Timaru music camp attracts students from as far afield as Australia
Rachael Comer
Students from throughout the South Island, and as far afield as Australia, have descended on Timaru for an annual music camp.
The New Zealand Suzuki Institute South Island Summer Camp, at Craighead Diocesan School, began on Tuesday, and runs until Sunday, with about 80 students aged from 4 to 18 taking part.
Suzuki teacher and NZ Suzuki Institute South Island branch committee member Ella George said the summer camp had been held in Timaru for at least the past 10 years as the town was central to most locations, and gave students the opportunity to travel somewhere.
“Three of those students are from Australia,’’ she said.
“The last camp we had [in Timaru], two years ago, there were 121 students which was a very, very big number.
“This year’s camp is about back to pre-Covid levels.’’
The Suzuki method of teaching, named after its founder the late Dr Shinichi Suzuki, of Japan, is based on the concept that by listening and imitation children can learn to speak any language – and play music too, without having to read music first – from the age of 3.
While the method was initially for the violin, it has been expanded to include other instruments.
George said the camp gave the young people the opportunity to connect with other music students as well as have a good immersion in lessons.
Students taking part were learning either the violin, guitar or cello.
Piano was also an option. However, this year there had not been enough piano students registered to take part, George said.
“Three lessons a day for a week is great. Most students only have a lesson one day a week during the year.’’
