize an amazing group of friends and colleagues to start the first Suzuki Institute in Guelph, Ontario in 1983 (later to move to WLU and become SOSI). Without the faith and energy of those pioneering families and the unflagging devotion and tireless work of cello teacher Sally Gross and piano teacher Gail none of it would have happened. The list of faculty members who have made SOSI such a valuable experience throughout the years reads like a Who’s Who of the Suzuki world and a commitment to hiring only the very best teachers has remained unchanged since 1983. In its 25th year SOSI continues to inspire hundreds of children as they mature into an adulthood shaped and strengthened by sensitivity, disciplined work, a belief in the value of excellence for its own sake, and the warm friendships formed within a nurturing Suzuki community. We owe an enormous debt to Paule Barsalou for her work in guiding SOSI on a path that has allowed it to grow and change while preserving all that was so valuable in the early years.

Dr. Suzuki’s legacy continues to enrich all our lives.

Daphne Hughes (New Denver, BC, Canada)

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