SMSA Programs and Course Offerings for 07-08

Private Lessons

Weekly private lessons for all instruments are scheduled with your private instructor. 

Private lessons are 30, 45, or 60 minutes in length depending on the student’s age and readiness.

Parents are required to bring a notebook to record instructions and assignments.  Audio or video recording each lesson is encouraged to provide the student with a model for correct pitch, rhythm and tone production.

Attendance Policy

If a student misses a lesson, make-up lessons will not be given.  Therefore, if you know in advance that you will miss a lesson, please trade lesson times with another student and notify your teacher of the change.  If the Fayetteville School District is closed due to snow, the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas will also close.  Make-up lessons will be given for all snow days.  Lessons missed by your teacher will also be made up.

Group Lessons

Group lessons are essential to the complete education of the Suzuki student.  Group class gives your child a chance to meet other children making music and to acquire the performance skills and ensemble skills necessary to becoming a successful musician. If you must miss a group class, please call your group class instructor prior to missing that class.

Group Class Dates and Locations

Violin and  Cello groups will be held at Rolling Hills Baptist Church on Rolling Hills Drive. Group class rosters and times are available from your private instructor.

Fall:      9/5, 9/15, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 11/28, 12/5, 1/9
Spring: 1/23, 2/6, 2/20, 3/5, 4/2, 4/23, 5/7, 5/14  

Piano and Guitar  groups will be held at the Music Building at the  U of A. Group class rosters and time are available from your private teacher.

Fall:       8/25, 9/15, 10/6, 10/20, 11/17, 12/8, 1/12
Spring:  1/26, 2/9, 2/23, 3/15, 3/29, 4/12, 4/19, 5/10 

Flute groups will be held at Suzuki Music School.  Group class rosters and times are available from your private teacher.

Fall:      8/25, 9/8, 9/22, 10/6, 10/20, 11/3, 11/17, 12/1
Spring: 1/19, 2/2, 2/16, 3/1, 3/29, 4/12, 4/26, 5/3

SMSA Walton Arts Center Recitals 

Suzuki students are featured in monthly Wednesday recitals in the Walton Arts Center’s Starr Theater.  There is one recital on each of the Wednesday recital days:  at 5:30 to 6:30.  Wednesday Walton Arts Center recitals offer an exceptional opportunity for SMSA students, families, guests, and prospective families.

Recital Dates
Fall: 10/17, 11/7, 12/12
Spring: 2/20, 3/12, 4/16

Please remember concert etiquette when attending or performing at the SMSA Wednesday Recitals:

·        Arrive on time.

·        Do not enter the recital hall during a performance.

·        Dress appropriately.

·        Perform with love.

·        Listen attentively.

·        Do not use flash photography during performances.

·        Applaud enthusiastically.

·         Stay for the entire recital.

Every Child Can!

Every Child Can! is the official introductory course of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. ECC! is a 6-hour course is presented in two 3 hour sessions fall and spring semesters at the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas. The video/lecture/discussion course includes a history of the Suzuki Talent Education movement and introduces the philosophical and pedagogical foundations of Suzuki music education.  Every Child Can!  is taught by registered Suzuki Teacher Trainer Stevie Sandven. The fee for the course is $50.00.  

All new SMSA families will be required to complete the course during their first semester of study.

Every Child Can! is also required of all teachers who wish to enter a Suzuki Teacher Training program.  Potential teachers who complete the course must obtain the course instructor’s signature and submit a record of completion to the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

For registration information and course dates, contact the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas at 479-575-5250 or smsa@uark.edu.

SMSA Workshops

The Suzuki Music School of Arkansas and the Friends of Suzuki collaborate to produce annual workshops for SMSA and regional Suzuki students and teachers.  Workshops feature master Suzuki Teachers and guest clinicians offering supplemental classes in music performance, drama, history, improvisation. Workshops also offer special classes for parents.  Past workshops have featured Suzuki Master Teachers Beth Titterington, Rhonda Cole, Kimberly Meir-Sims, Stevie Sandven, Martha Shackford (violin), Doris Harrel, Valery Lloyd-Watts (piano), Rick Mooney (cello), and Andrea Cannon (guitar).

A Piano workshop is being planned for this year. 

SMSA students are able to attend workshops at greatly reduced cost due in part to fund raising activities of Friends of Suzuki.

Violin Teacher Training

Suzuki Violin Training in Books 1-8 are available through the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas.  All violin training units are taught by SAA teacher trainer Stevie Sandven.

Scheduling and cost of violin training are dependent on the number of participants in any given unit of study.  Contact the SMSA office at 479-575-5250 or smsa@uark.edu for additional information about scheduling for violin teacher training.