International Tours

With a national and international reputation for excellence, the Buffalo Suzuki String Advanced Touring Ensemble has been both a model and an inspiration for over twenty years to other Suzuki programs in the United States and abroad. Their motto is "World Harmony Through Music".

Since first selected by Dr. Suzuki as his demonstration group for a European Workshop in 1984, BSS students (usually ages 12 to 18) have been eagerly invited performers at both Suzuki Association of the Americas Conferences and Suzuki World Conventions. In 2002 our Advanced Ensemble was selected by the Suzuki Association of the Americas to be the paradigm for their “Every Child Can” Course training video (a required curriculum course for registered Suzuki teachers).

Generations of BSS Advanced Touring Ensemble students continue to maintain the highest levels of music performance under the direction and instructional genius of BSS Founder and Music Director, Mary Cay Neal. Western New York can be deservedly proud of how well these youngsters have represented their families and community on the world stage as ambassadors of musical excellence.

2006 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to ITALY
Turin, Chieri and Castelfranco
14th Suzuki Method World Convention
Torino, Italy, April, 2006

2003 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to BRAZIL
Vitoria, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Londrina

Suzuki Association of the Americas Conference
& 30th Anniversary Celebration
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2002

2000 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to ENGLAND & IRELAND
Preston, England
Cork, Galway and Dublin, Ireland

13th Suzuki Method World Conference
Matsumoto, Japan, 1999

1997 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to SOUTH AMERICA
Santiago, Chile
Cuzco and Lima, Peru

1995 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to SOUTH & MID-ATLANTIC STATES
Hudson, OH; Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA;
Atlanta and Gainesville, GA; Greenville, NC; Williamsburg, VA

1993 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to ITALY & SWITZERLAND
Turin, Venezia, Florence and Rome, Italy
Lugano, Switzerland

Suzuki Association of the Americas Fifth Conference
& 20th Anniversary Celebration
Chicago, Illinois, 1992

1991 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to HAWAII & AUSTRALIA
Honolulu, Hawaii
Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia
Pan-Pacific String Conference for Music Educators
Adelaide, Australia, 1991

1989 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to USSR & HUNGARY
Moscow, Kalinin and Leningrad, Soviet Union
Budapest and Szombathely, Hungary

1986 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to GREAT BRITAIN
London, Durham, Preston, Wolverhampton, Ely Cathedral
14th Harrogate International Youth Music Festival
Harrogate, England, 1986

1984 FRIENDSHIP TOUR to WESTERN EUROPE
Amsterdam, Holland
Murau and Vienna, Austria
Dortmund and Leiderdorp, Germany
Lyon, France
Zurich, Switzerland
European Suzuki Music Conference
Lyon, France, 1984