The Suzuki Method
“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart”
-Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998)
Every Child Can
Japanese violinist, Shinichi Suzuki, recognized the remarkable learning capabilities inherent in children, and drew inspiration from their innate ability to learn to speak their native languages with ease. Without any specific training, young children learn to speak complex languages through exposure and immersion of their cultural, and supportive environments. Suzuki, seeking to nurture the inherent joy and benevolence of children, founded a method for mastering the violin that mirrors the natural language learning process. The foundational principles of this method are universally applicable to learning new skills.
Core Components of the Suzuki Method
The relationship between the teacher, student and parent is like an equilateral triangle - each side has equal importance and responsibility to one another. All must attend to their roles with a willingness to learn.
When you listen to your favorite song over and over again, you can sing the lyrics and the melody. You know all the details of when to start and stop, and if fully immersed, you can even emulate the character of the song. This is similar to playing the violin for students who actively listen to the music!
Suzuki carefully designed a collection of graded repertoire where each new piece contains 80% familiar material and 20% new material. In other words, in order for students to successfully learn the next piece in their book, they must practice the pieces they already know.
Focus on things that are going well in the student’s learning process and cheer on the effort it takes to meet their goals! Create space and routine to immerse in music and appreciate every step along the way.
Most challenges encountered while playing the violin stem from unnecessary tension in the body. Correct posture requires simple exercises for relaxation, balance and awareness. This forms the foundation for all technical skills.
It took many years for Shinichi Suzuki to design his now-famous collection of early violin repertoire. Similar to step-by-step learning, each new piece in the literature gradually develops the skills learned in previous pieces. These songs provide a common ground for all children learning to play the violin.
Each child has a distinct learning style and unique way of comprehending information. Curiosity is important when approaching the individual personality and interests of each student.
The violin is designed to produce a resonant and ringing sound, which is why people usually think that it is a beautiful instrument. To make a beautiful sound, students must understand how the instrument works and how to alter the tone, similar to how we can alter our voices.
Similar to how a child learns to speak before learning to read, violin students first learn to play the instrument before delving into reading music notes. Depending on the age and progress of the student, I typically introduce reading towards the middle or end of Book 1.
Similar to building blocks, each new skill is carefully layered to build a strong technical foundation. I ensure that students find ease and mastery at every step.
If you want to strengthen your body, consistent exercise is essential. Similar to playing the violin, repetitions create strength and habit. My objective is to cultivate habits of good posture and incorporate simple exercises that pave the way for more advanced skills.
Playing music with friends creates a positive social incentive for students to continue learning how to play the violin. Through group playing, musicians acquire ensemble skills, teamwork, leadership, and motivation by observing the progress of their peers.