Museum meeting January 17 will assess interest in Suzuki Violin program for kids or adults

An interest meeting is set for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 4:30 p.m. at the Union County Heritage Museum to learn about the possibility of beginning a Suzuki Method Violin Education Program for Union County.

Using the Suzuki Method to teach violin, children can begin to learn the instrument at very young ages, said Dr. Christopher Thompson, who has taught a string program in Pontotoc and Lee Counties for the past decade.

Parents who are interested in their children learning to play the violin or adults who are interested in taking lessons are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Children as young as four years old can begin in a class for four- to five-year-olds using the Suzuki Method.   This class teaches the posture, the rhythms and coordination needed to advance to the beginner class of six- to nine-year-olds.  He emphasized that it takes commitment from the parents for this method to be successful.  Thompson said beginning music education at an early age is very important to the later growth and accomplishments of a musician.

Thompson has forty-two years of experience as a private studio instructor and offers traditional instruction for adults as well as the Suzuki Method for young students.

He retired from his position as Professor of Violin at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2010 and opened a studio in Tupelo. Thompson holds membership in the Suzuki Association of the Americas and the American String Teachers Association.

Click to enlarge

Thompson has performed as a soloist and recitalist in the United States, Europe and the Far East.  He was one of eleven music professors in the United States to be awarded a Senior Fulbright Lectureship. Thompson has studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York and at the Eastman School in Rochester, New York. He has recorded on the Air and Centaur recording labels.

If there is enough interest at the January 17^th meeting for a program to begin in New Albany, a schedule will be developed for the group and individual classes.

Please call the museum at 662-538-0014 or email uchm@ucheritagemuseum.com if you are interested in learning more about the program, and to let organizers know if there is enough interest in beginning a program locally.   The museum is located at 114 Cleveland Street, New Albany, MS 38652

Jill Smith, Director

Union County Heritage Museum

114 Cleveland Street

New Albany,MS 38652