This was one of the most meaningful events in the 20 year history of my studio. Matthew Greene, Gabriela diBattista and Adrienne Gendron became the first group of Suzuki guitar students to graduate together from my program, as high school seniors, having played together in groups and ensembles for twelve years.

For their final performance, in May 2012, the families collected photos of the kids growing up, alone and together, with and without guitars; my wife, Susan Thomas, projected them as a slide show that she created  while the group played “Farewell to Stromness” by Peter Maxwell Davies, with accompaniment by students Isabella Crema, Ethan Wold and myself.

The slide show is a little cut off at the top, but I think the overall effect is still there. I’m happy to have this very special moment recorded – it was beautiful, and everyone cried!