This video shows a National workshop in Latvia August 2019 with students from Scotland, Latvia, Russia, Spain and Iceland. Celebrating the music Scottish composer Ronald Stephenson, piano students are all playing from memory a piece from Stevenson’s suite containing 4 pieces entitled ‘A Wheen Tunes for Bairns Tae Spiel. Mary has delivered Suzuki workshops and teacher training in Latvia for several years.

Whilst recent restrictions have limited her ability to travel to Latvia, Teresa Kotlar, Russian Piano Teacher reflects on how her relationship with students and teachers continues via weekly Zoom concerts:-

‘Let me share with you how children, their families and SUZUKI™ teachers have become even closer during the months of the isolation period, thanks to Mary McCarthy, ESA Piano Teacher Trainer, Scotland, UK
I remember how, five years ago, while studying the subtleties of the SUZUKI™ Method in a music camp in Latvia, we met Mary.  Folk music of the Irish and Scottish people came to Russia through the collections of arrangements written by this unique teacher.  These books help to explore the wonderful traditional world, music has taken root in the repertoire of pupils and students, and parents are happy to perform it.

In Mary’s practice there is a whirlwind of creativity, movement, living breath of music.  There are no contradictions; nothing is opposed to anything; no one is compared to anyone.  There is respect for the level at which everyone is, an offer to develop and to explore music.
In spring, the meeting with Mary in Edinburgh for obvious reasons did not take place.

Today Mary, overcoming all boundaries, is amongst us. No, she doesn’t walk around Moscow and we are not in Edinburgh.  Singing pieces from Suzuki’s textbooks and her magical national melodies, we rush to the concert to see her!

This is with a great pleasure and gratitude, we take part in the concerts of students and teachers, which Mary began to hold on April 3, 2020.  These concerts support children, give energy and joy and help us realise that we can be close to students and teachers all over the world!  We are making friends, getting to know each other through music and, of course, now waiting for further exchanges and meetings and to hear a live performance.  The children are looking forward to every Saturday event, training and preparing!  Meetings with Mary are full of life and are natural! Five years ago, while studying the subtleties of the SUZUKI™ Method in a music camp in Latvia, we met Mary.  Folk music of the Irish and Scottish people came to Russia through the collections of arrangements written by this unique teacher.  These books help to explore the wonderful traditional world, music has taken root in the repertoire of pupils and students, and parents are happy to perform it.’