The “ASI Tree of Life” is a creation that was commissioned to celebrate 50 years of growth of the American Suzuki Institute. In 1971, Margery Aber, inspired by Shinichi Suzuki, planted the seed for the Institute. In this online version, the names off all of the faculty who have taught at ASI in these first 50 years are listed below the interactive tree. The leaves represent present-day families, alumni and friends whose lives have been touched by ASI and who support the ongoing process of Celebrating the Past – Shaping the Future.

A graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Matthew Dahm has been a violinist and teacher in the Madison area for over two decades.  In his almost 18 years teaching at the Monroe Street Arts Center he has coached students to successful auditions for all levels of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, from Opus One through Youth Orchestra.  Matt is also a tenured violinist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra and frequently performs in the Madison area as a freelance artist, performing with the Wisconsin Chamber Choir and the Madison Savoyards.  In his free time Matt loves hiking, playing Dungeons and Dragons, reading philosophy and spending time with his wife, Lesley, step daughters Lily and Eleanor and his dog, Fen. Regarding his upcoming performance at ASI, Matt commented, “I am so excited to perform for the Suzuki Institute where I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Suzuki some 40 years ago and sharing my love for music with a new generation of students.”

Jane Mitchell is currently the Associate Principal Viola of the Naples Philharmonic, a position she has held since 2017. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory and her Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music. Prior to joining the Naples Philharmonic, Jane was a member of the New World Symphony and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. In the summers, Jane performs with the Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, Oregon. She has participated in numerous other summer festivals, including The Tanglewood Music Center, the Lucerne Festival Academy, the Britten Pears Young Artist Program, the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, the Pacific Music Festival, and the Sarasota Music Festival. In addition to performing, Jane devotes much of her time to teaching. While in Southwest Florida she has enjoyed working with students from many organizations, including Florida Gulf Coast University, the Music Foundation of Greater Naples, and the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. She also maintains a private teaching studio. Jane grew up in the Stevens Point area and studied violin and viola at the Aber Suzuki Center with David Becker. She attended the American Suzuki Institute many times as a child and is thrilled to be returning.