Resources

Violin Rental:
I recommend renting from a reputable violin shop rather than an all-purpose music store.

Good area violin shops include:
Henry Bischofberger Violins in Kirkland www.hkbviolins.com.
Hammond and Ashley Violins in Issaquah www.hammondashley.com
Bischofberger Violins on Capitol Hill (Seattle) www.bviolins.com
Olsen Violins in Ballard (Seattle)  www.olsenviolins.com                                                                          David Stone Violins in the University District (Seattle) www.davidtstoneviolins.com

 

Ask me for further guidelines for choosing a music store and your instrument.

Along with renting a violin and bow you will need rosin and a lint free cloth for cleaning the rosin dust off the violin.  Most cloth napkins, hand kerchiefs or wash cloths will work as a cleaning cloth. Rosin can be bought cheaply with instrument rental.

You may also need a shoulder rest which can be bought at the violin shop where you rent the instrument, online, or at general music stores such as Mills Music. Please wait to purchase a shoulder rest until I’ve had a chance to experiment with different sizes and shapes of shoulder rest to find the best fit.

Sheet Music:
Music and Arts in downtown Redmond, as well as most local music stores, carry Suzuki books.

For sheet music, supplies and violin rental/purchase by mail I recommend:

www.sharmusic.com                                                                                                    www.johnsonstrings.com                                                                                                                      www.swstrings.com


For Suzuki resources, including a Suzuki parent discussion forum visit www.suzukiassociation.org. Please consider becoming a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Information about the benefits of family membership can be found on the website.

2018 Summer Camp opportunities

Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute www.japanseattle.org
dates: August 6-10
location: Seattle Pacific University, Freemont, Seattle
age/ability range: all ages, all abilities
description:
One of the best parts of the Suzuki Method are its summer camps and Seattle happens to be home to one of the best Suzuki camps in the country.
Each day includes multiple group classes, a private lesson, reading classes or orchestra, faculty and student recitals, and enrichment classes like fiddling or drumming.
*All students under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. However, because this requirement has been reducing enrollment the camp now has a ‘buddy program’ where students in the same studio can attend with another student/parent at the same level so please let me know if you’re interested in going to the camp and we can see who we can pair together. We can also arrange a car pool with other families in the studio to reduce the driving.
dates: June 25-28
location: Tierra Learning Center, Leavenworth
age/ability: all ages, all abilities
description:
A Suzuki Method camp set up as a family sleep-away camp where families can stay in cabins at a beautiful camping facility outside Leavenworth. Classes include chamber music, group classes, orchestra, reading, fiddling and evening fun activities. The camp finishes with a final concert in Leavenworth.
Bellevue  Youth Symphony Summer Camps      http://www.byso.org/summer
dates: July 9 – 13 “Suzuki transition strings camp” – this is a new camp designed for Suzuki students in book 1 and 2 who do not yet read proficiently. It will focus on teaching note reading while providing an orchestra experience (for grade 2-7 students)
 July 16-20  For students who have been playing for at least a year and can read music. There are several orchestras and an audition on the first day of camp will place students at the right level (for grade 2-8 students)
July 23-27  An advanced, full orchestra camp (grade 9-12)
location: multiple Bellevue locations
Time: full day plus after care options

Each day includes orchestra rehearsals, small group sessions, enrichment classes such as music theory or drumming. Students perform a concert at the end of the week. After hours care is available.

Seattle Youth Symphony Summer Camp  https://syso.org/programs/summer-music/

dates: July 9-20 at Shorecrest High School

July 16-27 at Overlake School, Redmond
age/ability: age 7-14, requires basic reading ability
Time: 9:00-12:10 daily
description:
Each day includes orchestra rehearsal, small section rehearsals and chamber music. Chamber groups and the orchestras perform at the end of the week. An audition July 17 determines which orchestra you will be placed in. Many students in the studio have attended this camp and recommend it highly.Marrowstone   http://marrowstone.org/
dates: July 22-August 5
location: Bellingham WA
age/ability highschool-university
This is the Seattle Youth Symphony’s orchestra camp/festival for advanced high school age students.
Vivace! Chamber Players Camp         http://vivacechamberplayers.com/camp.html
dates: August 6-11
location: University Prep, Wedgwood, Seattle
age/ability: age 6-21, basic reading ability required
description:
Each day includes chamber music classes, orchestra, dalcroze eurhythmics, and choir.
Summer String Academy Orchestra Camp  www.summerstringacademy.com
dates: July 15-20 for grade 6-9
              July 22-27 for grade 7-9
ability: basic reading required
Students stay in cabins at the ‘Lazy F” camp and retreat center in Ellensburg, WA for a week – long program of individual training, orchestra and chamber music playing as well as tradition camp activities swimming and rock climbing. Busing to the camp to and from Bellevue High School is available.
If you are interested in traveling for a camp there are also Suzuki camps in Walla Walla, Eugene OR and California where you attend the camp with your child and stay in provided university housing. Details can be found here https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/

Other opportunities

Suzuki Association of Washington State Fall festival, mid October in Ellensburg:  https://suzukiwashington.org/fall-festival/