Learn the Suzuki Method
Deepen Your Understanding of Book 1 and Help Your Students Succeed
Piano Unit 1 is available online in Fall 2026
- Dates: October 19- November 12, 2026
- Format: 100% Online via Zoom (Caps at 10 participants)
- Instructor: Dr. Anne Marie Kuhny, DMA (Official SAA Teacher Trainer; Artistic Director and Piano Educator, DuPage Musical Arts Academy)
Deepen your Book 1 teaching in a highly interactive online course designed to fit around busy studio schedules.
Beginning with the very first lesson and continuing through the end of Book 1, this course connects Suzuki philosophy with healthy keyboard mechanics, responsive parent education, and practical studio application. The small online cohort creates space for questions, discussion and individualized feedback.
Course Schedule:
| Session | Dates | Time (Central Time) |
| Mondays | Oct. 19, Oct. 26; Nov. 2 | 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Offline lunch: noon-1:00 p.m. |
| Thursdays | Oct. 22, Oct. 29; Nov. 5, Nov. 12 | 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Offline lunch: noon-1:00 p.m. |
| Sunday observation | Nov. 8 | 1:00-5:30 p.m. Includes one 30-minute break |
The seven Monday/Thursday sessions include 28 hours of live instruction. The Sunday session adds four hours of live guided observation and discussion.
What You Will Explore:
- Suzuki philosophy, child development, and the learning environment
- Parent education and productive home-practice partnerships
- Pre-Twinkle setup, posture, balance, and early tone production
- The Twinkle Variations and essential technical development
- Book 1 repertoire analysis and the progression of musical and technical skills
- Rhythm patterns, aural development, memory, and reading readiness
- Lesson structure, pacing, studio management, and long-term retention
A Distinctive Feature: Live Teaching Observation:
On Sunday, November 8, participants will observe Dr. Kuhny teach live, synchronous lessons with Book 1 students. The guided discussion will focus on real-time decision-making: technical troubleshooting, pacing, sequencing, and communication with parents and caregivers.
Course and Observation Hours
| Component | Time commitment |
| Live class instruction | 28 hours across the seven Monday/Thursday sessions |
| Live guided observation | 4 hours during the Sunday student-lesson session |
| Independent observation | 11 hours completed outside scheduled class time |
| Total | 43 hours of instruction and observation |
Prerequisites for SAA Registration Credit
Participants must meet the following requirements to receive SAA registration credit for the course:
- Every Child Can! (ECC): Complete ECC and have it registered with the SAA before Unit 1 begins.
- SAA membership: Maintain an active teacher membership with the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
- Audition status: For Unit 1 training in North America during 2026, the SAA highly encourages but does not require a Basic, Intermediate, or Comprehensive teacher-training video audition under its pilot program. If submitting an audition, plan to do so 6-8 weeks before the course begins.
Please confirm that your ECC course, membership, and any submitted audition are correctly reflected in your SAA profile before registering.
Registration & Tuition Details
| Course tuition | $800 |
| SAA registration fee | $20 (non-refundable) |
| Total due at registration | $820, paid in full through the secure SAA portal checkout |
Course Policies
- Attendance Policy: In accordance with SAA regulations, 100% live attendance across all sessions is strictly required to receive official course registration credit.
- Total Observation Requirement: Trainees must complete 15 total hours of student lesson observation.
- Our Structure: 4 hours will be completed synchronously as a group during class (including our live Sunday masterclasses). The remaining 11 hours must be completed asynchronously on your own time. Videos will be provided.
- Submission Deadline: All completed observation logs and written reflections must be submitted to Dr. Kuhny no later than November 14, 2026 in order for your name to be submitted on the final SAA course roster.
- Trainees are expected to have all repertoire throughly prepared in Suzuki Piano Book 1 to the point of fluent, comfortable performance prior to class.
- No Unauthorized Recording: In compliance with SAA guidelines and student privacy laws, no video recording, audio recording, or screenshotting of any live class sessions or live student demo lessons is permitted by trainees.
- All lesson footage shared during class is for internal pedagogical study only and may not be distributed.
- The SAA Pilot Program: While the SAA currently strongly recommends submitting your piano audition, under the current pilot program, it is not strictly required.
- Withdrawals received on or before September 30, 2026, will receive a refund of the $800 course tuition less a $200 non-refundable administrative deposit. The $20 SAA registration fee is also non-refundable. Because enrollment is capped at 10 participants, no refunds will be issued after September 30, 2026.
Have questions about the course format or institutional group options?
Contact Dr. Anne Marie Kuhny at drkuhny@dupagemusicalarts.com or call 630-433-0687.