Belize Suzuki Summer Institute 2023

Belize is nestled at the tip of Central America with the blue-green Caribbean Sea shorelines on the east and lush dense rainforest on the west.  We are excited to be hosting our third Suzuki Institute in July 2023. 

The Belize Suzuki Summer Institute is being held in association with Daniela Gongora Music Academy (Norwalk, Ct)

This year, our institute will return to the Kikiwitz Wellness Resort in Belmopan City.

 Some classes will be held outdoors and/or semi-outdoors. When indoors, classrooms are well ventilated with windows and fans in every room.

We are offering Suzuki Institute program for students as well as 

Book 3 and 4 violin ONLINE training for teachers. 

  In addition to the Core Suzuki Classes, Steel Pan Drumming will be added as part of our cultural enrichment program. 

Visit our FAQs page for some more information

Registration for summer 2024 will open in January 2024. Registration closes on April 1st, 2024 Registrations received after April 1st will be reviewed on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed admission. 

Training Prerequisites and Course Order.

To take Suzuki teacher training, teachers must be active members of the SAA. Every Child Can! (ECC) is required prior to taking Unit 1. Courses must be taken in order through Unit 3: ECC, Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3. Once this sequence has been completed, taking units in order is highly recommended but not required.

Audition Requirement

To qualify as a participant in SAA Teacher Workshop unit courses, applicants must upload a video audition to the SAA, preferably well in advance of taking the course. Videos submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the course start date will receive a discounted audition fee. If they are submitted later than 8 weeks before the course, the regular audition fee will be required. Auditions for Unit 1 courses must be received no later than 10 days prior to the course start date. Auditions for all other units must be submitted and approved by the course start.

Auditions submitted early have the advantage of an optional retry (with fees) within the stated deadlines if initial audition was not accepted. If auditions are not accepted, course work will not be eligible for SAA registration. For further information, please visit the SAA website to view the teacher video audition application form and instructions, or call the SAA at 1-888-378-9854.

Required Course Preparation

All teacher training participants are asked to prepare and memorize the repertoire to be studied to the point of fluent performance. Additionally, participants should be conversant with the ideas presented in Dr. Suzuki’s book Nurtured by Love.

All participants will be performing Suzuki repertoire and other materials in class. Strings and woodwinds are expected to provide their own instruments. One-hundred percent attendance is required for registering the course, along with any other course requirements set by the teacher trainer.

Each participant enrolled in a Unit 1 course will receive a letter from the SAA stating the preparation expectations and basic course components. Letters are emailed directly to each participant as they are added to the institute’s online roster. Each letter is instrument-specific and covers information such as reading material, Suzuki books and CDs, piece preparation, and items to bring to the course.

Daniela Gongora, director, violin and viola (Norwalk, CT USA)

Edwin A.J. Gongora, assistant director, violin (Belize City, Belize)

James Hutchins, violin (Baltimore, MD USA)

Gretchen Grube, violin (Chicago, IL USA)

Charlie Rasmussen, cello (Milwaukee, WI USA)

Julietta Burrowes, steel pan (Belize City,Belize)