24 Czech Suzuki Summer School 2023 Lenka Macháčková W hy do we teach Music? NOT because we expect everyone to specialize in music… NOT because we expect everyone to play and sing throughout their lives… But because it makes us human… Because through music we learn to recognize beauty… Because it brings us closer to the Infinity beyond this world… Because it gives us something to care about… Because thanks to music we have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more of the good – in short, more LIFE. The above is fully in tune with the Czech Suzuki Summer School, to which many people, including more than a hundred children, met and deeply connected without even knowing each other before. Thanks to music and through music, something almost indescribable and quivering came to life, like a drop of dew hidden in the leaf of a precious herb growing alongside the Medlov pond. This year’s theme, Pirates and Sailors, predetermined that water symbolically permeated all music acƟviƟes throughout the week. Every morning, courageous water nymphs would dive into the sƟll surface of the pond and, half-hidden in the morning mist, watched yogis on the bank doing their exercise in perfect unison with the surrounding nature. Meanwhile, the hotel began to wake up, turning into a small anthill aŌer an excellent breakfast. Instead of ants going up and down, a large number of children, from the smallest ones up to beauƟful young ladies and young gentlemen, began to climb the stairs. All of them had one thing in common - a case with violins or (this year’s novelty!) with cellos. Individual classes alternated with group lessons, then a bit of theory and, at the end of all the diligent work, the grand Suzuki orchestra, whose rehearsals were situated outside the hotel due to the large number of players. There it was always watched with great interest by the hotel guests and passers-by, and duly rewarded for its performance with a healthy round of applause. A well-deserved early evening rest ensued, combined with swimming, a camp fire or a pirate game and the ever-present jingling children's voices. All the efforts of the week culminated in the final concert. The Suzuki choir opened the programme and got everyone in the right mood. AŌerwards, piece by piece, starƟng from the most demanding ones played by experienced violinists, more and more children gradually joined in unƟl “Twinkle, Twinkle, LiƩle Star”, or “Pan Král” as this central piece of the Suzuki repertoire is known among Czech Suzuki children, resounded from a full stage. The rapid transformaƟon of the stage into an orchestra seƫng came about like a small sea storm. But everything fell into place in the end, and all was ready for the icing on the pirate cake, including the many wonderful parents who also learn to play and who gradually joined in. At the beginning of the course, Pirates of the Caribbean seemed to be a tough nut to crack for many and gave the conductor sleepless nights. But everything clicked together during the concert. Absolute concentraƟon, shining eyes of the players and incredible energy reflected from the performers towards the auditorium and back again. Shared smiles and emoƟons connected all the people present, and the finale blew everyone away into a stormy sea. AŌer the concert, many were heard to hum the chorus “Hey ho” from the encore piece (Drunken Sailor) back at the hotel… It is not possible to list all those who, if only with a kind, encouraging word, or a bit of help or advice of any kind, contributed to the magic of these summer days. But for many it was an unforgeƩable experience; everyone deserves a big thank you for that! Teachers - Top leŌ to right -Jiří Sládek, Markéta SƟvínová, Lucia Fulka Kopsová, Anna Dolečková, Jana Hrabaňová, Ivana Ondrušková, Lenka Macháčková, Vít Novotný. BoƩom leŌ to right -Agathe Jerie, MarƟna Pudelová, Sára Zemenová, Agnieszka Ściążko-Krejbich, Petra Ščevková, Zuzana Adorján
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