Suzuki in the media

Otago Daily Times: Music camp turns 21

Saturday, 17 January 2009

By Sally Rae

The annual New Zealand Suzuki Institute’s South Island camp celebrates its 21st birthday this week.

The camp, which has been held at Waitaki Boys High School for the past 16 years, has attracted about 190 participants, tutors and supporters.

Special commemorative T-shirts have been designed to mark the anniversary.

The camp finishes tomorrow with a concert in the school’s auditorium at 1.15pm.

A concert will also be held tonight at 7pm. Members of the public are welcome.

Three of those attending – Joachim Neupert (Auckland), Marinette Berkeljon (Greymouth) and Lois McCallum (Christchurch) – were at the first camp at Raincliff, near Timaru.

Ms McCallum (58) is musical director for this year’s event.

She has been to every camp.

The first camp had only two violin tutors but it had now grown to eight violin tutors.

There were also piano, guitar, cello and flute tutors.

It was inspiring for the children to have a different tutor.

“The kids come away from camp absolutely buzzing and fired up for the coming year,” Ms McCallum said.

She has been teaching the Suzuki method since 1982.

She has 50 pupils, aged from 5 to 17, learning violin.

It was a very supportive environment, she said.

Parents were very involved and there was a close association with Suzuki teachers throughout New Zealand and Australia.

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