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Photo by Eric Engman

Photo by Eric Engman

Photo by Eric Engman

Photo by Eric Engman

After the last note was played, the musicians took a bow — then ran to their mothers.

The pint-sized prodigies had just completed a technique class during the annual Fairbanks Suzuki Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

While the beginner class learned music vocabulary and technical skills, more than 100 other music students of all skill levels were spread throughout the UAF Fine Arts Complex and Gruening Building for classes, recitals and fun.

Music director Gail Johansen said the Institute’s focus is on music, but the Suzuki method also works on the musician as a whole.

“Part of the Suzuki philosophy is the development of the whole person, to develop a good heart as well,” she said.

The method is spread across 10 music books that layer skills to give musicians a solid musical platform.

Johansen said children as young as 4 years old can start learning music with the Suzuki method. But children aren’t the only ones learning. Suzuki requires parents to be at lessons and help their children with at-home practice until they reach middle school.

During the Institute, younger children and beginners take three classes, while older and more advanced students can take up to six classes. Johansen said in addition to traditional lessons, there are fun classes such as fiddle, steel drum and Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a class that teaches musicians how to move and feel music.

“We want to provide some variety,” Johansen said. “Some of these kids have come here since they were 4, and we want to give them things to explore.”

Dalcroze Eurhythmics was taught by David Brown, a music professor from Ohio, who tailored the program to engage students of all ages. During Brown’s session with some of the youngest attendees, he had them play a game similar to “Red Light, Green Light” but to music with different tempos and moods to teach them to recognize different rhythms. One of the group’s favorite activities was a singing activity. After the students rearranged themselves and sang “do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti and do,” Brown decided to incorporate a few more people.

“Who are the people who have no fun at the Institute?” Brown asked his attentive students.

They turned and pointed at their attentive parents, many of whom were taking notes. Soon, their parents were joining and trying to keep up with their miniature musicians during the singing game.

Johansen said parent involvement is a trademark of the Institute and a reason why it received the Suzuki Associations of the Americas’ “Creating Community Around Suzuki’s Vision” award. The award is given every two years and recognizes a community’s extra effort to promote something that benefits others.

“We’re very surprised,” Johansen said. “We are the first Suzuki institute to win.”

She credits the collaboration among the Fairbanks Symphony Association, the university, local businesses and parents as the reason why the Institute was honored.

“There is a real community effort behind what is happening here,” Johansen said.

The Institute attracts clinicians from across the Lower 48. This year’s program has instructors from Boston, Los Angeles and Dallas leading classes. Johansen said the lure of Alaska and the program’s fine reputation attract a wide range of teaching professionals to Fairbanks.

“They love the chance to come to Alaska,” she said.

While the younger kids galloped to music, the most advanced group at the Institute refined a complex Dvorák piece during a group lesson. Every dynamic was practiced to perfection and the musicians often stopped to make notations on their sheet music. Johansen said three of the Institute’s alumni went on to study music at The Juilliard School.

“Many play music for life,” Johansen said.

The Institute is only a week long, but Fairbanks Suzuki students can work on their music during the school year at the Fairbanks School of Talent Education.

School is another place at which Suzuki students are excelling. Johansen said ongoing studies link music with brain development, and in Fairbanks many Suzuki students are also performing well in high school.

“They know how to work, how to get a task done,” Johansen said.