CONCERT PREPARATION
- Listen, listen, LISTEN!
- Memorise your music early in the learning process.
- Practice performing from memory for anything, anyone, and everyone. Performing is a different skill from practicing.
- Attend all rehearsals.
- Record yourself often.
- Mistakes happen! Practice playing through ‘slip-ups’, even if we try our best to avoid them.
- Choose and practice in your concert clothes.
- Being nervous is normal. If your child is performing, do not worry – everyone is here to support them! But it can be hard to keep that in mind. If stage fright is something your child struggles with, practice raising the heart rate – running up and down the stairs, doing jumping jacks, etc. – to simulate the body’s response to nervousness. Then play all the way through your piece once you’re breathing harder. This will make the stress of performing more manageable on the day.
CHECKLIST FOR CONCERT DAY
- Dress up for this special occasion! Avoid wearing jeans or sports clothes, but be comfortable.
- Arrive early to unpack.
- Get tuned.
- Rosin your bow.
- Set your endpin length.
- Have all of your equipment and instrument set aside ready to play when it is your turn.
- Have fun and play your best!
- Celebrate after your performance!
“Character first, ability second.”
– Shinichi Suzuki
SUZUKI GRADUATION
Certain pieces in the Suzuki repertoire are designated as Graduation Levels. When students have studied beyond the piece for each level, they may graduate – that is, they prepare a polished performance of the set piece. They then receive a written report on their playing, are presented with a Graduation Certificate and play at the Graduation Concert.
Graduation is not an examination, and every child succeeds. To graduate is to achieve recognition for having reached a certain milestone in the ongoing process of musical education.
Graduation is not compulsory, however to graduate at any level beyond Level 1, a student must have graduated at all previous levels. More than one level may be presented on one occasion.
Families must be financial members of the Suzuki Association to graduate. To know about the Suzuki family membership, click here.
GRADUATION INFO 2024
Graduation Fees: from $89 to $104 (it depends on graduating level)
Graduation Recording and Paperwork due: 25 July 2024
Graduation Concert: 27 October 2024 @ Sydney Opera House
GRADUATION RECORDING
To participate, the student must submit a recording of their graduation piece by memory. Qualified teachers listen to graduations, and write positive and helpful reports.
Students need to record their performances with an appropriate accompaniment which could either be the official Suzuki repertoire recording or a live accompanist. Students are expected to perform the graduation piece at the tempo of the official Suzuki repertoire recording from memory.
All graduation performances need to be announced by the student clearly – full name, age, piece and composer.
Check the list below to know your graduation piece by level.
Level 1: Minuet No 2, J.S. Bach
Level 2: Witches Dance, N. Paganini
Level 3: Minuet in G, L. van Beethoven
Level 4: Sonata in C major, 1st mvt, J.B. Bréval
Level 5: Sonata in E minor, 1st & 2nd mvts, A. Vivaldi
Level 6: The Swan, C. Saint-Saëns
Level 7: Gavotte in D major, D. Popper
Level 8: Elégie, G. Fauré
Level 9: Concerto in C major, 1st mvt, J Haydn
Level 10: Concerto in B flat major, L. Boccherini (complete)
Level 11: Concerto in A minor, C. Saint-Saëns (complete)