11 I grew up in 1980s Poland in a 33 sqm concrete block apartment with my family and a PIANO, which four heŌy men struggled to bring up the stairs to the first floor and, in the end, had to wedge sideways between a wardrobe and the bedroom door. My dad, an accomplished engineer, was a huge opera lover and the whole block of flats was constantly shaking to the strains of either the stereo playing 'Tosca', 'Madame BuƩerfly' or the sound of my dad singing in the shower like Caruso (much to the embarrassment of my mum who had to face the neighbours on the staircase when leaving for her late hospital shiŌ). Dad always said that if his parents could have afforded to buy him a harmonica, he would have become a virtuoso. My whole musical beginnings are a huge credit to my parents who never gave up on me, although I gave them so many reasons to. I thank them for the moral compass and sense of compassion for all, for the love of Nature, and for my educaƟon. At the state music school (primary and secondary) I was a liƩle compeƟƟon horse who was wheeled out whenever an occasion to entertain or win something, arose. I conƟnued through with a piano performance degree course at the music academy, but already sensed that something was not quite right about the way we were raised, or the only two alternaƟves we were given in all those years - either winning or losing. As Dr. Suzuki said, we are all shaped by our environment, and you don't quesƟon it unƟl you are really challenged. And the challenge came years later when I moved to the UK and my son was born. As my husband is a jazz musician, music was always around and our son was strangely interested in humming things in tune. This convinced us that he must have ‘the musical gene’. I had heard about this ‘Suzuki Method’ that worked with young kids and wanted to see what they fed the children on in order to play an instrument. I had read ‘Nurtured by Love’ and knew I was on to something amazing, but aŌer I went to see the BSMA (former BSI) NaƟonal Children's Workshop in London and met Grant Mead, I knew it was the beginning of something incredible. Only Grant knows how many stupid quesƟons a pianist can ask, but being on the course literally changed my life. I will never be able to do enough to show all my graƟtude to Grant for his kindness, inclusivity, paƟence, and incredible talent at passing on his immense knowledge, but above all, for inspiring us with the Suzuki philosophy, a true love and caring for children and great vision. He has lit a flame in my heart which will remain with me for the rest of my life. As a Teacher Trainer, I hope to be able to inspire and pass on the vision of Dr Suzuki and Grant's knowledge and inspiraƟon. I hope I will never stop learning from the children and from my colleagues. Working alongside amazing musicians who are also wonderful human beings and being able to call them colleagues is a very humbling experience. I hope we can create a new quality of cooperaƟon between us, truly inspired by this wonderful philosophy that unites us around the same goal - to create people of noble minds and noble hearts. ‘What is man's ulƟmate direcƟon in life? It is to look for love, truth, virtue, and beauty’. Dr. Suzuki truly believed, as Casals said, that ‘perhaps it is music which will save the world’. 2023 Teacher Trainer Appointments Anna Sibley PIANO, UK
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