In 1974, in the San Francisco Bay Area, the first California Suzuki organization was established. Teachers who were meeting to take training sessions from Sister Therese Cecile Murphy started to organize area-wide activities. It was following one of these activities, a play-in, that the Suzuki Association of Northern California (SANC) was formed.

About the same time, in 1974, Idell Low and Elizabeth Mills founded the Suzuki Music Program of Los Angeles.

In 1977 in Los Angeles, Elizabeth and Harlow Mills envisioned an organization to coordinate statewide activities. Harlow called it the Suzuki Music Association of California. After discussion with SANC, the Suzuki Music Association of California became the official statewide organization.* Among its earliest leaders, Idell Lowe helped create SMAC and served as its first President. She also served on the Board of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, continuing in that role until her passing.

The advantages of geographic organization were immediately clear. When teachers were within driving distance of one another, communication and coordination flourished. Also, by organizing regionally across California, branches could collaborate more effectively and maximize resources statewide.

As more teachers were attracted to the Suzuki method, more branches formed and the level of training grew broader. There has been, and continues to be, a concerted statewide effort to provide teacher training workshops and ongoing professional development, with a shared commitment to continuous learning among our members.

The branch model spread naturally, and today SMAC's network includes seven branches, two chapters, and two institutes representing hundreds of teachers throughout California.