Eastern NC Suzuki Association

🎻 Calling all Suzuki musicians! 🎻
A Grammy-nominated violinist is coming to Greenville — and you’re going to want to be in the room.
Desirée Ruhstrat performs a concerto by Clarice Assad, one of today’s most exciting female composers, with the New Carolina Sinfonia, conducted by Jorge Richter.
Suzuki students, this is the good stuff — live, world-class playing, just minutes from home. The kind of night that stays with you. Bring your friends & family 😊
See you there! 💛

Beautiful day for !! Thanks to all our participants and volunteers for a lovely afternoon of music. 🎃🎻🎉

Ms. Betsy spreading the love of music! 🎻✨ One of her talented "A" class students gets some personalized attention. 😇💕 We're celebrating the finale of Suzuki Week in Greenville, NC - what an unforgettable week of friendship, learning, and music-making!

Join us for an out-of-this-galaxy performance!
Our amazing Suzuki violin students will take the stage tomorrow at 3:00 PM in A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on the ECU campus.
From timeless classics to a Star Wars finale, you won’t want to miss this!
May the music be with you! 🌌⭐️

🎻✨ Thanks to all who participated in our annual Fiddle Fest!

This year, our tunes told the stories of Eastern NC and beyond. Wreck of the Pioneer, written by Dave Tweedie of Molasses Creek, captured the spirit of a legendary shipwreck near Ocracoke Island. Croatoan, composed by Justin Edwards of Beargrass, NC, connected us to the mystery of the Lost Colony. We also honored the memory of Joanne Bath with Applebo, a beautiful Swedish tune reflecting her deep love for Scandinavian music.🩵

Thank you to everyone who played, listened, and supported this event. Let’s keep the tunes rolling!

🎻Calling All Suzuki Students! 🎻

Got something to say about your musical journey? The 2025 SAA Minijournal wants to hear from YOU! This is your chance to share your thoughts, experiences, and stories about music and the Suzuki method with students and teachers across the country.

🌟 What to write about?
• A big lesson you learned this year
• A memorable performance or event
• How Suzuki has shaped your perspective
• Challenges you’ve faced and overcome
• What music means to you

Articles should be 500 to 1500 words and can be written from any perspective. What matters most is that YOUR voice is heard!

📝 Submit your article by April 15, 2025 → submission link: https://wkf.ms/4i0alrd

⭐️ATTENTION FORMER STUDENTS OF JOANNE BATH⭐️

Service Music for Joanne Bath
Friday, February 7th, 2025
2:00 p.m.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 401 E 4th Street, Greenville NC

Friends,

As you are aware, our beloved Joanne Bath passed away on Jan 22. For the funeral, the family is requesting special music to honor Mrs. Bath and your help is needed! Please share this message with anyone who was impacted by her life’s work. You are needed and most welcome!

A musical prelude will begin in the church at 1:30 p.m. Selections to be performed include a Swedish tune or two, Handel Chorus, Beethoven Minuet in G, Humoresque, Handel Bouree, Bach Minuet (book 3), the Bach Double Violin Concerto (1st and 2nd mvmt), the Vivaldi a minor 2nd movement, and a movement from the Corelli Christmas Concerto. It is our goal to create a chamber orchestra to play these pieces. Jon Shaw and I have ALL of the arrangements to make these selections work for violin and chamber orchestra! We especially need viola, cello and double bass players.

We will rehearse as an ensemble at 8:45 a.m. on Fri, Feb 7 at St. Paul’s Epsicopal Church.
All former violin students are invited to perform Brahms Waltz from memory and without music stands during communion (Suzuki Book 2). We will rehearse this piece as a group at 1pm in the sanctuary, and will be accompanied by Dr. John O’Brien on piano.

🚨VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

In order for us to prepare for this ceremony, please fill out this Google Form no later than Wednesday, Feb 5th. We need to know who will be coming! : )

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEcjTET3iGnIHdubniCdvqe1Qipzgg0_kop0HU25LFUzu3JA/viewform?usp=sharing


If you have any questions, please reach out to Betsy Hughes 919-280-5986 [email protected] or Jon Shaw 252-295-8251 [email protected]
Attire for the service– "Bath Blue" (i.e. periwinkle, sky blue, or light blue), and shades of pink (which she also loved) to extend the theme of the flowers. (FYI the Bath daughters and much of the family will be wearing black, a color which we all love and would totally approve of as well!)

Ceremony Music for Joanne Bath--Friday, Feb 7, 2025 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Greenville NC Calling all Suzuki friends...you are needed and most welcome to join us to celebrate Please share this with your network of musician friends! Questions? Please refer to this document. Still have questions? Please contact Betsy Hughes or Jon Shaw.

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Joanne Bath, a beloved professor and leader who was instrumental in shaping the unique Suzuki community here in Greenville, NC.

Over her 50-year career, she touched countless lives through her teaching, performing, and unwavering commitment to the philosophy of Shinichi Suzuki.

An accomplished violinist, Joanne was an SAA-registered Violin Teacher Trainer, a former Suzuki Association of the Americas Board member, and a frequent clinician at institutes and workshops across the country. Her influence extended far beyond Greenville, inspiring students, teachers, and families worldwide.

She was honored as East Carolina University’s nominee for the 2010 O. Max Gardner Award for her contributions to the betterment of humankind and received the prestigious North Carolina Award in Fine Arts in 1996.

Joanne devoted her life to advancing music education through the Suzuki approach, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire the ENCSA community and beyond.

We invite you to honor her memory by sharing your reflections and memories in the comments or by messaging us directly.
Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and all who were privileged to know her. Joanne’s impact will live on through the countless lives she touched.

With love and gratitude,

Eastern NC Suzuki Association

Elizabeth Ivy Wilson, President
Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw, Secretary
Laura Eis, Treasurer

Suzuki Workshop Registration Open! March 14-15th in Chesapeake VA, this one day workshop offers masterclasses, group classes, elective classes and a final play-down. Registration link: https://www.stahrmusic.org/products-services/workshop