Branch updates

Auckland

Branch Report

Auckland Branch held a very successful Spring Workshop — we had 7 guitar, 34 piano, 12 cello, and 86 violins enrolled. Our workshop hosted unit 1 guitar teacher training, unit 5 piano, piano teenage teacher training, as well as unit 2 violin. We had Haruo Goto run a group class on Suzuki book 10 for our violin teachers each day.

The workshop only lost $110, which was a great success for us compared to the previous year. The early booked flights, sausage sizzle, and printed tote bags all contributed to this as well as being a bit more ahead in our planning, which meant we didn’t need to spend as much “last-minute” money.

The Auckland and Northland Branch camp is coming together well and is fully booked. It has been a great motivator to push some of our teachers to be assessed for Level One, so that they can teach a couple of hours while taking their kids to camp.

Early next school year, Auckland Branch is hoping to offer an informal outdoor “play-in” for our string students.

Milly Rout and Fiona Haughton | Auckland Branch

Community

Hello, I’m Lukas, I’m 8 years old, and I learn the cello with Margaret Cooke in Auckland.

Margaret has a challenge with 100s charts: when you have reviewed every piece in a book 100 times, she takes you to a café or bakery for a treat.

I finished my book 2 100s chart recently, and on Matariki Friday, after my lesson, we went to a café. I chose a yummy piece of chocolate cake. Thank you Margaret!

Hamilton

Branch Report

Prepared by Quita Clifton November 2025

Since the last NZSI meeting in August, our branch has been actively planning for our upcoming Summer Camp, as well as beginning preliminary venue bookings and scheduling for events in 2026.

We continue to hold monthly concerts at the Waikato Hospice. Although only a small handful of students currently attend, this is a positive start and we hope it will develop into a long-term tradition for our branch. We are also applying regularly for funding to help reduce costs for camps, workshops, and the concerts we host each year.

Camps

(Summarised by Journal editor)

This year we have seen lower-than-usual registration numbers for our Summer Camp. This reflects a combination of factors, including changes to branch membership following COVID and some senior students choosing to attend alternative camps. We have also seen reduced participation from regions that have traditionally contributed strongly to camp attendance.

As a result, the 2026 January camp is expected to operate at a small loss. The branch is able to manage this, and our focus remains on ensuring camps continue to be well-run, accessible, and sustainable so we can support a full programme of events throughout the year.

Looking ahead, this provides an opportunity to reflect on how Summer Camps are structured in the North Island, including how best to meet the needs of members and plan for future camps, particularly when engaging international tutors. While no immediate changes are being proposed, this is an area we will be considering as part of our ongoing planning.

Planning for the 2027 Summer Camp will begin shortly, with CYC Ngaruawahia currently being considered as a possible venue.

Upcoming Events

To start the new year after camp, we will be holding a teachers and committee afternoon tea. This will be a social gathering combined with some brainstorming for the year ahead.

May you all have a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year

Quita Clifton, Chairperson | NSZI Hamilton Branch

Community

 Luke Chen (who is the Resident Artist for Cello Collective Cello Retreat) from a recent concert.

Chen Family Ensemble (playing at the Cello Collective Cello Retreat) ~ Fun for the four siblings to play together as always! Luke, Hosanna & Psalm do Suzuki cello and also play piano, while Arielle learns Suzuki violin and also plays harp. It has been fantastic to be involved in the Suzuki music community, and having music enriching their lives. 

Luke Chen designed another original artwork for Cello Collective Cello Retreat. This year the art was turned into stickers that could found everywhere! People put them on the normal instrument cases, music folders and laptops, but were also found on t-shirts, bags, mugs and chocolate wrappers. 

Cello and cherry blossom both exude beauty & elegance.
The latter also symbolises reflection & renewal, which can be expressed through cello music.

Northland

Branch Report

Summarised by Journal editor November 2025

A number of successful activities were held during the year, including piano and guitar workshops at Dora’s Studio. In addition, a violin performance took place on 30 November 2025 at the Turner Centre, ahead of the Bay of Islands Singers concert. The performance featured 16 students from Fiona’s, Sophie’s, and Felicity’s studios, along with two former Suzuki students now based in Auckland.

Upcoming Camp

A Northland–Auckland Joint Camp is scheduled to take place in Ruakaka in January 2026. By November over 58 violin students had enrolled. This will be the first joint camp held between the Northland and Auckland branches in a considerable time and has generated strong interest and enthusiasm within the community.

Looking Ahead

We are optimistic about the activities planned for 2026, particularly the joint camp and continued engagement in workshops and performances.

| NSZI Northland Branch

Tauranga

Branch report

November 2026

We are still working through how to effectively financially join with Hamilton Branch. We hugely appreciate Hamilton Branch being so inclusive of our teachers and members.

In Term 4 we organised a parent talk with Fleur Chee in Tauranga, which was open to combined Hamilton and Tauranga based members and parents. This was a fantastic afternoon attended by a small but enthusiastic number of 4 teachers and 5 parents. Fleur talked about Suzuki philosophy, the development of the Suzuki way of teaching and Doctor Suzuki’s Mother Tongue approach. The second half of Fleur’s talk focussed on how parents can best help their children with practice – The Three R’s – Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.

We split the 2 talks with a shared afternoon tea which was a great way to chat informally together and with Fleur.

| NSZI Tauranga Branch