News from Croatia
Short summary about Suzuki in Croatia
Suzuki method was introduced to us in the year 2003 by Veronika Kimiti who was assigned responsible for Croatia by ESA and we started teacher training program in the same year. After training two teacher trainees (Danijel Zeljak – Level 2 and Marko Mađarić – Level 1) for the examination in Remscheid 2004, who both have passed (Zeljak at ESA and Mađarić at German Suzuki institute), we continued the training program but due to the financial issues we were not able to have regular visits from mrs. Kimiti and the training was not regular. The leadership of Croatian Suzuki association, at that time, was not able to raise funds for regular training and the sponsors were not interrested in financing this project any more. After this unfortuante events in summer of 2004, Danijel Zeljak resigned as Suzuki teacher, country reperesentative at the ESA and as secretary of our local association. Marko Mađarić took over.
Some of our pupils attended Suzuki summer camp at Sosto - Siofok where they met prof. Jeanne Janssens and after explaining the situation in our county she was generous enough to offer her help and at the beginning of the next school year. The new association board decided to continue training with her, and she was assigned to Croatia by the ESA.
In the year 2005/2006. we managed to organise 5 workshops in Zagreb, Croatia and we have expanded the number of trainees involved in the program to 5 (3 trainees from Croatia and 2 from FYR Macedonia). These workshops took place at the Talent education center in Zagreb, which is the only Suzuki school in Croatia and we had teacher training course with mrs. Janssens as well as children workshop.
In the same year Marko Mađarić was invited to teach at the Hungarian international Suzuki workshop in Jaszarokszallas and some of his students attended this workshop.
At the beginning of 2006. Marko Mađarić passed Level 1 and 2 in Turnhout, Belguim with the ESA after attending the course in Retie.
After that success we have organized further development of Suzuki in our country and have found funds to send 10 children to Suzuki conference in Torino.
In may 2006. weorganised a children workshop at the coast of Croatia with prof. Jeanne Janssens and Marko Mađarić. The goal was to spread the Suzuki method to other parts of our country. This was the first workshop organized by Talent education centre outside the capital Zagreb.
The concert for the end of school year was our biggest success because most of our pupils had the opportunity to perform as soloists at most famous Croatian concert hall accompanied by Zagreb chamber orchestra (artistic leader mrs. Diane Pascal – USA, who was also a Suzuki child).
In the summer of 2006. pupils from Talent education center in Zagreb took part at Sosto - Siofok Suzuki summer course and Marko Mađarić was invited to teach there.
The teacher training program continued in the next year at the same tempo (5 times a year) and quality and the interest for Suzuki is rising. In february 2007. Marko Mađarić passed level 3 in Turnhout, Belgium.
New applicants signed in the program, some from Croatia and 2 new ones from Slovenia who all attended the teacher training course in Retie, Belgium in April 2007. and have all followed the courses with mrs. Tove and mr. Bela Detrkoy, mrs. Barbara Parham, Felicity Lipmann, Marja Olamaa, Ilona Telmany and Marianne Rygner. On this workshop we expanded our Suzuki method in having a viola teacher trainee Marta Bergovec who is, at the moment, studying for levels 1 and 2. and is teaching at the Talent education centre since 2006.
Monthly organized concerts gave children a possibility to present Suzuki method in the best way and number of students was drastically rising. In that matter we have reached the maximum of possible pupils and are now waiting for the next examination for other trainees (possible in February 2008. in Belgium) because the need for new teachers as appreciable.
During school year 2006 / 2007. Talent education center from Zagreb organized 1. international workshop in Selce (coast) from 18 – 24. august 2008. where we had a pleasure to study with some of the best Suzuki teachers in the world:
mrs. Jeanne Janssens (Belgium)
mrs. Tove Detrekoy (Danmark)
mr. Bela Detrekoy (Danmark)
mr. Peter Nys (Belgium)
At this workshop the children from Croatia and abroad had their workshop and concerts which were very successful, and 7 teacher trainees were trained for their levels for the upcoming examinations.
Plans for upcoming season are the same as last two years. We hope to fund at least 5 visits from our trainer mrs. Janssens, and we hope that the summer workshops become a tradition and attract more pupils and trainees from abroad as well as other great Suzuki teachers.
For the Croatian Suzuki association
Country representative - Marko Mađarić
Croatia