Graduation

At Westminster Suzuki Strings we carry on Dr. Suzuki’s Graduation System. We celebrate book completions in addition to the milestone graduation levels outlined by Dr. Suzuki.

Graduations are celebrated in October and April as a whole studio, group concert.

History of the Graduation System

Dr. Suzuki woke up around 5:00am every morning to listen to hundreds of tape recordings sent to him from all over Japan. He created a Graduation System in which upon reaching certain playing levels, students would record several polished review pieces and in return receive his constructive comments about their playing. This was a celebration of accomplishment. It was never a “pass/fail” system as he trusted that teachers would only have a student prepare and submit a recording when they were musically ready. Dr. Suzuki also knew it was the process of preparing recordings that the real learning and progress took place as students reflect on their own playing.

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The purpose of the Graduation Process:

• To recognize and celebrate students who have achieved high standards of playing
• To maintain our commitment to mastery and excellence
• To place a high value on review and the process of polishing
• To provide a character development journey for students to work toward goals and be recognized for their achievements
• To educate students in the self evaluation and goal setting process
• To provide group performance opportunities

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Dr. Suzuki’s Graduation Pieces:

• The Sunflower Song, Pre-Twinkle* (Twinkle Var. C)
• Twinkle Variations, Book 1* (Go Tell Aunt Rhody)
• Allegro* ( Andantino)
• Etude* ( Minuet 3)
• Gossec Gavotte, Book 1 (LLA bk 2)
• Minuet in G, Book 2*(Gavotte G minor bk 3)
• Bach Bourree, Book 3 ( Seitz 5, 3rd Mvt. bk 4)
• Vivaldi A minor Concerto 1st movement, Book 4 ( German Dance, bk 5)*
• Vivaldi Concerto in G Minor 1st movement, Book 5 ( Fiocco Allegro bk 6)
• Fiocco Allegro, book 6 ( Bach A min, bk 7)*
• Bach Concerto in A Minor 1st movement, Book 7 ( Tambourin Grétry bk 8)
• Bach Largo, book 8 ( when completing Mozart A major concerto)*
• Mozart Concerto in A Major, Book 9 (when ready)*
• Mozart Concerto in D Major, Book 10 (When ready)

*Dr. Suzuki’s original list did not include pieces for pre-twinkle through book 2. They have been added to provide motivation to our beginning students and to introduce them to the graduation process. (Pieces in parenthesis indicate the level at which a student is playing before they may begin the graduation process).

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The Graduation Process

The process begins well after a student has completed the level from which they wish to graduate. As students move through the repertoire, they receive credits towards completion of each piece (song). Pieces are complete when all credits are received. The final credit for each piece is earned following the creation of a successful video recording. The official graduation piece (listed above) must demonstrate both technical mastery and artistry.

First, we work to polish the graduation piece to a high standard. When the student feels ready, we make a video during the lesson. Sensei and student watch the video and decide together if the recording meets the graduation standards. If not, a plan to further review and polish is made and the student may try recoding again at the next lesson. This process repeats until student and Sensei are satisfied with the performance quality.

To graduate a level, students must demonstrate mastery of the teaching points for all previous pieces in the level in addition to the graduation piece. Once a graduation quality recording has been achieved, the video is uploaded to our studio YouTube and will be shared on the studio Facebook page/Instagram. There is no time limit on how long a student has to complete the process once it begins. However, performance of the graduation piece at a Graduation Concert is required for official graduation. Therefore, final videos must be made by the last group class prior to the performance in April or October to qualify.

Graduation Requirements:

Students must be eligible to begin the process. This is based on two requirements:

• 1) Student must be well into the next level before they may begin the process. Graduation recordings are not made until the third learning of the piece or until the student has entered the ‘Ri” stage of mastery. Ex. Twinkle graduation begins after beginning to study Go Tell Aunt Rhody.
• 2) All pieces in the graduating level must have received all required credits towards completion. Students will need to demonstrate correct posture, accurate intonation, good tone, correct rhythm, correct bow directions, dynamics and musicality for each piece.

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The Group Graduation Concert (Required)

The last step of the process is to perform. Students play the graduation piece plus all previous graduation pieces below their level during a graduation concert. Ex. if graduating Allegro, students will play Allegro, Twinkles and Sunflower song in the concert. After the concert performance, a student officially graduates the level.

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Solo Graduation Recitals (3 required, additional recitals are optional)

Students give one solo recital as a final project for each larger level of progress. Upon completion of book 3 (elementary level), book 6 (intermediate level) and book 10 (advanced level). Students will perform all graduation pieces within the level and any other pieces of their choosing (in or outside of suzuki repertoire). Piano accompaniment is required. Solo recitals may be scheduled between graduation concerts if a student wishes to complete the graduation process faster. However, solo recitals that fall outside the three required, are organized and funded by the students family.

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Graduation Concert

Roughly four months prior to the concert date, students begin preparing for the concert. The goal is to reach a new graduation level once per year (every other concert). Students will need to review all pieces to be played for the concert and Sensei will approve each piece for performance. Just because a student played a piece on the last concert, does not mean they will automatically play the same piece again on the next concert. Consistant review of previously learned pieces is how we master the violin. All pieces to be performed need to be highly polished.

How far students move ahead in the repertoire from one concert to the next, is a good indicator of progress. If students are not making effort, they will not add more pieces to their concert program and/or have less pieces on the program than previous concerts. Each concert will have the same repertoire. Occasionally, a piece will be added between graduation level pieces if students are working hard but just shy of a graduation level- to highlight the hard work of theses individuals.

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Concert Dress

Students wear a specific color during the performance to celebrate their promotion, much like the colors of Karate belts (see below). Concert dress is black bottoms with the colored top representing your graduation level or a dress in the color of your level.

Pre-Twinklers who have not yet graduated, will still participate and may choose to wear whatever they like as long as it’s not white or a black on top.

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Our Graduates

The following list recognizes students that demonstrated mastery of Dr. Suzuki’s graduation milestone pieces. This list is by no means comprehensive of all the students I have taught over 20 years. I have done my best to create this list from memory of more recent students. Former students that are not listed below, are welcome to contact me and I will add your name.

It is extremely difficult to achieve graduation of milestone pieces, and the honor increases the closer one gets to the final level of the Mozart Concerto.

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