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CHILDREN VIOLINISTS FROM JAPAN'S ISHIKAWA INSTITUTE TO PERFORM IN SOUTH FLORIDA FOR 2ND US CULTURAL EXCHANGE FT LAUDERDALE, FL - February 13, 2003 - A group of nine children violinists, two girls and seven boys, ages 8 to18, from Japan's Ishikawa Violin Institute will be in South Florida, March 26 - April 2, for their 2003 US Cultural Exchange Tour. (See 2003 Tour Group Members List for names and ages of children). This marks the second visit to South Florida by Ishikawa Violin Institute students as part of the international cultural exchange program with the America's Suzuki Music Academy in South Florida. The Japanese tour group members will be joined by children musicians who attend the Academy, to give presentations and concerts at schools and other venues in South Florida. They will be giving two free, public, 'kid-friendly' concerts. This year, the tour group returns to the Pompano Beach High School Institute of International Studies (Wednesday, April 2 - time TBA) and Parkway Middle School of the Performing Arts (from 8:30-11:30 AM on Tuesday, April 1). They perform for the children of the Epiphany School in Miami (1 - 2 PM on Monday, March 31). There will be several performances at Nova Southeastern University campus schools (8 AM - 3 PM on Friday, March 28) and they will give 'kid-friendly' performances, open to the public, admission free, at NSU's Miniaci Performing Arts Center (7:30 PM on Friday, March 28) and at the Broward Community College / South Regional Library (2:30 PM on Sunday, March 30). COMMEMORATION CONCERT FOR 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF US/JAPAN RELATIONS The Friday, March 28 concert at the Miniaci Performing Arts Theater is a special performance that will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Commodore Perry's arrival in Japan. His arrival ended 250 years of Japanese isolation and marked the beginning of formal relations between U.S. and Japan. See '2003 Tour Itinerary' for venue web sites, maps, additional details for South Florida performances and school visits. Ishikawa School director, Satoshi Ishikawa, and his wife, violin teacher, Young Chun Ishikawa, received Suzuki Violin training from Shinichi Suzuki, the creator of the Suzuki Method. They accompany the children musicians on this visit and will join Suzuki Music Academy director, Richard Coff, to give advanced study violin workshops for the visiting children and for South Florida students who attend the Suzuki Music Academy. The children from Japan will also visit local tourist attractions during their stay.
HOW DID THE JAPAN / US CULTURAL EXCHANGE TOUR COME ABOUT? The Japan / US cultural exchange grew out of correspondences between the directors of the two schools. Both Mr. Ishikawa and Mr. Coff had received Suzuki Method teacher training from Shinichi Suzuki. Both are active teachers and run independent music schools. Shared interest in Suzuki's teaching ideas and techniques and in cultural exchange prompted the idea of a 2001 tour. At the invitation of Mr. Coff and the Suzuki Music Academy, Mr. Ishikawa and children from the Ishikawa Violin Institute made their 1st visit to South Florida in January and February of 2001. Three students, ages 10 and 11, and students from the Suzuki Music Academy visited two magnet schools, the Parkway Middle School of the Arts and the Pompano Beach High School Institute of International Studies, and also visited Panther Run Elementary. Children played pieces from the classical repertory, including the Mendelssohn E minor Concerto, Bach Double Concerto in D minor, and music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Paganini for students and faculty at each school and also had the opportunity to meet with school students. They had an enthusiastic reception everywhere they went. Suzuki Music Academy students joined the Japanese children in performances, for advanced violin classes, and on visits to local attractions. The 2001 tour proved to be a valuable experience and a great success. See 'Related Links' for links to Ishikawa Violin Institute and Suzuki Music Academy web sites and to archived photos documenting the 1st Tour in 2001. Send inquiries via email to 2003tour@Suzuki-Violin.com, contact by phone at 954-797-7777, or visit the Academy's web site at http://www.SuzukiMusicAcademy.com ABOUT JAPAN'S ISHIKAWA VIOLIN INSTITUTE ABOUT AMERICA'S SUZUKI MUSIC ACADEMY
List of 2003 Tour Group
Members from Japan's Ishikawa Violin Institute
ABOUT JAPAN'S ISHIKAWA VIOLIN INSTITUTE Japan's Ishikawa Violin Institute is located in
Miyazaki, Japan. Established in 1984, the school of music uses Suzuki's
ideas and techniques to train children, from 3 years old, to play
classical violin. The Ishikawa Violin Institute children musicians perform
concerts in Japan and have made several visits South Korea to give
performances.
ABOUT AMERICA'S SUZUKI MUSIC ACADEMY Since 1985, the Suzuki Music Academy has provided superior classical music training for the children of South Florida. Children can begin formal Suzuki Method study at any age and as early as two years old. Offering training in violin, viola, cello, and piano, the school is a recognized regional center for classical music training and an important South Florida educational resource. The Academy and its students have been featured
on local and national television and in numerous published
articles. They have appeared as soloists with orchestras locally, and
have performed in concert halls, festivals, and cultural events throughout
South Florida. They are regularly invited to perform for various cultural
organizations and community groups, including the Broward Center for the
Performing Arts, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Museum of Art,
Broward Art Guild, The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, and The Fort
Lauderdale International Film Festival.
America's Suzuki Music Academy -- http://www.SuzukiMusicAcademy.com/ Photos from 2001 US tour - part I -- http://www.suzukimusicacademy.com/1p.htm Photos from 2001 US tour - part II -- http://www.suzukimusicacademy.com/1pa.htm Photos from 2001 US tour - part III -- http://suzuki-method.com/satoshi/ ==================== Richard Coff, director telephone:
954-797-7777
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