Buddhist Temple in Tokyo

Birmingham Suzuki Violinists go to Japan!

In 1997, Birmingham Suzuki Violinists were invited by Terri Goulard Henningson, a former student and family friend of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, to   travel to Japan and participate in the 1998 National Suzuki Concert.  It was to be held at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo with the Royal Family in attendance. We are grateful to Ms. Henningson for this amazing opportunity to accompany her to Japan.

BSVA students pose under Hitachi’s Vulcan

This invitation was met with great enthusiasm from students and parents, so we got to work practicing and perfecting our music, performing many concerts and fundraising events to make it all possible. Finally, the day came, and we found ourselves in Japan!

Not only did we perform in the 1997 National Concert in Tokyo, but it was also the year of the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. We did house stayovers with families in Nagano, and enjoyed the rural environment of the countryside. We also visited Matsumoto, where Suzuki lived and worked. And were tourists to Kyoto, Nara,  and Hitachi, Birmingham’s Sister City. The photo above, taken in Hitachi, poses our group standing under a replica of our city’s moniker, Vulcan.

(Click each image to see the caption)

Finally, we are going to participate in the 44th Suzuki Method Grand Concert. Our group poses in front of Budokan Hall, Tokyo.