FAQs / Additional Information
Tuesday Student Schedule
Students enrolled in Chamber Music and Graduation will meet on Tuesday prior to Orientation. Your Tuesday schedule will be emailed to you the week before the institute starts. If you are arriving from out of town, be sure that you are potentially available for classes to begin starting at 10:00am.
Typical Student Schedule (Wednesday - Sunday)
Students will be scheduled for 3 or more hours of class depending on their enrollment level. Elective courses will supplement the core curriculum for students who choose these offerings.
Please Note:
If you have any special scheduling requests please contact the registrar at fsi.alaska@gmail.com at the time of registration. We will do our best to accommodate requests, but requests are not guaranteed.
It is not possible to send individual student schedules prior to orientation on the first day of institute.
If you need to know your schedule in order to plan childcare for siblings, please contact the registrar at fsi.alaska@gmail.com after May 15.
Parent Lunch Talks
Parents of students attending FSI are invited and encouraged to attend daily lunch hour talks given by our guest clinicians. This is a time for parents only and will address an announced topic as well as discuss and answer questions or concerns from the audience. Bring your lunch and relax with other parents who gather to support each other and gain insights into the Suzuki Method of Education. These talks are free and offered as a way of supporting parents in their Suzuki adventure.
During the Parent Lunch Talks, parents may enroll their child/children in Lunch Games, which is listed under the Electives Classes tab.
Student Recitals
Student recitals will be held daily at 12:45 in the UAF Davis Concert Hall. At the first master class, each student will be asked to play their most memorized and polished piece. This will provide a means for the teacher and student to get acquainted with one another musically. If this piece is performed at the highest quality, the student may be nominated by the teacher to perform it on one of the student recitals.
Students chosen for a recital will show mastery of their polished piece and will have practiced with a piano accompanist prior to FSI. These students will have the opportunity to rehearse with an institute accompanist during FSI. If your selection is not in the Suzuki repertoire, bring the music for the piano accompaniment.
Graduation
A select few students who have reached milestone levels of achievement will be able to participate in a celebratory Graduation Recital. This is a special event with application requirements from each student. More information can be found on the Graduation page.
The first Graduation rehearsal is Tuesday at 2:00. Subsequent rehearsals are at 5:00 on Wednesday and Thursday. The Graduation Recital is on Friday at 12:30 in the UAF Davis Concert Hall. There will be an awards ceremony and reception following the recital.
Housing and Meals
Housing for out-of-town participants/families is available through UAF Res Life. You can arrange your specific needs by contacting them directly at 907-474-7247 or uaf-housing@alaska.edu.
Hotels and several convenient Bed & Breakfasts are also available in close vicinity to the University.
The UAF Wood Center is open throughout the week with a coffee shop and small grocery store with basic foods and snacks. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby and are accessible by public transportation from the University.
Refund Policy
Registration fees are non-refundable. Tuition fees can only be refunded if notice of cancellation is received by April 21, 2024. Faculty clinicians are contracted and schedules are created based on enrollment numbers, making it infeasible to give refunds after this date.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships are available for Fairbanks Suzuki Institute. Scholarship criteria and application form can be found here and will be awarded based on available funds and the number of qualified applicants. Applications must be received by March 1. A special thank you to R.L. Ray Violin Shop for their support for our scholarship fund.
Observers
Enrollment of a child in FSI entitles parents to observe all activities except the Teacher Training Courses. Parents who are interested in registering for student classes must get prior approval from the Artistic Director.
Adults who are not attending the institute as Suzuki family members or are not enrolled in a teacher training class are required to enroll as FSI observers at a fee of $50/day. As an observer, one may attend all student classes, noon Parent Talks, and student recitals. The $50 daily fee can be paid at the FSI Office.
Teachers who have four or more students attending the institute may observe without paying the daily fee.
Parking on Campus
All visitors to campus must pay to park during regular business hours. Campus visitors can still park for free after 5:00 pm on weekdays and on weekends. For more information visit https://www.uaf.edu/bursar/parkingservices/.
UAF uses the Passport Parking App
PassportParking is a mobile app that allows users to pay for parking using a smartphone or computer. It is simple and easy to use and is available for free from the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android. For paying through your computer or mobile device without the app, visit this link https://ppprk.com/park/.
There are shuttle buses available throughout campus. These are very helpful when carrying larger instruments. A current shuttle schedule can be found by going to this link https://www.uaf.edu/fs/services/shuttle-bus.php.