The Suzuki Method – More than music Nurtured by Love A. What does the Suzuki Method offer that is different to other methods? A safe and loving environment that provides your child with care and individual attention to grow and develop with freedom and flexibility as a person firstly and secondly as a great musician who deeply understands their craft and can speak the language of music fluently with a beautiful quality of sound and technique. EVERYONE CAN. B. Why give your child an education in music? It builds character – WHY? • Consistency – in their efforts • Determination – to achieve and understand something challenging • Controlling, balancing and managing their emotions • Respect – for their parent and teacher • Developing – patience and humility • Nurturing inner peace and self-belief – through the ART of practice • Ability – to express the soul with beauty • SELF ESTEEM • Reduces stress and increases contentment and energy when playing well known material (another reason for review) • Helps develop good posture & poise for life (see Alexander method https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_technique) • Learn to LISTEN to yourself, parent and your teacher • Huge social benefit C. What are the benefits of a non-graded musical education that requires such an initial commitment from parents? • Can focus on every single aspect of the students’ individual needs without unnecessary pressure. • They already have so many exams in school, music as a state exam and private exams (eg. RIAM, ABRSM) are already examined as conventional methods for teaching. • Students receive certification / accreditation / medals with recitals and national concerts – the only difference is a % is not placed on their ability. • A greater relationship is developed between all members of the triangle: Student Parent Teacher D. An effective, efficient and global Pedagogy • The methodology and nurtured approach to developing the students’ ability in the Suzuki method. • Clear structure. • Intelligent design that was considered very carefully by global experts for years. • Concert level of performance refined through the twinkles – ultimate vehicle for developing the correct technique and ability to play music comfortably, effectively and beautifully.
• Ability for everything required for the highest level of playing is set out in book 1. • Pieces link throughout all levels of repertoire • Regular contact with parent is to ensure the most beneficial return on the commitment the family has invested. E. Concerns regarding the Suzuki Method: Some typical FAQ’s and parent worries 1. What are all these twinkles about? 2. Are these the children that don’t know how to read music? 3. Why do they stay so long on book 1? 4. Why are they always playing the same material over and over again? 5. Are these the children that play like robots? 6. Is it a really strict structure – is there no flexibility on what the student can play? 7. Are they not just pla ying ‘old music’ from a series of piano books – how is this different to other teaching methods? 8. There’s too much commitment for the parent, how is this going to benefit my child or me? 9. Why do I have to bother with these group classes, none of my friends kids have to go? F. Aspects of Suzuki’s own Book – Nurtured By Love • All Japanese children speak Japanese – page 1 • What does not exist in the environment – cannot be developed – page 12 • The joy of thirty workers – page 38 • The high jumping ability of the Ninjutsu, a lesson to be learned – page 41 • The beauty of earnest repetition (calligraphy example) – page 42 • Develop excellence through repetition – page 43 • Dr. Einstein becomes my guardian – page 76 • One must be able to put things into practice – page 87 G. How long does it take to develop ability in music? When we pl ant a daffodil bulb, we don’t di g it up every week to see if it’s growing, we trust the conditions and the course of nature that it will bloom the following spring. Equally, in the Suzuki method, the conditions of the teaching are right, the teacher is trained to know what to do, all the student and parent have to do is trust the process, and over time, you will inevitably see green shoots of ability appearing, even if there is a tough winter! • Each student can take it as slow or fast as they need within their schedule and what commitment the family can make to musical activities outside the individual and group classes. • On average a foundation is cemented in the first two years, but also depends a lot on their age, how much practise is attempted and how many other commitments they have. • 2-4 years of practising an instrument with individual lessons, group classes, concerts, camps and attending musical performances will allow the student to have the ability to explore and have the independence, knowledge and physical skill to do a lot of work on their own. • Anyone who plays on one instrument beyond four years with regular weekly practise is on the road towards mastery. H. How long did it take to teach them to: • How do you help them with their English and Maths homework if you’re not a linguist or maths lecturer? • Put on their clothes? • Brush their teeth?
• Comb their hair? • Use a knife and fork? • Say please and thank you? • Ride a scooter / bike (Suzuki is like the balanced bike approach)? More importantly – • How did you teach them to speak, walk or run? • How did you teach them to laugh, cry, scream, sulk, bargain, dig in their heels etc.? THE GENERAL STRUCTURE Individual classes • One to one attention and supervision with preparation during the week at home Group classes • Community interaction and group peer-to-peer learning through music games Summer camps: • Full scale national experience with other instruments and individual lessons with other teachers • Meeting students from other countries an d seeing the international nature of the Suzuki repertoire • Loughrea mini-camp • Harmania mini camps • International camps • Being a part of something bigger,....something Global, actually, Universal Suggestions for greater parent interaction / participation within our communuity: • Facebook group • Newsletter by email What are the Twinkles about? • Teaches the highest level of concert level technique • Everything you need to play highest standard of piano and producing beautiful tone • If the twinkles reach a very high standard, the student will also have developed the ability to play with ease and comfort, thereby reducing any possibility of strain Book 1 • The foundation for all future playing, take time to prepare this book to a high standard • Everything learned in Book 1 is training ground for all advanced and higher playing , even up to concerto level The importance of exploring outside repertoire • Shows the students they can choose their own music and explore the value of all areas of their ability • Paves the way for musical composing and improvisation • Pop, rock, blues, jazz, traditional etc. Importance of the Group classes: • Sociability • Enemble playing • Listening exercises – ability to listen to themselves and others • Team work
• Theory in action • Basic musicality • Music fundamentals • Performance – confidence, experience, works in progress (not up to concert standard yet, but still well prepared) • Positive associations with performing and playing together • Sense of being apart of something bigger • Motivation through observing and interacting with other students who are playing the same repertoire • All aspects of reading HOW DO WE GET THEM TO PRACTICE Practise pointers 1 Motivation: • 2 types of listening 1. Passive – put on so quietly, that they barely hear it, this allows it to subconsciously absorbed 2. Active – needed for specific tasks (eg. listening to track 11 to really hear the melody) • Parent in charge of putting on cd (or downloading albums from itunes) – don’t leave this up to the child (they won’t do it!) • When friends and family call over, gently suggest that they ask if your child could play ‘their favourit e piece’, this might even lead to more being played. It’s huge encouragement for their self esteem. • Small bits, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat..... • How many times have you used the word ‘The’ in your lifetime? • Do you discard the word because it’s a baby/first word? • It’s part of your vocabulary, it’s needed to complete every sentence • This is how important the twinkles and book 1 are as part of a healthy balance diet of music Practise pointers 2 • Take something that you all enjoy in your family and make it part of the music games • Avoid making it a chore • Avoid saying things like “if I hear Mary had a little lamb once more...” – although you mean the best, they will hear it as “Mum/Dad doesnt like my playing” and it will preven t them wanting to play known material. Known material is usually their safe place, it’s like a teddy they carry around with them. • Avoid saying things like “no, that’s wrong” Replace with....: • “Good job for trying, now let’s see if we can get it like our cd” • “I really like the sound you made there” • “That was a great playing, I really enjoyed listening to your playing”
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