SUZUKI ASSOCIATION OF UTAH EST 1977
presents
Celebration XI Celebrating 50 Years!
Blending Harmonies, Inviting Unity
Utah County Celebration Concert BYU Concert Hall September 19, 2026 4:00 pm
BRIANN CHRISTENSEN SAU President
Welcome to Celebration XI: Blending Harmonies, Inviting Unity! We are so excited to have you here with us today! Today’s concert is part of our Suzuki Association of Utah Celebration Series. We are having five multi-instrument events as well as a 5 Piano Concert and a Harp Concert throughout this celebration year. It is a tremendous undertaking! Each SAU Celebration Concert is nothing short of miraculous! Today’s event is the result of Suzuki community members’ efforts to create a collaborative musical experience for children of all ages and abilities on instruments of all shapes and sizes - most of whom have never rehearsed together before this event! Nothing about this accomplishment has been simple or easy. But it has been well worth all the dedicated work! Celebration is all about the coming together of human souls seeking beauty and goodness. This is a healing and joyful experience for all; a balm for the isolation and anxiety of the world we live in. As you hear these children unite in blending beautiful tones in harmonious sound, I hope that you leave inspired to lead out in bringing harmony and unity to all your associations and throughout your communities.
Program Rhapsody for Piano and Strings Daniel Reesor SAU Composition Contest Winner
Elisa West, Piano Soloist
Welcome Message BriAnn Christensen
Master of Ceremonies Marcus Hardy
Collaborative Pianist Jayne Galloway
Ave Maria Guillo Caccini arranged by Kersten Wartberg*
Piano London Bridge Duet arranged by Daniel McFarlane Hugh Carter, Joel Carter, Drew Hardy, Melany Portillo
Midnight Rider Melody Bober Atlas Fulwider, Basil Fulwider, Ocean Fulwider
Program Piano Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331 III. Rondo alla Turca - Allegretto "Turkish March" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Cameron Kearns, Paige Kearns
Cello Gavotte Jean- Baptiste Lully
Tweet Tweet Helen Butterworth
French Folk & Friends arranged by Stephen Mitton
Guitar Marchina de Carnival Celso Machado
A Toye Anonymous
Waltz, no. 1 Bartolome’ Calatayud
Go Tell Aunt Rhody French Folk Song
Program Viola Minuet in D Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Hunter’s Chorus Carl Marie von Weber
Bohemian Folk Song Folk Song
Harp Thistletown Stephen Dustone
Canon in D with a Twist Anamae Anderson and Marilyn Dodson
Seguidilla Carlos Salzedo
Violin Concerto for Two Violins in D minor Johann Sebastian Bach
Theme from “Witches’ Dance” Niccolo Paganini
Happy Song Kirsten Wartberg*
Program Combined Ode to Joy Ludwig van Beethoven arranged by Felicia Voght
Apple Pie Roundup arranged by Benjamin Salisbury*
Twinkle Variations Traditional arranged by Cleo Brimhall
Thank you for coming! A special Thank You to Kristen Wartberg and Benjamin Salisbury for the generous donation of their beautiful arrangements and compositions for our concert! *Kristen Wartberg is the Founder of the International Music Teacher Exchange. Be sure to check out the Online Media Library https://www.imtex-online.com *Dr. Benjamin Salisbury is a composer, pianist, and teacher. Be sure to check out StringsPop https://stringspop.com
Students CELLO
BASS
Kayson Barney Corbin Bishop Ty Boulter Isaac Burton Liam Carter Brigham Christiansen Henry Christensen James Christensen Holland Davis Benson Dietrich Jack Dietrich Esther Erdmann Flint Evans Claire Gotberg Logan Greer Ty Hardy Robbie Hammond Cleo Hatch John Heyland Anna Larson Holly Lewis David Lundberg Daniel Marx Kalil Mendoza Collin Michaelis Glynn Mitchell Grant Morgan Cooper Morley Creed Newton Anderson Pope James Reesor Aubrey Richmond Josey Roland Kimball Rose Ethan Tveter Toivai Ulugia Gracelen Vogrinec Ben Weed Clara Weed Eli White
Ethan Barney
GUITAR Peter Clement Chase Hardy Isabelle Keller William Weight
HARP Kelly Astle Susan Astle Marian Astle Joanne Astle Ruby Bartley Riley Blake Madi Boyter Ruby Hoyt Lenna Law Elizabeth Porter Seeley Reidhead Ember Scott Heloise Strupp Anna Xochimitl
PIANO Joel Carter Hugh Carter Atlas Fulwider Basil Fulwider Ocean Fulwider Drew Hardy Cameron Kearns Paige Kearns Melany Portillo Elisa West
Students VIOLA Jaimy Cervantes Magnolia Cicchelli Miles Cicchelli Brita Combs Verena Combs Jacie Eliason Henry Erdmann Hudson Glenn Isabelle Gotberg Chester Henderson Lily Herrera Ada Keller Liam Knudsen Piper Newton Jeremiah O’Neil Elsie Rigby Cosette Roland Winfield Sage Tate Trimble Gaberul Vogrinec Lily West Hazel Wheeler
VIOLIN Blake Allen Asher Allred Cooper Allred Elise Allred Noelle Allred Lexi Anderson Tyler Anderson Clara Ard Elizabeth Ashby Jacob Astorga Brayden Barney Kade Barney Emma Barrio Opal Bartley Paige Bartley Finn Baxter Isaac Beddoes
Maisie Bernard Ellie Blaser Jette Bodine Macie Bodine Charlotte Bodtcher Lily Bodtchter Aliyah Boulter Averie Boulter Ellery Boulter Lily Boulter Scarlett Boulter Sienna Boulter Kate Boyter Sharon Bowers Nicolle Brinez Tess Brooke Tucker Burkhardt Adelaide Burton Kristine Butler Emily Call Colter Cameron Indie Cameron Ben Cardon Sam Cardon Emma Carrick Danielle Carter Kaylen Carver Carla Cervantes Jaimy Cervantes Jane Christensen Maggie Christensen Marlowe Cicchelli Mila Cicchelli Abbie Coates Ellie Coates Eliana Cope Liam Corbridge Luke Corbridge Parker Corbridge Vivienne Corbridge Roslyn Cornaby Grace Crossett Bridger DaBell Reese DaBell
Students Spencer Daniel Rachel Davis Annabelle Dickson Alexia Dunford Lucy Dyer Alice Earl Jane Egbert Lukas Egbert Lincoln Eliason Sophie Eliason Claire Ellis Eden Farley Janie Fletcher Rose Fogg Beckett Fry Ethne Fry Atlas Fulwider Banks Fulwider Basil Fulwider Ridge Fulwider Ocean Fulwider Poppi Garns Brielle Glenn Brooklyn Gonzales Cossette Gonzales Gabriel Gonzales Haven Gonzales Jonathan Gonzales Kai Gonzales Alice Gotberg Rebecca Graf Eden Gustafson Elicia Haldeman Lydia Hales Gracia Hedelius Belinda Henderson Hannah Herrera Julia Hessing Lillian Hicken Ruby Hicken Audrey Hill Jackson Hintze
VIOLIN
Jade Hodson Sam Holladay Dottie Horn Ella Howes Kate Jaynes Mark Jaynes Amelia Jensen Grace Jensen Adeline Johnson Amy Jones Aliya Keller Thomas Kemp Eeva Kennedy Oliver Kennedy Pennilyn Kennedy Brooklyn Kidd Josephine Kimmons Annette Knudson Penny Laidlaw Claire Lainhart Rachel Larsen Kristin Larsen Gabrielle Lee Rachel Lewis Marigold Ley Kendra Liddle Cailie Lundberg Emma Lundberg Ruby MacDonald Emery Marsh Larissa Martin Ada Maxfield Maxwell McAllister James McHargue Katie McHargue Samuel McHargue Elsie McLean Daniel Melton Kenzie Mendoza Kimi Mendoza Zachary Meng Edelweiss Millerd
Students Kaylee Mills Lizzy Monson Phebe Monson Matai Morley Elizabeth Morris Ella Murff Rowan Naugle Indie Nilsson Pearl Nilsson Scarlett Nilsson Elise Pace Miranda May Parker Timothy Parker Lauren Patterson Ellie Peterson Katelyn Peterson Lexi Peterson Michael Petersen Matty Portillo Lucy Poulsen Audrey Poulter Benjamin Poulter Cambry Rappleye Eden Rasmussen Daniel Reesor Leo Reesor Oliver Reesor Brooklyn Reynolds Enoch Rimer John Rimer Timothy Rimer Lillian Rizzo Evangeline Roland Evelyn Roper Luke Roper Lynden Rowberry Commodore Rush Isla Ryan Moira Ryan Alice Sage
VIOLIN
Addelaide Sampson Isabelle Savage Stella Schroeder Himaya Scott Samantha Scoville Joslyn Serrano ilili Server Laykin Sharp Kate Silvey Maka Smith Emily Snow Hannah Snow Ellie Soffe Lily Soffe Anna Sorensen Callie Sparks Ellianna Stagg Isabella Stark Jared Stark Lillie Stubbs Bo Tan Luna Tan Reese Tate Zinnia Taylor Jackson Trimble Lucette Uda Madelyn Vidoni Gwendolyn Voght Theodore Voght Emmarie Wall Magnolia Wheeler Zev Wheeler Ian White Rachel White Jane Wilson Kyle Wilson Faye Wimmer Bethany Wing Ellen Workman Dagny Wright Hadley Young
Teachers CELLO
Bryn Boogert Rachel Burton Alyson Elmer Erica Hardy Amanda Michaelis Rex Colin Mitchell Nicole Pinnell Selene Sandberg-Oates Rosamae Norton Hatch
GUITAR Mark Alger
HARP Anamae Anderson Marilyn Dodson Maren Laurence
PIANO BriAnn Christensen Angie Terry Alison West
VIOLA Lauri Driggs Nicole Macias Madeleine Riding Felicia Voght Sharolee Zippro
VIOLIN Stephen Ball Tammy Barney Caitlyn Baxter TruAnn Boulter Lauri Driggs Terry Fulwider Anne Law Nicole Macias Julia Parker Nonie Reesor Madeleine Riding Rachel Samuels Felicia Voght Sharolee Zippro
HIROKO PRIMROSE Honored SAU Pioneer
Hiroko Sawa Primrose (Laun) was born on January 2, 1938, in Osaka, Japan, to Isao Sawa and Sono Hosokai. She received her early music education in Japan, and graduated with honors from Kobe College. She studied at Indiana University School of Music and earned a Master of Music degree in Violin performance in 1962. She was a member of the Osaka Philharmonic Ensemble. She also trained extensively in Japan with Dr. Suzuki and was one of the top teachers in Japan. In 1974, she was one of a group of teachers who pioneered the Suzuki Method in Australia. In 1979, Hiroko Primrose came to Utah with her husband, renowned violist William Primrose, and absolutely became the catalyst for what has happened in Suzuki violin in Utah ever since. She devoted her time to teaching young children as well as to training teachers in the Suzuki Method. She dramatically raised the standard of string playing. Her devotion to her students and the method she espoused was obvious to the music community around her, and her students were frequently invited to perform with the neighboring symphonies, including Utah Symphony, Utah Valley Symphony, and Salt Lake Symphony, as soloists and in ensembles.
Her desire to serve children and their families led her to organize numerous Suzuki parent and teacher workshops, music summer camps, tour groups, orchestras, and concerts. As a registered Teacher Trainer of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Hiroko also opened her studio and home to countless individuals desiring to study and teach the Suzuki Method. Serving as one of the earliest presidents of the Suzuki Association of Utah from 1988-90, Hiroko conceived and brilliantly executed the first Celebration Concert. She brought together children from across the state on a variety of instruments to perform the music they had learned through the Suzuki Method. In 1990, she moved to Hawaii and taught at Punahou School, a private school in Honolulu. She passed away from cancer on Nov. 6, 1998, at the age of 60. Hiroko was married to William Primrose, "the greatest violist of his time” and had three children: Susan, Eiji, & Mana.
Reflecting on Hiroko and her contributions, Debbie Moench, Ramona Stirling, and Hiroko’s daughter Mana Primrose-Beaver wrote the following tribute: “Hiroko Primrose changed the lives of numerous teachers and students in Utah from 1979 to 1990 forever. Hiroko had a missionary zeal for the Mother Tongue Method. Dr. Suzuki was her mentor and she lived by his words: ‘If love is deep, much can be accomplished.’ The ‘Primrose Way’ was creative, totally focused, selfless and demanding. Her students throughout the world remember her tireless energy for group and private lessons, her skill in organizing institutes, concert tours, and her complete devotion to each student. Without Hiroko Primrose, none of us would be here tonight. We owe a great debt of gratitude to her. Thank you Hiroko!” Hiroko is still loved and respected by Utah’s prominent Suzuki teachers, many of whom were her students. Her influence and training is still being felt in Utah and throughout the world. Her spirit and talents are irreplaceable. With gratitude, we honor her as our SAU pioneer.
CLEO BRIMHALL Honored SAU Pioneer
When Cleo was a young wife, a woman from a piano store came to her door selling pianos. Money was tight, pianos were not selling well, and the piano store had sent salespeople to the newer neighborhoods, hoping to sell pianos. Cleo said they couldn’t afford to buy a piano, but the woman told her she could easily pay for it by teaching lessons. Cleo said she didn’t know how to teach. The woman told her it was easy. “You just come into the store and buy a John Schaum Book or a John Thompson Book. Either one will do, and they will tell you exactly how to teach piano.” They still couldn’t afford a piano, but Cleo thought about her grandmother’s piano that wasn’t being used. She called her grandmother and asked to borrow it. Soon, parents were knocking on her door looking for a piano teacher. Teaching children to play the piano would become her life’s work and joy. Cleo Ann Larsen was born in 1937 in Brigham City. She loved music and thrived on the piano. She started lessons at age 10 on a piano her family was piano-sitting for another family. She attended Utah State University majoring in business and minoring in piano. She married Rodger Brimhall in the Logan Temple and they made their home in Brigham City, where she began teaching piano. Several years later, Cleo and Roger moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a great place for her to grow as a piano teacher. She joined the Nebraska Music Teachers Association and began meeting with other teachers.
She enrolled at University of Nebraska in Lincoln to finish her degree, this time with a minor in business and a major in Music Education on the piano. Cleo was one of two students who were over the age of 30 out of 124 music students in the music department. A violin professor wanted to start a Suzuki violin class. He asked Cleo if her 5-year-old daughter, Suzanne, would like to join. This was Cleo’s first introduction to the Suzuki method. Cleo would later say, “It was all Suzanne’s fault.” In 1968, Dr. Suzuki came to the University of Nebraska to give a workshop. At that time, there were only a few dozen Suzuki violin teachers in the United States who had studied in Japan and wanted to bring the method to the US, but there was no teacher training program. Later, the family moved back to Utah. Cleo learned there was a Suzuki program at BYU that hosted an institute for violin students. While attending with Suzanne, Cleo learned that a class for piano teachers was offered at the Institute, taught by Connie Starr. She began her journey to become a Suzuki piano teacher. The SAA was founded in 1972 with a mandate from Dr. Suzuki to develop and manage the teacher training for the Suzuki Method in the Americas. Cleo was in the right place at the right time to grow with it and become an influencer as well as a learner. She was plucky, fearless, and volunteered for everything. She had great ideas and boundless energy. Her involvement in the movement put Utah on the Suzuki map.
Cleo helped organize the Utah Talent Education Guild in 1977, which later became the Suzuki Association of Utah. Cleo took a special interest in workshops or institutes where Dr. Suzuki or Mrs. Kataoka (piano) would teach. She brought Mrs. Kataoka to Utah for teacher workshops. The two became friends. Hiroko Primrose (violin) organized Utah’s first (Cleo with daughter, Suzanne) Celebration Concert in 1989. Cleo chaired the first 6 piano concerts as part of the Celebration. Cleo directed the Intermountain Suzuki Institute in Utah, sponsored by the SAU and the University of Utah, and organized it almost singlehandedly. At that time, there were only 30 Institutes in the United States. These early Institutes were organized without computers. Index cards and cellophane tape were used to move students around on butcher paper. Cleo made personal plans for each student on her list. She remembered the shy children and was sure to place them with a welcoming teacher. She remembered the children who were outgoing and fearless and placed them with a teacher who would challenge them. Cleo also watched for mothers with more than one child enrolled and made sure that the mother was free for the Master Classes for those students. Cleo, with Suzanne’s help, spent many late nights and some all-nighters in this labor of love. Cleo’s contributions to the SAU and the Suzuki families in Utah are incalculable. In recognition of her dedicated service, Cleo was awarded the Nurtured by Love award by the SAU in 2007 and the Creating Community award by the SAA in 2008.
DANIEL REESOR Winner of the SAU Composition Contest
Rhapsody for Piano and Strings Daniel Reesor, 15, was born in Los Angeles, where he started violin at the age of three and participated in Suzuki Talent Education of Pasadena. In 2016, he moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where he grew his love of both nature and composition. In 2024, he relocated to Utah and now lives in Hobble Creek Canyon. Daniel learns a lot about music history and composition from his dad, Keenan Reesor, while his mom, Nonie Reesor, is his violin teacher. He has studied composition with Michael McLean and counterpoint with Andrew Maxfield. He composes in a variety of styles, including classical, folk, and even stylized EDM. Daniel was able to pay for a whole trip to Peru last year by writing and recording personalized fiddle reels. His Rhapsody for Piano and Strings is his first major orchestral composition, for which he started formulating ideas in January 2025 and completed in January 2026. Two of his favorite composers are Sergei Rachmaninoff and J.S. Bach, and he often draws inspiration from them when composing. Daniel formally graduated from the Suzuki violin books in March 2025. He is currently a principal player in the Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra and a member of Maple Mountain Camerata. In his free time, he's either at the piano, whittling, listening to classical or rock music, or in the wilderness (usually barefoot).
About Rhapsody for Piano and Strings by Daniel Reesor How did the Celebration Theme - Blending Harmonies, Inviting Unity - inspire your creation of this piece? It made me think about how wonderful it is to create—to have pencil and manuscript paper ready to put down whatever you’re feeling or whatever comes to your mind. As I thought about the theme of the competition, it occurred to me that just as different notes come together to make impactful harmonies, we as musicians and as people, are stronger together in all our diversity. I have been pondering the importance of unity and its relevance in our modern culture. It is important to be unified, not just for the sake of it, but towards a good cause. My hope was to bring some of that feeling of unity into my piece. How does your piece represent the theme? Please list specific examples of musical elements, lyrics, or storyline. In specific moments in the first half of the Rhapsody, the melody walks the halls of counterpoint in a manner of mostly consonant harmony and occasional dissonance. Toward the end, the second theme is introduced, giving a more unified feeling than before, then repeats itself in higher grandeur, blending both harmony and unity to give a more majestic feel to the end of the piece. As I composed, I also thought a lot about children—the abilities and the nature of the children who might play this piece, as well as some of Dr. Suzuki’s philosophies about children. Two elements I tried to implement in my piece were playfulness and beauty. Children possess both.
STEPHEN MITTON Composer
Stephen Mitton (b. 1991) is a composer, performer, and educator based in Mesa, Arizona. He holds a doctoral degree in composition from the University of Michigan where he studied composition with Bright Sheng and Michael Daugherty as well as a master's degree in composition from Arizona State University. Dr. Mitton has written for a wide variety of genres ranging from contemporary dance to full orchestra and is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the prestigious Commissioned Composer Award from the Music Teachers National Association. Stephen has been commissioned by professional ensembles and organizations across the country, with recent works for the Fry Street Quartet, the University of Michigan, Chicago Public Schools, and Winona State University. Dr. Mitton is also an active performer, with a bachelor’s degree in cello performance from Utah State University where he studied chamber music with the Fry Street Quartet. He has participated in master classes with such groups as the Emerson, Ying, and Brentano String Quartets, and has given well-received performances throughout the United States. He currently holds music faculty positions at Tempe Preparatory Academy, Southern Virginia University, and Rio Salado College, and frequently guest conducts at the Cello Society of Southern Utah's annual Cello Festival.
ELISA WEST Piano Soloist
Elisa began studying Suzuki piano at age 3 and later added Suzuki flute. She is currently a sophomore and plays flute with the Lyceum Philharmonic orchestra as well as her high school Wind Symphony. Most recently she performed the Grieg Piano Concerto in Abravanel Hall with the Lyceum Philharmonic after winning a concerto competition. She plans to major in piano performance in college.
JAYNE GALLOWAY Colaborative Pianist
Jayne Galloway has enjoyed being a collaborative artist since the age of 15, playing for a variety of instrumentalists and vocalists. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy. Between student and faculty recitals and local freelance accompanying, she performs 50-60 recitals a year plus numerous auditions, competitions, master classes, lessons, and recordings. In 2007, she joined the music department at Utah Valley University as the string studio pianist and has since broadened her service to winds, brass and vocal. She has served on the accompanying staff of the International Stradivarius Violin Competition, the International Congress of Viola d’Amore, the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute and the Utah Valley Suzuki Association. She is the pianist for the Draper Philharmonic and Choral Society. In 2019, she founded the Collaborative Pianists Guild of Utah (cpgu.org) and has served as president since its inception. This is a unique group of professional and student accompanists with the mission of improving the quality of musical performance through experience and education, unlike anything in the US.
MARCUS HARDY Master of Ceremonies
Marcus Hardy is a proud Suzuki husband and father. His wife, Erica, teaches in Utah County and has held leadership and administrative roles with SAU, ISSI, UVSF, and the Cello Festival of Southern Utah for the past decade. His three sons play guitar, cello, and piano — and all of them will participate in this evening’s program. Marcus holds degrees from the U of U and BYU, where he was an adjunct instructor for six years. He delights in always winning the Holy War. Outside of his current role as marketing and communications lead at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Marcus still actively plays and writes music with friends when he can. He is a percussionist specializing in drum kit. While he has enjoyed playing in orchestras, ensembles, and in musicals, his true love is modern progressive music.
SHINICHI SUZUKI (1898-1998)
The Man and His Method Shinichi Suzuki was a violinist, educator, philosopher, and humanitarian. Born in 1898, he studied the violin in Japan for some years before going to Germany in the 1920's for further study. After World War II, Suzuki was touched with compassion for the innocent children who saw and suffered the consequences of a war they had not asked for nor understood. Fueled by his desire to give them hope and a promise for the future, Dr. Suzuki devoted his life to the development of the method he called Talent Education. He realized that children all over the world learn to speak their native language with ease, and he began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music. Dr. Suzuki based his approach on the belief that musical ability is not an inborn talent, but a skill to be developed. Any child who is properly trained can acquire the capacity to play music beautifully. The potential of every child is unlimited. In addition to teaching children to become excellent musicians, Dr. Suzuki hoped to create wonderful people.
Dr. Suzuki said, “If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth, and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline, and endurance. My aim in teaching is to give children a sense of joy. I don’t wish to turn all of my students into professional musicians. I want to make good citizens, noble human beings. “Music can open a child’s heart and give him a finer appreciation of life. If we underestimate the degree of sensitivity that children are capable of developing, if we assume limits that aren’t actually present, there’s nothing we can do to change the world we live in.” Dr. Suzuki believed that world peace and understanding could be achieved through music and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. Dr. Suzuki passed away on January 26, 1998, leaving behind a powerful legacy in the world of music education. The Suzuki Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, where Shinichi spent much of his life, is still in full operation, training both teachers and students. There are now Suzuki teachers in fifty countries with hundreds of thousands of Suzuki students worldwide.
History of Celebration The idea of bringing hundreds of children together to perform originated in Japan sixty-five years ago. On April 16, 1961 in Tokyo's Bunkyo Hall, 400 children ages five to twelve from Dr. Shinichi's Institute of Talent Education stood on the stage with small violins in their hands to play music in celebration of life, joy, peace, and forgiveness. These students played the Twinkle variations in unison, followed by concerti of Vivaldi and Bach. Legendary Cellist, Pablo Casals was in attendance. With eyes filled with tears and his voice shaking with emotion, he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I attest to one of the most moving scenes that one can see. What we are contemplating has much more significance than it seems. There is such proof of heart, of desire for a better world. Think of the smallest children, like these, and teach them noble feelings and noble deeds. Train them in music and help them understand that music is not just a sound to dance to or a fleeting pleasure, but such a high thing that perhaps it is music that will save the world." It has been 37 years since the Suzuki Association of Utah’s first Grand Celebration Concert in 1989. Since then, Celebration concerts have been held every few years. Significantly, many of these concerts fell during historically landmark years – including a celebration of Dr. Suzuki’s 100th birthday in 1998, in 2001 shortly after the terrorist attacks in the US, and in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Celebration concerts help us carry out Dr. Suzuki’s vision and honor our rich heritage here in Utah. Additionally, the SAU is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary! There will be five multi-instrument regional concerts, a 5 piano concert, and a harp concert during this Celebration year. Each of these concerts will build on our legacy and look forward to a bright future.
Past SAU Celebration Concerts 1989 Celebration I (Abravanel Hall) 1991 Celebration II (Abravanel Hall) 1994 Celebration III (Capitol Rotunda & Capitol Theater) 1998 Celebration IV: “Centennial Celebration” in honor of Dr. Suzuki’s 100th birthday (Huntsman Center) 2001 Celebration V: “A Celebration of the Heart” (Salt Lake Tabernacle) 2004 Celebration VI: “Shaping Hearts to Play” (LDS Conference Center) 2007 Celebration VII: “Nurtured by Love” (LDS Conference Center) 2010 Celebration VIII: “A Joyful Journey” (LDS Conference Center) & “Celebration of Harps” (Abravanel Hall) 2015 Celebration IX, “Where Love is Deep” (LDS Conference Center) 2020 Celebration X, “A Passport to a Better World” a series of concerts by individual instrument groups. 2026 Celebration XI, “Blending Harmonies, Inviting Unity” a series of concerts by regional multi-instrument groups
Practice-a-thon A big THANK YOU to all participants in the July Practice-a-thon Fundraiser! *All participants will have a red ribbon tonight
Spectacular Awards: Top 3 Earners
Jesse Birchler-Wrathall, violin Amy Oswald Studio
Liam Christensen, piano Jeffery Christensen, piano BriAnn Christensen Studio
Crescendo Awards: Top 3 Practicers
Journey Dye, violin
Christine Nelson Studio
Jeffery Christensen, piano Cooper Christensen, piano BriAnn Christensen Studio
Skyrocket Tier: 1000+ practice minutes OR $500+ Journey Dye, violin Sailor Dye, violin
Christine Nelson Studio
Jeffery Christensen, piano Cooper Christensen, piano BriAnn Christensen Studio
Studio Starburst and Encore Awards: Top Practicers & Top Earners BriAnn Christensen Studio
Practice-a-thon A big THANK YOU to all participants in the 2025 Practice-a-thon Fundraiser!
Master Practicer Top Practicer
Rachel Chase, piano
Paul Edward Clayton Studio
Grand Prize Top Earners
Londyn McGowan, violin Maylin McGowan, violin Nicole Macias Studio
Grand Prize Winning Studios: Prodigious Studio Top Practicers
BriAnn Christensen Studio
Super Studio Top Earners
Nicole Macias Studio
Donors & Sponsors A Special Thank You to all our generous donors for our Celebration Events! Patron of the Arts Level ($5000+) Practice-a-thon Donations
Gold Level ($2000-$4999) Nathan and Katrina Young
Silver Level ($1000-$1999) Kent and Catherine Thacker
Bronze Level ($500-$999)
BriAnn Christensen Piano Studio Ryan Tingey LPL Financial
Presto Level ($250-$499) Carey Cheney
Allegro ($100-$249) Deborah Moench Jacqueline Carter
Largo ($50-$99)
Maggie Hammond
Friend of SAU ($25) Sherry Jensen
In-Kind Donations
Donations Welcome Here:
https://suzukimusicutah.org/donate-to-sau
Fundraiser for The Suzuki Association of Utah 20% of event sales will be donated Supporting Suzuki music students in Utah with our Celebration XI statewide regional concerts.
When
Where
Saturday, September 19, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM
Panda Express located at: 1240 N. University Ave Provo UT 84604 (801) 818 - 0111
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or
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A Special Thank You to Lott’s Trophies, Awards, and Engraving for their generous donation and the beautiful student medals!
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SUZUKI ASSOCIATION OF UTAH E S T 1 9 7 7 presents
Celebration XI Celebrating 50 Years!
Blending Harmonies,
Inviting Unity
HARP CELEBRATION CONCERT SEPTEMBER 26 - 4:00 PM KINGSBURY HALL
$8.00 TICKETS TICKETS ON SALE NOW! HTTPS://BIT.LY/4G1JBSH
SUZUKI ASSOCIATION OF UTAH E S T 1 9 7 7 presents
Celebration XI Celebrating 50 Years!
Blending Harmonies,
Inviting Unity
HARP CELEBRATION SEPTEMBER 26 @ 4:00 PM KINGSBURY HALL NORTHERN UTAH CELEBRATION OCTOBER 12 OGDEN TABERNACLE
no tickets required
SOUTHERN UTAH CELEBRATION OCTOBER 17 HERITAGE CENTER