Suzuki in Zimbabwe: How it all Began by Ivy Decker Jones

“Do you think you are in Africa to teach Math or PE?” my pastor asked me. “No, you are here to share your gift of music.”

A year later, in 2005, Maggie Giles, a Music Teacher at the International School of Tanzania visited Harare International

School, Zimbabwe for a job interview.

During the interview, she outlined her experience of initiating a Suzuki program in Tanzania and her intention to do the

same in Zimbabwe. The Director at Harare International School (knowing that I was a violinist) called me to his office

during the interview and asked me if I would be interested in such an endeavour. My answer was yes!

That same year, Harare International School sponsored Michele Higa George, SAA Violin Teacher Trainer, to come to

Zimbabwe to train Violin Teachers in the Suzuki Method™. I was one of the first trainees in this Teacher Training program.

In 2008 I started teaching Suzuki Violin to 22 orphan children on Saturday mornings in the Church Orphanage with the

help of a donation of violins from the USA and Tinotenda Chikoto, who had done some ESA Suzuki Violin Teacher training

in South Africa. The children excelled from the outset and received an Award at a National Music Festival in their first

year. Since then, they have regularly performed in church, local schools, old people’s homes and other community centers

and these Suzuki children continue to be a shining light in the Harare community.

As part of my job at Harare International School, I travelled to

Italy on a school tour in 2006. Whilst there, I was inspired with a

vision of bringing Zimbabwean violinists to perform

there. Funding came from generous donors in our church and

community with particular support from Pastor Bonnie Deuschle.

After six years of planning and fundraising, the dream was

realised and the Celebration Children’s Orchestra of Zimbabwe

performed in Italy in June 2012.

After this tour, the demand for more Suzuki Violin lessons

became apparent and I began to teach full time at Harare

International School. At the same time, Amy Macy, Suzuki Cello

Teacher arrived in Zimbabwe. Amy was both a Suzuki parent and an SAA Suzuki Teacher from the USA and introduced

Play-a-Thons and an Annual National Suzuki Concert in Zimbabwe. Under the leadership of a Suzuki parent, Mara Galante,

a strong group of dedicated Zimbabwe parents have helped support the National Concerts and Play-a-Thons. This same

group of parents also host and cater for Suzuki Teacher Training weeks.

Africa falls within the region of the European Suzuki Association

(ESA), and in February 2014, Helen Brunner, ESA Violin Teacher

Trainer visited Harare from the UK for a week to see what was

happening in Zimbabwe with the Suzuki Method™. Helen had

expected to see perhaps twenty to thirty students but found

that they kept coming and coming……over 130 Suzuki Violinists!

The ESA recognised the good work that had been done by Suzuki Teachers from the Suzuki Association of the Americas

(SAA) in bringing the Suzuki Method™ to Zimbabwe and the time had come for the ESA to build on this foundation and

give Zimbabwe access to funding from the European Suzuki Teaching Development Trust (ESTDT) to train more Suzuki

Teachers. It was also the time for Zimbabwe to set up a national Suzuki association and become a country member of the

ESA – the second country in Africa to do so, with South Africa being the first in 2004.

In June 2015, Karen-Michele Kimmett, ESA Violin Teacher Trainer came to Zimbabwe from Canada and gave a short

Introductory Course on the Suzuki Method™ to nine interested teachers.

Before her return to the USA this year, Amy Macy worked with Karen-Michele Kimmett to ensure the establishment of

the first ESA Level 1 Teacher Training Course in Zimbabwe.

Karen-Michele Kimmett with Level 1 Teacher Trainees

Since April there has been an exponential demand for Suzuki Violin lessons with twelve ESA Teacher Trainees on the Level

1 Course, including one from Zambia, all working hard to share quality music making through the Suzuki Method™ with

the young children in Harare, Bulawayo and Lusaka.

Karen-Michele Kimmett has also given an ESA Practicum Course for SAA Teachers to enable them to apply for ESA

Recognition and continue their training in Zimbabwe under the ESA Teacher Training Program.

The process of founding a national Suzuki association in Zimbabwe (ZIMSA) is nearing completion with Founder Board

Members being Catherine Stirling, Owen Chimuka, Shirley Warhost, Thembani Mhambi, Vinita Goyel and myself.

The journey continues!!

ESA = European Suzuki Association (Europe Middle East & Africa)

SAA = Suzuki Association of the Americas (North and South America)