Welcome to the Sacramento Suzuki Violin Studio! We thrive on transmitting the joy of music making while cultivating a standard of excellence to students of all ages throughout the Sacramento area. Admission to the Sacramento Suzuki Violin Studio is open to anyone desiring to learn violin. We offer a variety of courses for students aged 2.5 years to adulthood. Our faculty and staff can assist new students in finding the most appropriate type of instruction.
The Sacramento Suzuki Violin Studio is committed to helping our students develop a solid technical and musical foundation at every level as they develop the discipline and love for music. We provide comprehensive training for gifted young artists preparing for a career in music as well as offering lessons to those for whom music enriches their main pursuits. We aim to support each child’s unique path and our hope is that all our students will derive meaning from their relationship with music throughout their lives.
All students, regardless of age or level, are expected to show a commitment to their studies by practicing daily at home, attending concerts, and participating in ensembles or classes as recommended by their teachers.
Our lessons are based on typical Music Majors' curriculum with modifications of Suzuki Method for young students. At each lesson meeting, in addition to practical violin, we incorporate lessons in either music literature, music history, or music theory regardless if it's a forty five-minute or a sixty-minute lesson.
Those who fully participate in the musical offerings at SSVS will reap the rewards of our rich learning community.
Programs of study that students may opt for when registering:
1. Individual Instruction
2. Group Instruction
3. The Concertante String Orchestra (4-6 years of age)
4. The Sinfonietta String Orchestra (6-12 years of age)
5. Operation Head Start
6. Music Acceleration Project (MAP)
All individual and group music instruction classes require a placement interview.
1. Individual Instruction Private lessons are available for students of any experience or background, from complete beginners through advanced levels of study, and for both children and adults. Practical violin/viola lessons are scheduled on an individual basis, contingent upon teacher availability and student scheduling preferences (lesson time and studio location). 2. Group Instruction Group classes allow students to enjoy the challenge of learning together and the sharing of their performing arts development. Group instruction programs include: 3. The Concertante String Orchestra The Concertante String Orchestra is an introduction to orchestral playing. In this group, students learn important fundamentals of playing with others in an ensemble setting while still receiving close personal guidance. The main repertoire of the Concertante String Orchestra comprises of short, enjoyable arrangements for young players. Members are generally from 4-6 years of age. Applicants must have had private individual instruction for at least one year, must have mastered Twinkle Twinkle Variations A, B, C and D; major scales G, D, A in first position. This orchestra is designed for students who have had limited orchestral experience and who are working on mastering their reading abiity. 4. The Sinfonietta String Orchestra Acceptance into the Sinfonietta String Orchestra is by audition only. Many students start in the Concertante String Orchestra. When they feel they are ready, they audition for the Sinfonietta Orchestra. String players who have mastered proper position, play with accurate intonation and resonant tone, and play with refined bow control are eligible for this orchestra. Members are generally from 6-12 years of age. 5. Operation Head Start The Sacramento Suzuki Violin Studio’s Head-Start Scholarship Program, launched in January 2009, has been developed in consultation with various Head Start schools in the Sacramento areas to meet the needs of gifted and exceptionally motivated Head-Start Pre-K children who require a challenge beyond the traditional Pre-K classroom music curriculum. Group lessons are free to all selected students. 6. Music Acceleration Project (MAP) Music Acceleration Project (MAP) provides practical hands-on training for prospective teachers during their college years. As a result, the undergraduates who teach in this program gain valuable experience prior to taking a job. This program also attracts string players to the teaching profession by giving them stipends for teaching in the program. As a result of this experience while in college, music education majors often discover whether they enjoy teaching before actually entering the field; those that find that they do not want to make it their career may decide to change their majors before getting their first job. On the other hand, performance majors at colleges often discover their love of teaching children as a result of their positive experiences in a String Project. MAP trains teachers, nurtured young students, engendered the creation of public school programs in the area, and fostered a university-public school partnership. The results have worked to the advantage of all, including the students, the university, public schools, and the general cultural climate. An important aspect of the Music Acceleration Project is that the participants are charged very low fees in order to enable economically disadvantaged children to enroll. As a result of the low fees, the Music Acceleration Project has a large number of poor and minority students (approximately 40%). A large number of minority teachers have also come through the program. This has also had a major impact on the community and has altered the 'elitist' image of music education. The teachers in our MAP are undergraduate string education majors. However the Music Acceleration Project is not part of the regular undergraduate curriculum; instead freshmen are accepted into our program and given a monthly stipend. The monthly stipend is used as a recruiting device, and to encourage students to consider majoring in education. The Program As part of MAP, each student will have the opportunity to learn how to play the strings instruments and read music taught by SSVS education staff. SSVS Staff will teach in the classroom as “Music Mentors,” and will offer personalized instruction to strengthen each child’s listening skills as they nurture their enthusiasm for learning. The new program also introduces children to different ensembles such as String Quartet, Duet, and Trio. Music education is an essential component of each child’s academic, cognitive and social development, and the goal of MAP is to give each child the best-quality of private teaching and mentoring at most affordable rates in public school settings that makes a lasting and positive impact in a young person’s growth. Children in the first through eight grades are recruited from local public and private schools to study in the Music Acceleration Project. Our teachers go to about thirty schools each September and play short demonstration programs for the children. In addition, local newspapers print informational articles, and letters are sent to local school districts to inform them about the opportunity for youngsters to join. People who are interested in the program are invited to come to an information and registration meeting. About 200 students are selected for the four heterogeneous beginning classes (violin, viola, cello and bass taught together). These classes meet twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) after-school hour. The first class is taught by the Master Teacher. The teachers of the other three classes observe the first class, and then subsequently teach their own classes during the next hour. At the end of each semester all the students in the program participate in a concert at the State Capitol. Performance Opportunities Performance is a central part of the SSVS experience. There are numerous recitals, benefit concerts, and master classes that allow students the opportunity to develop the skills necessary for successful performance. In addition to private instructions, our students have the opportunity to participate in our weekly master classes, chamber music ensembles, and bi-annual student recitals.
The Music Acceleration Project provides practical hands-on training for undergraduate string education majors during their four years of college. The program consists of several orchestras, four large heterogeneous beginning classes, small homogeneous second year classes, chamber music, and theory classes, all taught by undergraduate students under the supervision of a Master Teacher, a Graduate Assistant and the Director of the MAP. The students begin in the first grade. They can continue in the program through the twelfth grade, as long as they participate in their own school programs or play in the Youth Symphony.
The university students study their own major instruments, secondary stringed instruments, and take pedagogical methods and technique courses, in addition to the standard undergraduate music education courses. Our Music Acceleration Project teachers also attend a weekly organization and pedagogy meeting. They actively participate in all the activities of a professional teacher: recruiting students, planning lessons, writing report cards, keeping records, conducting orchestras, teaching beginning classes, teaching smaller homogeneous second-year classes, coaching chamber music, setting up rehearsals, organizing recitals, etc. Therefore, by the time they graduate, these students have had four or five years of practical training and experience and are ready to begin teaching on their own. One of the additional benefits of having college students beginning to teach early in their careers is that they discover whether they really want to teach; those that do not usually change their majors prior to their student teaching experience in their senior year (or often even after they have their first job!).
Our full-time student teachers in the program work for 6 hours/week, although their load is considered to be 10 hours/week. The additional hours are calculated to include time spent in the beginning of the semester in recruiting, and at the end of the semester in putting together studio recitals, the large ensemble concert and doing paperwork.
During their first year in the program, Freshmen university students observe various aspects of the program. They help with the recruiting, are 'assistants' in the large beginning classes and the second year classes, and participate as coaches for the various orchestras. After the first year, they are assigned to teach private lessons and other activities depending on their interest, ability and maturity. By the time they graduate, they will have been able to teach in a variety of pedagogical settings.
Our Music Acceleration Project’s Master Teacher is an instructor who has taught in the public schools for many years. By teaching one of the heterogeneous classes she is the model for the young teachers. She also observes and critiques the classes which the college undergraduates teach.
Students in the second year of the program attend once a week for an hour class with like-instruments (homogeneous classes). They also come on another day to play in an orchestra. After the second year, students are required to play in the MAP’s Orchestra. All students in the program are expected to either play in MAP’s orchestra or the Sacramento Youth Symphony. They are also expected to participate in their own school programs in order to be in the Music Acceleration Project.