How is Suzuki teaching method different?
The Suzuki teaching method is very different from other ways to learn to play the violin. It is not just a method but it is a whole new way of thinking. Suzuki students start their studies with a period of intense hearing, absorbing the repertoire they will play. As the parents put the CDs with the repertoire on, the children’s hearing is unconscious, just as children absorb their language before talking. The children are unaware of “having to listen” or of “ear training”. They are just absorbing through all of their senses.
Once the music has been internalized, the Suzuki student will start to find the repertoire on his instrument, at first imitating his teacher and later letting his ear guide the fingers to find the notes, with the careful supervision of the teacher and the parent who is the home coach. In this way the children develop the important direct connection of ear to instrument. They hear the melody and their fingers find it; they hear the rhythm and their bodies perform it; they hear the harmony and their hands find it. This unconscious hearing continues as the children progress, and is gradually combined with conscious listening.
Discipline in practicing the same piece over and over again up to perfection is of major importance. One cannot go to the next piece until the studied piece can be performed perfectly. A studied piece is always a prelude to the next piece and perfection is important no matter how boring the exercise may be.
With Suzuki method, students worldwide have to conquer the same pieces of music in the same order to gradually grow to perfection thus allowing students to be included and supported by a large community. The inclusion of parents in the learning process of the child, the addition of group lessons and the opportunity for all Suzuki students to join concerts, workshops and camps worldwide, makes the drop out rate extremely low and the results, in terms of musical ability, extremely high. This is not the case with traditional teaching methods.
Violin students as young as three years old benefit widely from the Suzuki Teaching Method. These early years are very important when it comes to formation and direction in a child's life and the involvement of the parents is a major contribution to this Teaching Method. Later in life when students are older and able to play better the Suzuki Teaching Method becomes less important.
Once the elements mentioned above have been absorbed and performed repeatedly by the student, we then gradually introduce the student to the concepts in the written score, skillfully separating the elements and presenting them in a carefully thought out sequence.
The Suzuki repertoire for the Violin consists of 10 books. This collection is carefully thought out and well tested as a means method of teaching the craft of playing the violin successfully. Each piece builds on the previous piece. The Suzuki Method is an ear-training method. Students listen to a CD playing the music they are going to learn. In Volume One the pieces are charming folk songs and light classical pieces that capture the parent's and child's heart from the moment he/she places the bow to the instrument. For example, many difficult bowing techniques, rhythms and tone are mastered through playing "Twinkle Little Star" in several variations. Volume Two is rich with lovely pieces so tuneful and familiar that they can be played at weddings and other events. Volume Three introduces longer more complex pieces that are pure violin repertoire. Volume Four is the show-off book, where everything comes together in a series of movements from Concertos. Volume Five onward challenges the student to take on the masters of music literature culminating in Volumes Nine and Ten with two great Concertos by Mozart. In Suzuki, we think of Mozart as the original Suzuki kid in that he lived and breathed music from the moment he was born.
About Suzuki Teachers Becoming a Suzuki teacher will start where instrumental course of study left off. The Teacher Training Course will include further work on the teacher's own instrument, including learning the Suzuki repertoire which he will be expected to play in full before he is accredited to teach. Apart from the teacher training itself, being a Suzuki teacher is not a lone profession but includes him in part of a close worldwide community. Should the teacher want to join a group or be part of a course or workshop, the opportunity is always there.
Suzuki Philosophy
Dr Suzuki called his teaching method the Mother-Tongue Approach, inspired by the fact that children so effortlessly learn to speak their native tongue. Prompted and encouraged by the parents' love and the family environment, the child responds and develops this most difficult of skills, that of intelligible speech.
When a child learns to speak, the following factors are at work:
Listening
Motivation
Repetition
Step-by-step mastery
Memory
Vocabulary
Parental Involvement
Love
In the Suzuki approach each of these principles is used in the learning of an instrument. Dr Suzuki closely follows the parallel with language learning and recommends that music should become an important part of the baby's environment from birth (or even before). When the infant's environment includes fine music as well as the sounds of the mother-tongue, it is understandable that the child will develop the ability to speak and to play a musical instrument (with technical guidance) before being required to read in either language.
Listening
Children learn to speak by listening and imitating the spoken language they hear around them. In Suzuki teaching, much emphasis is placed on daily listening to recordings of the Suzuki repertoire, as well as music in general. The more frequently the students listen to the recordings, the more easily they learn to play.
Constant listening to music performed with beautiful tone provides children with a role model for their playing. In the lessons, the production of fine tone and sensitive playing is stressed from the beginning.
Parental Involvement
Parents play a crucial role in Suzuki. Learning takes place in an environment of co-operation between teacher, parent and child. The parent's role includes attending each lesson with the student, taking notes and then guiding them through their practice at home - they become the 'home teacher'. Parents also need to play the recordings daily, help to create an environment of affection, support, encouragement and understanding, and also attend any workshops, concerts, group lessons, and graduations with their child.
Positive Environment
A positive, nurturing environment is created in the lesson and is also essential at home. Parents need to ensure that all members of the family understand this. Children learn enthusiastically when they are supported with sincere praise and encouragement. They learn to recognize one another's achievements, creating an environment of co-operation.
Repertoire
One of Suzuki's major contributions to music education is the unique order of the repertoire. Each carefully chosen piece becomes a building block for future learning. Technique, musicianship and style are developed through the study and repetition of these pieces. Through the common repertoire within each instrument, children have a bond with Suzuki students world-wide. Inaddtion, at SSVS, teachers also will often give supplementary material which may help to widen the students' musical experience.
Reading
Reading music follows the acquisition of good aural, technical and musical skills, just as reading language begins after a child can speak fluently. The stage at which the child begins to learn reading music varies according to age and general development; however, it will always be after basic playing skills have been mastered to maintain the focus on beautiful tone, accurate intonation and musical phrasing. Integrating the music reading program with the Suzuki repertoire is vital to the child's musical development.
Individual and Group Activities
As well as their individual lessons, students participate in group lessons. The common repertoire enables them to play together, giving them valuable ensemble experience and positive reinforcement of concepts learned in their individual lessons. Students also take part in performances and observe other children's lessons. All of these things are wonderful motivational tools - children love to do what they have seen other children doing.
Suzuki Voice
In Suzuki Voice the singing voice is treated as an instrument and is encouraged to develop naturally through the Suzuki repertoire. Relaxation and vocalization are important features of each lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Suzuki just for preparing students for a career in music?
We aim, through the development of excellent musical skills, to develop character and sensitivity which will stand a person in good stead no matter what their ultimate path in life.
Do Suzuki students learn to read music?
Reading is taught, but only after basic playing skills, good posture and good tone have been mastered. This does mean that for some years the child's playing ability is ahead of reading skills; eventually the reading ability develops to the same level. Exactly the same process is found in the language ability of primary school children, whose fluency in spoken language is normally considerably in advance of their reading and writing skills.
Is it musical to play in large groups?
While Suzuki students are often observed playing from memory in large groups in unison (possible because of the common repertoire), this does not indicate unmusical playing. After all, in orchestras, large groups of string players play in unison without their individual musicianship being called into question. In fact, Suzuki students, when heard singly, all have their own individuality of tone, their own understanding of the music, their own personal expression. Frequently, a remarkable maturity of musical expression is observed in quite young children.
Is it OK to start learning an instrument at such a young age?
Those who teach pre-school children will know that 3 year-olds cannot be made to do something that they do not want to do. Suzuki teaching is ideally adapted to the needs of the young child, and is particularly concerned with motivation, understanding of child development and psychology, and with making learning fun, while at the same time aiming for excellence.
Suzuki Graduations
Certain pieces in the Suzuki repertoire are designated as Graduation Levels. When students have studied beyond the piece for each level, they may graduate - that is, they prepare a polished performance of the set piece. They then receive a written report on their playing, and are presented in June of each year at the graduation with the beautiful certificates, edged in gold, made in Japan which are screen printed from a painting done by Dr Suzuki himself.
Graduation is not an examination, and every child succeeds. Teachers present students only when they are certain that the performances are secure and musical and that the student is studying well beyond that particular level. To graduate is to achieve recognition for having reached a certain milestone in the ongoing process of musical education.
Graduation is not compulsory, however to graduate at any level beyond Level 1, a student must have graduated at all previous levels. More than one level may be presented on one occasion.
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