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 ISA students from the Book 1 Violin class had the opportunity to perform at the Christel Dehaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis West Meets East concert on Sunday, October 28.
Pictured here with members of the Indianapolis Quartet Zach DePue, Michael Strauss and ISA Board Member Austin Huntington are violinists Everyln M, Ethyn K, Lorelei F and Perpeutua M. Bravo on a fine performance and thank you for representing the ISA in our community!
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 Show your ISA pride with Spirit Wear! The online store will be open October 1 - 31, and orders will be filled within two weeks of the deadline. Makes a great holiday or birthday gift for your Suzuki student. Youth and Adult apparel are available for purchase.
 Music played by youngsters is a beautiful sound, unless you are trying to get your child to focus their attention while loud noises are floating in from another room. We recognize the need for improved soundproofing at our studios and have taken one large step to helping contain these extraneous sounds. This summer, contractors laid sound attenuating insulation across the entirety of the ceiling, and all the HVAC openings have been fitted with acoustical boots. The Board of Directors has invested in this significant soundproofing, and we have already noticed a big improvement. We plan to evaluate the need for additional soundproofing and studio improvements and continue to invest in the quality of our studio space into the future.
 As Suzuki parents, our “to-do” list might be quite extensive. Practice every day. Go to Group Class. Listen to the recordings. Attend concerts. Sign up for the recital. It can be easy to focus on these tasks, and lose sight of the bigger picture. And when we lose sight of the bigger picture, we can grow weary. Maybe instead of “to do’s” we could think of what we want our children “to be.”
It’s the long-term mindset that sets a successful Suzuki family apart from the rest. When we think about the bigger picture of the life lessons that we want our children to learn from this musical experience, those are the lessons that matter. The lessons that help develop the whole child and nurture the heart. And we can relax a little if our practice on Tuesday was cut short, because we know that our child is learning something from daily practice, even if we have a few bad days. The long-term commitment to mastery, listening for beauty, being part of a community and daily practice will all help us keep the bigger picture goals in mind. Your family has a beautiful picture of who you are raising your child to be, and we hope that you can keep that clear vision in mind for the long term. Summary from Beyond the Music Lesson: Habits of Successful Suzuki Families by C.E. Goodner
Many small repetitions add up to BIG results! This September, join the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy in our 30-Day Review Challenge. In Nurtured by Love, Dr. Suzuki wrote, “Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill.” Review, one of the core philosophies of the Suzuki method, is where the progress happens. Let’s Fall in Love with Review!
What: ISA 2018 Review Challenge: Fall in Love with Review! When: September 1 - 30, 2018. This is a 30-Day challenge. How: Before and during the challenge, each student seeks sponsors, who pledge support for their review. Sponsors can pledge a certain amount for each review piece played in the month of September. Recommended amounts are $0.01 to $1.00 per review, or a flat fee donation. Our goal is for every child to find 3-10 sponsors, raising a total of $50. Neighbors, friends, and family are wonderful sponsors! (example: Sponsors pledge a total of $0.50 per review, and child completes 100 reviews in September, raising $50!) Prize: Student with the most review wins 3 tickets to an ISO performance!  Our Review Challenge Pledge-A-Thon will run for four weeks from September 1 – 30 with the goal to raise $5,000 to help achieve the vision of ISA. This upcoming year, fundraising efforts are being allocated to studio improvements for the future growth of ISA, including extensive soundproofing work.
The purpose of this challenge is to inspire students to new heights and raise awareness of the ISA’s mission among people outside of current students. Be on the lookout for more details from your private teacher, and get ready to “raise your ability on a piece you can play.”  The story of Dr. Suzuki is familiar to the members of our ISA community ~ a humanitarian with a lifelong passion to help all children realize their potential. But diving deeper into the legacy of this man, his passion and his legacy can inspire Suzuki parents and teachers alike.
This summer, four of our faculty had the opportunity to hear this story come alive at the Suzuki Association of the Americas convention in Minneapolis, MN. Teachers and professionals from around North America gathered to learn more, be inspired, and encourage each other in their Suzuki teaching. The most powerful part of the convention was hearing teachers share their first hand stories of studying with Dr. Suzuki in Japan. Dr. Suzuki was very focused on inclusion, compassion and life force or ‘ki.’ He wanted to be fully engaged with each person he encountered and he intentionally focused his energy on the whole person, so that each person was really seen, heard and understood. He wholeheartedly believed that each person could become a better human being. “To study is to change,” was a key mantra he espoused. He believed in pursuing change in ourselves. He worked to help each child to develop awareness, and intuitiveness of observation. This sensitivity and awareness of self would lead to growth and change in each child. If we can continue to focus on sensitivity to the environment around us, and develop intuition and awareness, there is no limit to what we can nurture in our children. The Board of Directors is looking forward to a great 2018-19 Academic Year. Student enrollment has increased 30% since last year, and with our Suzuki-inspired school programs, we will serve over 225 students this year. Our Faculty is excited for a great year of collaborations with such fine organizations as Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and IndyBaroque. We are also pleased to continue our relationship with the Indianapolis Cello school to expand our Chamber Music Program for students. Be on the lookout for more details coming soon about these exciting collaborative experiences for your students.
While the ISA’s Lilly Grant Application did not advance into the final round of consideration, the Board and staff are committed to pursuing additional funding through other grants. Our goal is to ensure the ISA will continue to flourish and serve many generations to come. The ISA is fortunate to receive continued support from the Indiana Youth Institute for consulting work in the areas of strategic planning and funding our vision.
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