On December 28th, 2025, my wife and I were honored to attend the 40th anniversary concert for Ms. Kumiko Kitazawa, a Suzuki Method violin teacher.

It was held at Memorial Hall in Matsumoto, Japan.

The performance included the Twinkle Variations, Long Long Ago, and several other traditional Suzuki violin pieces. 

Past and present students all performed together representing Ms. Kitazawa’s legacy as an impactful educator.

Furthermore, we were delighted to hear the chamber piece “Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 3” by Respighi, as well as a masterful performance of Bach’s Chaconne played by the great Shiori Odaka.

The true essence of the Suzuki Method was on display during this wonderful afternoon.

One that brings people together, inspires listeners, and showcases beautiful artistry and humanity. 

What a joy it was to witness the pinnacle of what a music community can be. 

With inspiration,

J.S

Excited to announce that starting in January of 2026, Balance World Music will serve as a place where monthly musical recordings are released.

Involving a wide variety of artists. 

The goal will be to create art that represents authenticity, innovation, and thoughtful collaboration.

These recordings will not be released on the mega-streaming platforms. 

Instead, they will solely be available in this nook of the internet. 

On this platform, the goal will be to create music that is unique. 

To create with care. 

For those who think outside the box and create from within their heart and soul.

For the creative outcasts, renegades, and passionate humans who go against the grain of the status quo. 

It will be for the listeners who get cavities from corporate greed influencing art and prefer instead a raw energy of sonic expression.

Here, let artists come together with meaning. Whether that meaning be celebratory, culturally-inspired, spiritually-driven, personally-motivated or with the purpose of peaceful resistance. All are welcome.

Next year, here is the place for genuine art, for there has never been a better time to make it. 

With care,

J.S

I am now 30 with 22 years of experience playing the viola. My first 4 years were nearly self-taught, playing in elementary school orchestras and barely knowing where to place my fingers, but having fun nonetheless. My middle-school years consisted of quality instruction that I am grateful for, and high school led to a lot of chamber music and memorable music making. College and graduate school included a more serious pursuit of a beautiful sound, where progress was made, but I remained far away from being satisfied with my ability.

Life went on and in my late-20s was when I confronted many serious artistic questions. For what reason was I trying to sharpen my craft? Was it a mere healthy mental habit to adopt a growth mindset? Yes. Was it to perform for live audiences? Yes. To record emotional music for others to connect with? Yes. To collaborate with other artists? Yes. To be well-equipped to teach the next generation of musicians? Yes. This search for musical purpose stemmed from the belief that music can bring people from all walks of life closer together. I had a desire to devote myself to that mission as best I could. But was I satisfied with my own musical sound in my late 20’s? Not yet.

Until I deeply realized that in order to not deceive myself, to work as honestly as possible, I needed to be healthily-obsessed with intonation, pitch, and sound frequencies. Therefore, in order to be clearly aware of my sound in the most objective way, I built tools to colorize musical pitch. It helped me see the truth in my own intonation, and I hope it helps other musicians on a similar journey do the same, who may also be going through a plateau phase in their musical life, or who may simply want to patiently paint their sound. One interval at a time.

For those looking to connect, email balanceworldmusic@gmail.com

For those looking to support, visit www.patreon.com/cw/BalanceWorldMusic

With purpose,

J.S

Introducing KeyTones Variation 2.

A visual tool for the advancing musician.

For those pursuing serious musicianship.

To be a quality musician.

The lifelong pursuit.

That nurtures the soul.

That builds a growth mindset.

A love for beautiful sound.

For those long hours.

Obsessed in peace.

For when you know that your purpose is to express through your music. To shine your light through your tone.

To pursue beautiful artistry for the world to enjoy.

With determination.

Motivation.

Precision throughout the pursuit of it all,

J.S 

Practice your musical notes, scales, and melodies by playing and painting them onto the screen. You can also choose a scale to be displayed for reference.

The KeyTones Tuner is now available .

https://balanceworldmusic.org/tuner

My lifelong mission is to contribute towards a more inclusive future for music education. I hope this tuner gives musicians a new perspective. A visual perspective of sound. A new way to work on the craft of music making.

Those looking to support this mission, visit Balanceworldmusic.org/non-profit/

With love,

Jacob Shur, Founder, Balance World Music

On December 11th, 2024, a Music For Mental Health event was held in New York City. Thank you to musicians Thomas Jackson and Sam Cronin for bringing their artistry. Thank you to Frances Green, a specialist at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) for being our guest speaker. https://naminycmetro.org

Thank you to Deputy Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs, Miosotis Munoz, for attending and connecting with us as well. https://www.nyc.gov/site/immigrants/index.page

Thank you also to New York Quality Strings for generously sponsoring the event as well as New York Live Arts for providing fiscal sponsorship for our non-profit efforts.

To write those words after 4 years of working for this organization to succeed is an affirmation that it is going in the right direction.

I have learned that starting an impactful non-profit from scratch is no walk in the park. I now understand that it is better to build slowly than expand rapidly. That it is all about connecting with individuals of good moral character. 

Finally, this organization has now raised enough funds to provide one instrument scholarship. Keep an eye out for our 2025 mission statement soon.

For the ultimate goal is to BOTH host free community events AND make a non-profit talent education program. One event at a time. One scholarship at a time. One lesson at a time. One day at a time. 

Quality over quantity,

J.S

Let’s start a conversation. Comment in your own language.

To translate a comment, copy and paste it into ChatGpt (link below) and ask it to translate to any language you want.

https://chatgpt.com

Suzuki Program.

Still waiting for the right opportunity to start and build a good violin program. One that is community centered and puts music mastery at the forefront, with the Suzuki Method philosophies as the North Star to follow, for this method is proven to be extremely effective, when set up correctly. 

Please do reach out if you’d like to be a part of building this sort of music program that can truly impact lives for the better. 

Email: Balanceworldmusic@gmail.com

I’ve yet to find the right opportunity for this, here in New York, but I know the time will come.

There is so much non-musical knowledge too, knowledge for life, to be learned from mastering a musical instrument.

My goal is to pass this baton to the next generation, with the most precision as possible.

ESL.

I have primarily been working in ESL schools, where I have been learning about this sector. I’m overwhelmed, yet excited, about the powerful resources educators now have access to. Translation, especially, has evolved with the introduction of artificial intelligence. 

True cross-collaboration between professional sectors is such a valuable ingredient for a harmonious world. We have so much to learn from each other. Bringing both artificial intelligence and the arts into the ESL classroom have become missions. To best serve.

Education Documentary.

The topic will be the realities of Education. That is all for now.

KeyTones Comment Section.

Hoping to also end 2024 with the addition of a translatable comment section. To truly start building a universal online community. Stay tuned for when that drops.

For those reading, take care, take a deep breath, and dream on.

-J.S

Occurring at the end of May 2024, a musical performance will be held at an ESL language school for its community to enjoy.

Musicians will bring their unique musical voices to the language classroom. We will focus on the connections between language and music in this interdisciplinary session.

It means that not only will language learners enjoy the sound of live music, but this sponsorship will also gift an instrument to a student looking to start their own musical journey. To find their own musical voice.

A trifecta of joy for musicians, language learners, and a future musician.

A deep gratitude goes out to my incredible colleagues for helping make this happen.

Artists doing quality work, collaborating with professionals with a shared common goal, can change the world.

Stay tuned,

J.S

A poem about adding the dimension of math when studying violin scales with Keytones .

So the math beneath rhythm is now generated into an addition question.

Making it a resource with a bigger scope.

So what it means to play becomes a visual, numerical display.

Based on the metaphorical question,

If sound is at the top of the iceberg of music, is math keeping it afloat?

-J.S