History of The Hamilton Suzuki School of Music

The Hamilton Suzuki School of Music (HSSM), formerly the Hamilton Philharmonic Children Inc., began in 1967 as a centennial project of the Women’s Committee of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. It became known as The HSSM in 1979/1980.

The goal of The Hamilton Suzuki School of Music is to promote the musical education of children and to nurture their musical growth as they mature, specifically through the Suzuki method. This Goal has created a rich history in the Hamilton area as you can see in this timeline.

The Story of The HSSM

1979

September 1

Starting at McMaster

Marta Hidy was the artistic director of the Philharmonic Children of Hamilton from 1967 to 1977, so it is no surprise that the school had its first home at McMaster University.

1972

September 1

Growing the Suzuki Method in Ontario

Our school enlisted two violinists to set up the Guelph satellite Suzuki class: Daphne and Hazel Comer; drove to Tennessee to take their first Suzuki course with Suzuki pioneer Bill Starr. Back in Guelph, there were now twenty students enrolled for lessons, three of them being Daphne’s children; her fourth child was destined to be a cellist. The lessons were run under the auspices of the our Hamilton program for the first year.

1967

January 1

Registering as a Charity

The Hamilton Philharmonic Children Inc. registered and became a charitable organization.

January 1

A Centennial Project of the Women’s Committee of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

The Philharmonic Children of Hamilton then became the Hamilton Philharmonic Children Inc., in 1967 as a Centennial Project of the Women’s Committee of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

Marta Hidy led the school down the Suzuki path by arranging for Dr. Suzuki-trained teachers to come from Japan to Hamilton, where the training began. The school became the first institution to teach the Suzuki Method in Ontario.

January 1

Professor Marta Hidy founded the Philharmonic Children of Hamilton

“In 1965 Hidy was invited to McMaster University by Lee Hepner, then head of the McMaster Operatic Society, where she became a founding member of the university’s music program.^{[nb 1]} She taught at the school from its establishment until her retirement in 1991. Along with her teaching commitments at McMaster, Hidy served as concertmaster and assistant conductor of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) from 1965 to 1974; as the artistic director of the Philharmonic Children of Hamilton from 1967 to 1977; was the conductor of the Chamber Players of Toronto from 1977 to 1979; and was a founding member of the McMaster String Quartet, which she performed with from 1978 to 1989.”

A section taken from her Biography on the Wikipedia page

History of The Hamilton Suzuki School of Music

The Story of The HSSM

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