Pacific Northwest School of Music teaches the Suzuki method and provides both private and group lessons. In 1964, Shinichi Suzuki sent the first Suzuki musicinstructor to the United States, Mihoko Hirata. Hiratabegan her work at Holy Names Academy, helping two Catholic nuns develop the Suzuki method music program. In 1970, she started the first Suzuki school in the Pacific Northwest, the school which was the foundation for the Pacific Northwest School of Music.