SuzukiMusic-oc.org Web Page

Our teacher left us suddenly, and much too soon. Those of us who had contact with her during the last several months of her life look back on our experiences at the 2003 summer workshops in June, at the Sacramento 10-Piano Concert in August and even at the Matsumoto 10-Piano Concert in November with disbelief knowing now that she was so ill and close to death, and yet remembering, or seeing on videotape, the force of her energy and enthusiasm in those last remaining days of her teaching. She is reported to have said, before she died, that she had no regrets. She taught isshokenmei, as hard as she could, until the very end. She left us with one very strong message, and that is to continue our research. This research she spoke of, the kind of research she learned from Dr. Suzuki (as she mentioned in her lecture to teachers printed on page one), is a unique kind of research, not understood in traditional circles. It involves expanding one's capacity for listening with concentration, for studying the mechanics of our own body as we use it to produce sound, for figuring out how students can be taught without destroying their wonderful nature. Before I went to Japan to study, I applied for a grant intended for "research" in Japan. My application was turned down. Not surprisingly, I had been unable to explain to the foundation in question the importance of this unique research, unlike any other research they knew about.