Teacher Training Core Courses

COURSES FOR VIOLIN

All courses are in-person on the Ithaca College campus unless otherwise noted. 

Daily schedule for core courses: 8 am- 2:30 pm with a break from 12-1:30 for lunch. Additional evening hours may be requested by Teacher Trainers.

Every Child Can!
Instructor: Christie Felsing

Come start your Suzuki journey by exploring the Suzuki philosophy and method in detail! This cross-instrument course launches one’s training within the Suzuki sequence and is required for Unit 1 courses. Ithaca Suzuki Institute is proud to offer this two-day course on June 29-30 on the beautiful campus of Ithaca College.

Dates: June 29- June 30, 2025

Violin Unit 1
Instructor: Christie Felsing

Join us at Ithaca Suzuki Institute for a deep-dive into Book 1, its philosophy, and core curriculum! Our 9-day course is spread out over two weeks to allow for extra time and exposure to the full Suzuki experience! Open to first-time participants and those who want a full review!

Dates: July 1- July 11, 2025

Violin Unit 2
Instructor: Judy Bossuat-Gallic

Dates: July 7- July 11, 2025

Violin Teaching Strategies

Instructor: Teri Einfeldt

Breaking news!
Beginning January 1, 2025, Teaching Strategies is a prerequisite course for Unit 3 in North America!!

Come to beautiful Ithaca for 5 days of lectures, discussion and personal evaluation of your teaching strategies. Affirm your practical application of previous philosophical and pedagogical training by insuring your teaching is producing the results that represent the true Suzuki Method “trademark".

Each participant will arrive with links to a minimum of 3 teaching segments*. You may bring videos of your best students, but you will learn much more if you bring at least one video of a student that presents a challenge to you. If you teach group lessons, please come with at least one link to a portion of a group class you are currently teaching for some lively discussion and feedback.

The Strategies course is similar to a mini-teaching practicum in which all participants have the opportunity to share short lesson videos with the class and receive feedback. In some cases, the participants may teach a live local student or Institute registrant with guided suggestions from me, and receive feedback after the student’s lesson. Though there are no required observations for this course, you are invited to do observations for your own growth while in attendance, at every level. Some people refer to this as a teaching Master Class.

Prerequisites for this class include the completion and registration of ECC, and Book 1.

As a trainer, I am excited to be giving feedback early on in your Suzuki journey to help you have a smoother and more satisfying teaching experience. After 52 years of teaching, I can still say, I love what I do and look forward to going to work every day that is scheduled. Come join in on the mutual enlightenment as I know I will learn as much from you as you do from me. Please feel to email me at einfeldt@hartford.edu with questions or further clarification,

Dates: July 1 - July 5, 2025

COURSES FOR CELLO

Every Child Can!
Instructor: Christie Felsing

Come start your Suzuki journey by exploring the Suzuki philosophy and method in detail! This cross-instrument course launches one’s training within the Suzuki sequence and is required for Unit 1 courses. Ithaca Suzuki Institute is proud to offer this two-day course on June 29-30 on the beautiful campus of Ithaca College.

Dates: June 29 - June 30, 2025

Cello Practicum
Instructor: Nancy Hair

Dates: July 1- July 11, 2025

Please see the Supplemental and Enrichment Courses Page for additional course offerings.

General Information and Requirements

Daily sessions include lectures, repertoire study, technical study, observation of and the Suzuki Student Institute, and informal chamber music. The schedule is intensive and may include some evening sessions.

  • All participants are expected to prepare the music in the books to be studied to the point of fluent performance—preferably from memory. Additionally, participants should be conversant with the ideas presented in Suzuki's Nurtured by Love.
  • All participants will be performing in class and are expected to provide their own instruments.
  • Please note that 100% attendance is required.
  • Each In Person Core and Supplemental course has a maximum capacity of 15 participants. Every Child Can! (in person) has a maximum capacity of 30 participants. 
  • Each Online Core and Supplemental course has a maximum capacity of 10 participants. Every Child Can! (online) has a limit of 15 participants.