San Diego Suzuki Institute

SDSI offers more than a traditional orchestral experience! Our program includes a Jazz and Fiddle orchestra for young musicians. Our program also emphasizes that musical creativity comes in many forms, and that well-rounded musicians are exposed to a variety of musical avenues. Students learn traditional orchestra skills as well as Jazz and Fiddle skills including singing, improvisation and backup. We create a positive and inspiring experience for young musicians andteachers—who are able to tap into their natural creativity and build upon newly acquired skills as they return totheir home schools, orchestras, and/or individual instruction.

SDSI teacher courses are approved by a multi-national oversight organization, the Suzuki Association of the Americas. As noted above, Suzuki training is considered to be one of the best sources of training for music teachers working with young children. Having high quality training readily available to our local teacher population increases both the availability of Suzuki music education here in San Diego County and the overall quality of teaching being offered. It is important to note that music teachers often embark on teaching careers with no specific training in music pedagogy, only technical training in their instruments. This makes the impact of SDSI’s teacher trainee program even more sizable. Teacher trainees attend separate classes hosted by a Suzuki teacher trainer, with different program tracks covering teaching strategies for a full spectrum of student ages, instruments, and experience levels.

SDSI is one of very few Suzuki Institutes in the country that offer Early Childhood music classes and Early Childhood teacher training courses. We believe that music education begins before birth, and that environment nurtures growth. Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) is for children from age 2 months-4 years old and utilizes nursery rhymes, singing, percussion instruments, dance, parent child interaction, story time and much more to provide a nurturing environment to set children up for future success in the instrumental education.

Our program also emphasizes that musical creativity comes in many forms, and that well-rounded musicians are exposed to a variety of musical avenues. We provide opportunities young people cannot access in traditional orchestra programs, jazz and fiddle orchestras, beginner’s ukulele and songwriting, and scoring/engineering original music. We create a positive and inspiring experience for young musicians and teachers—who are able to tap into their natural creativity and build upon newly acquired skills as they return to their home schools, orchestras, and/or individual instruction.