Welcome to the Spring Suzuki Violin Recital 2023 for Scott Belleri Violin Studio. This recital features students performing pieces from Suzuki Violin School Volumes 1 through 4. It took place on May 20, 2023 at the Community Music Center in Portland OR.

A big thanks to accompanist Miyuki Sakiyama!

Group performances: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, variations C, E, and Theme — S. Suzuki • Oh Come Little Children — Traditional • Allegro — S. Suzuki • Trio Performance: Chorus From Judas Maccabeus — G. F. Handel Performed by Naomi, Ramzi, and Jonathan

Solo Performances:

Song of the Wind — S. Suzuki Performed by Lia• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Variation A —S. Suzuki Performed by Chaya • Musette — J. S. Bach Performed by Ramzi • 
Song of the Wind — S. Suzuki Performed by Leo • Lightly Row — Traditional Performed by Juhi • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Variation A — S. Suzuki Performed by Clyde • Humoresque — A. Dvořák Performed by Isabel • Allegretto — S. Suzuki Performed by Eurydice • Musette — J. S. Bach Performed by Naomi • Chorus From Judas Maccabeus — G. F. Handel Performed by Sarah • Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 356 — A. Vivaldi Performed by Jonathan

Thank you to all of the dedicated parents, grandparents, and others who dedicated themselves to development of talent in these students! And of course, many thanks to the students who worked hard every under their guidance. I hope you enjoyed this performance. Thank you!

In this video I show how to properly set the bow hand for the violin. The style of bow hand I teach is the Franco Belgian style. I provide instruction for parents to set their child's bow hand, and for older students to set it for themselves.

It is important to keep the bow vertical for absolute beginners. If the bow is leaning at an angle, the forces acting on the hand will lead to habits of tension. It is also important to not touch the bow hair, as the natural oils from your fingers will rub off on the hair and affect the sound.

We want to use the minimum amount of effort and strength necessary to keep the bow in our hand. So stay relaxed all fingers should be curved, and the hand should be round. This is why I try to avoid calling it the bow hold or the bow grip, as these words bring to mind the idea of tension.

Please enjoy this performance by Kalynn. She studied with me from first grade through high school graduation! I am so proud of the hard work she put into her art. She is currently studying to be an animator at one of the best schools in the world for this subject. Kalynn Lam is performing the Gigue from Sonata in d minor, Op. 2 No. 7 by F.M. Veracini.

A big thanks to accompanist Miyuki Sakiyama.

Today I want to talk about tuning your violin. Tuning is not only essential to setting yourself up to play, but it also improves your ear. In a way you, tune your brain as you tune your instrument. I cover methods for the beginner student, as well as the more pro-level method by listening deeply to the the perfect fifth interval for the intermediate to advanced student. I hope you find this video effective in improving your tuning ability! Reach out to me if you’d like to cover this and many other topics through private violin instruction.

This is a recital from 2016. Enjoy!

This was one of the first times I tried to curate an experience that was more than just a standard Suzuki recital. I incorporated pieces that are outside of the standard Suzuki repertoire and included group performance, solo, and duets. It was fun looking back on this Recital!

Here’s an older recital from back in 2014, in the beautiful St David of Whales Church in Southeast Portland. Enjoy!

I was just going through old videos and found this gem from early in my teaching days! This was from when I was working with The Portland Suzuki Project, an non profit that provided in-school violin instruction to hundreds of students in an under served community in North Portland. I would have to say that this was not a traditional Suzuki program, as most of these children were learning violin without any parental involvement. However we set out with the essence of Dr Suzuki’s vision, and these kids did great! I was a part of this program from 2009 to 2013, and I have fond memories of these students. I worked one-on-one with many of them, and one of them even studied privately with me from first grade all the way up through high school graduation! Enjoy this little peek into a typical day of one of the classes I taught there.

Thanks for making it all the way down here! I am going over old and new footage that I want to share here on my music studio blog page. I hope you enjoy, and learn from it.

—Scott Belleri