10 I consider myself very fortunate to have grown up in small town New Zealand as a Suzuki child. Having been surrounded by music since day one – a “loving and nurturing environment” was seemingly already firmly in place. My father would sing all the Bass Solos from his Oratorios as my bedƟme lullabies, and my mother pracƟced her organ solos in the lounge every day. The radio was playing constantly in the background, and my father collected LPs like precious jewels. It was Mother Tongue method from day one. My first lessons with my teacher Margaret Crawshaw though were fundamental to everything I hold dear to me in music to this day. Of course, she taught me how to “play” the piano using the Suzuki method, but it was much more than that. Now I realise that she taught me not only to listen and to fully express myself at the instrument, but also to listen and then listen and observe some more. Playing the piano was never simply about playing the correct notes, it was always ‘Character before Ability’. My further performance studies and degrees in NZ, the USA and Germany were testament to my solid and grounded upbringing in the Suzuki method. I was fortunate to have had teachers who understood how Suzuki students learn, and I contribute my overwhelmingly posiƟve experiences to the Suzuki life values that have been insƟlled in me since I was liƩle - aŌer all ‘Where love is deep much can be accomplished’. Just recently I heard a professor tell university students ‘Whatever you do, do not listen to recordings of this work’. Firstly, his reasoning shocked me to the core, and then it reminded me how lucky I have been in my musical upbringing. Finally, it made me rethink how mindful we must be as teachers in preparing our students to leave and move on - it is imperaƟve we insƟl in them the values and tools they need to succeed and help them remain true to themselves and their hearts. My training as a Suzuki Piano teacher began all the way back with Mrs. Crawshaw when I was sƟll at high school – she supervised my first teaching with a few of her ‘excess students’ and, with that, she developed my love of teaching which has remained with me ever since. I am very grateful to both Ruth Miura and Grant Mead for conƟnuing this work with me as my Suzuki Teacher Trainers here in Europe, helping me develop into the Suzuki teacher I am today. My goals now as a Suzuki Teacher Trainer in Switzerland are the same as they have always been - to conƟnue to give my best to my students and their parents in each lesson and to work with the parents to help their children become the best version of themselves they can be with whatever they bring to the lesson. It is a wish of mine to help bring together a new generaƟon of Suzuki Piano Teachers in a harmonious manner as I imagine Dr Suzuki would have wanted, perhaps even bringing a liƩle Kiwi style to Europe…. We all know learning from one another never stops and, with the possibiliƟes to exchange new ideas these days, this will only benefit all of our students - it is, aŌer all, for them and their precious souls that we do this. ‘Perhaps it is music that will save the world’. 2023 Teacher Trainer Appointments Michelle Post PIANO, SWITZERLAND
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