February 24, 2000
SUZUKI STRING FESTIVAL BRINGS 100 STUDENTS TO THE VITERBO STAGE
LA CROSSE, Wis.—Combining the Suzuki style with the philosophy of creating beautiful, noble human beings through music is the main idea behind this year’s Suzuki String Festival Concert on Saturday, March 18 at 1:30 p.m. in the Viterbo Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
The concert is free and open to the public but donations will be accepted to fund scholarships for Viterbo Preparatory School of Art’s students. A reception will follow the concert.
The Suzuki style performances will begin with the most difficult pieces by advanced students and there will be a "play down" in which more and more students will participate until, eventually, all of the students are on stage. The students range in age from four through adulthood. There are more than 100 Suzuki students.
"The students participating in this event have been taught with the idea that they will focus on one issue at a time. Most of them started out with the ‘mother tongue method,’ where they were taught to play songs by listening to a CD or record. After, the teachers and the parents would work together to help the child understand and appreciate music while learning to play their own instrument," said Sr. Marcella Steffes, the Preparatory School of Arts string instructor.
For more information, contact the Preparatory School of Arts at (608) 796-3767.