October 2013 MIC Suzuki Sentinel

Greetings, Suzuki families! Welcome to MIC's Suzuki e-newsletter. Each month, we'll be sending you the latest news and information from MIC's Suzuki program. For more information about any of the items in this newsletter, please contact your private teacher. You may also contact Blake Brasch, Director of the MIC Suzuki Program at or Sarah Montzka, Associate Director of the MIC Suzuki Program at .

In this month's issue:

  • MIC welcomes new Suzuki program leaders Blake Brasch, Sarah Montzka, and Reagan Brasch
  • Suzuki Sunday
  • SuzukinspirationParent Lecture Series
  • MIC Suzuki Online Auction
  • MIC student adventures at Suzuki Summer Institutes
  • MIC Suzuki student activities & performances
  • 2013-14 Suzuki Event Calendar

MIC welcomes new Suzuki program leaders Blake Brasch, Sarah Montzka, and Reagan Brasch

This fall, the Music Institute of Chicago welcomes its new Suzuki program leaders Blake Brasch, Sarah Montzka, and Reagan Brasch.

  • Blake Brasch, Director of the MIC Suzuki Program, has been a cello teacher at MIC since 1996. Blake's students have been selected to participate in master classes at the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) conference in Minnesota.In addition, his students have won prizes in the Society of American Musicians (SAM) competition and have gone on to study music at prestigious institutions including Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Blake received a Certificate of Achievement from the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) in 2009 and has been a registered Suzuki Teacher Trainer since 2010. In addition to his role as Director of the Suzuki Program, Blake also serves as Administrative Director of the Chicago Suzuki Institute and coordinates the MIC Mid-Winter Suzuki workshops.
  • Sarah Montzka, Associate Director of the MIC Suzuki Program, has been a viola and violin teacher at MIC since 2001. Sarah serves on the Boards of Directors for the Society of American Musicians (SAM) and the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA). She is the founder and director of MIC’s annualViolapalooza!workshop and has taught at workshops and institutes from Duluth to Tanzania. She has also worked in the administrative field as Coordinator of Education Programs for the Jacksonville Symphony and Associate Director of the Colorado Suzuki Institute. Sarah received a Certificate of Achievement from the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2012.
  • Reagan Brasch, MIC Suzuki Events Coordinator,has been a violin instructor at MIC since 2000. She received an Outstanding Teacher award from the Alliance for Early Childhood and has written articles for the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) Journal as well as the E-Newsletter. Reagan has extensive experience teaching at Suzuki violin workshops and summer institutes around the country. In addition to her role as MIC Suzuki Events Coordinator, Reagan is MIC's Musikgarten Program Director.

Suzuki Sunday

Our first Suzuki Sunday of the year took place on October 13. A list of participants will be published in the November Suzuki Sentinel. The November Suzuki Sunday will take place on November 10 in the Thoresen Performance Center at the Winnetka campus. For more information, please contact your private teacher.

  • 1:00 Piano/guitar/harp jamboree
  • 1:00-3:00 Suzuki parent orientation for new Suzuki parents or anyone who would like a refresher - room 124
  • 2:00 Cello/bass jamboree
  • 3:00 Solo recital (by teacher recommendation)
  • 4:00 Violin/viola/flute jamboree

Parent Lecture Series

Would you like to learn how to maximize learning in your practice sessions? Quell your child's tantrums before they even begin? Communicate effectively with your child? Then you'll definitely want to attend our new Suzukinspiration parent lecture series. Sarah Montzka, Associate Director of the Suzuki Program will lead three sessions which will provide valuable information for parents whether your child is a junior kindergartner or a junior in high school. For more information, please contact Sarah at847-905-1500, ext. 472 or .

  • Practicing with Your Child: Results and Smiles! Monday, October 14, 2013, 7:30 PM at the Winnetka Campus, room 204. Topics will include:
  • Tips for staying on task
  • Motivation that lasts
  • The pros/cons of charts, games, and incentives
  • Replenish your idea toolbox
  • Organizing practice time to maximize learning
  • Keeping it fun!
  • How to quell tantrums before they even begin
  • Parent Book Club: How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk.Monday, October 21, 2013, 7:30 PM at the Winnetka Campus, room 204. A timeless, beloved book on how to effectively communicate with your child from the #1 New York Times best-selling authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
  • Parent Café. Saturday, November 2, 2013, 1:00 PM at the Lake Forest Campus,Recital Room. Bring your personal success stories, challenges and questions for in-depth exploration and a supportive group of Suzuki parents and teachers. In a non-judgmental environment, we will brainstorm strategies and solutions tailored to YOUR specific needs.

The MIC Suzuki Online Auction

The MIC Suzuki online auction is our primary fundraising effort for the school year. Funds raised support:

  • Student Scholarships to mid-winter workshops and summer institutes.
  • Teacher development and Suzuki program support.
  • This year only, we are sharing our auction proceeds with the Suzuki Association of the America’s Latin American Ensemble Project. 50 Suzuki students from South and Central America are preparing to attend the first ever official gathering of Suzuki students from throughout both North and South America. This Memorial Day our own Music Institute of Chicago Suzuki students will meet and perform with our Latin American brothers and sisters in an unprecedented cross-cultural event at the Suzuki Association of the America’s conference. Learn more about this projecthere.

How you can help

  • Donate goods and/or services for the online auction.
  • Help type and upload item descriptions to the auction website.
  • Volunteer on Saturday, December 14 at the Auction-End Celebration!
  • Interested in joining the auction team? Please contact Suzuki Events Coordinator, Reagan Brasch:

MIC student adventures at Suzuki Summer Institutes

Summer Suzuki Institutes are a fun and inspiring experience for Suzuki families. Students have the chance not only to improve their skills but also to meet teachers and students from across the globe. But don't just take our word for it. Here are some of the great things which students and parents had to say about their adventures at the institutes this summer:

“CSI is very fun. I especially liked the master class. The teachers that I had were nice and they used creative ways to help me improve my skills. Thank you for such a great program.”– Cellist Austin Antony, age 9

“The thing I never realized when I started taking the kids to Suzuki camps - a decade ago now - was how important the relationships with the teachers and students would become for them through the years. Seeing these teachers every year, seeing kids from all over the country and the world year after year has been as important to their development as people as taking the classes has been to their development as musicians.I feel very lucky that we started down the camp road early, and the camps quickly became an integral part of the summer. As well, I feel lucky that these camps (CSI above all) have always brought in such talented and committed teachers.”-- Cindy Schreuder, parent of cellists Daniel and L.O. Hess

Here are just some of the students who attended Suzuki Institutes this summer:

  • Violin students of Karin Addis who attended the Blue Lake Suzuki Institute: Margaret Sweeney, Rosemary Sweeney
  • Violin students of Reagan Brasch who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Daphne Anderson,Ben Eisenstein, Ellie Ponko, Angelica She, Nicholas She, JordanShonfeld, Zach Shonfeld, VivekThatte
  • Cello students of Blake Brasch who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Austin Antony, Paige Bartusiak, Madeline Chia, L.O. Hess, Matthew Kim, Joey Kleiman, Daniel Lee, Boris Schwarzenbach, Sam Shin, Ben Shonfeld, Sam Shonfeld. Students who attended other institutes: Luke Ponko, Phoenix Fest Suzuki Grande; Sophia LaFleur and NykolasRekesius, Blue Lake Suzuki Camp
  • Cello student of Natalie Hall who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Anita Rao
  • Violin/viola students of Sarah Montzka who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: JaneyEvancio (viola), Isabel Frye (viola), and Daniel Hess (viola). Students who attended other institutes: Willa Brasch (violin) Atlanta Suzuki Institute, Chicago Suzuki Institute Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute; Lida Dodge (violin) Ithaca College Suzuki Institute; andStefanijaRekasius, (viola) Blue Lake Suzuki Institute
  • Bass student of Eric Snoza who attended the American Suzuki Institute: Luke Montzka
  • Piano students of Christina Tio who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Micah Chan, David Dai, Margaret Duda-Anderson, Laura Hu, Aarush Padiath, Eric Zhou
  • Cello Students of Nina Wallenberg who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Jonathan Wang, Julia Wineberg
  • Violin student of Tamara Gonzales who attended the Chicago Suzuki Institute: Ellie Zascak

MIC Student Activities & Performances

  • Seven-year-old cellist Hannah Cheung (student of Natalie Hall) won first place in the Granquist Music Competition in June and was a semifinalist in the Northbrook Talent Showdown in September.
  • Violin instructor Melissa Arbetter and a group of violin students performed at the Lake Forest Farmers Markets First Junior Farmers Kids Club on Saturday, June 22. The student performers included Lilly Arbetter, Lillianne Carrasco, Katrina Cleveland, Emily Cerimele, Julie Cerimele, Carol Gao, Jed Geslani, RegiGeslani, Michelle Shin, and Katie Schilling.

2013-14 Suzuki Events Calendar

  • Suzuki Workshops

Violin – January 25-26, 2014 (Evanston East)

Flute – January 25-26, 2014 (Winnetka)

Piano – February 8 -9, 2014 (Winnetka)

Violapalooza! – February 16-17, 2014 (Lake Forest)

Cello – February 21-23, 2014 ((Evanston East)

  • Suzuki Sundays – Thoresen Performance Center, Winnetka

October 13, 2013

November 10, 2013

December 8, 2013

January 12, 2014

March 9, 2014

April 27, 2014

  • Suzuki Graduation Concert (Nichols Concert Hall – Evanston East)

Sunday, April 13, 2013, 3-5 pm

  • Suzuki Festival Concerts (Nichols Concert Hall – Evanston East)

Saturday-Sunday, May 17-18, 2014