The Suzuki Method

The Suzuki Method of violin teaching was developed in Japan in the 1950s by Dr Shinichi Suzuki. It is based on the simple but profound observation that all children learn to speak their own language successfully. That being so, then surely children could be taught other comparable skills in the same natural way.

Dr Shinichi Suzuki

Dr Suzuki was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1898. He studied Western classical music in Germany and in his early teaching years he carefully observed the manner in which children absorb and internalise the world. Applying the insight thus gained, he developed the 'mother-tongue' method of musical instrument teaching. At birth, he believed, children have an infinite potential to learn. The earlier they begin the learning process the further these capacities can be developed. Having watched the way in which all toddlers learn to communicate through talking and listening in the home, his music teaching method places a strong emphasis on listening to music, involving parents in the learning process, creating a caring and supportive environment and encouraging social interaction between children.

The Early Start

In the UK many children start Suzuki lessons at the age of 3 or 4 years, when they are very receptive and still have time away from the pressures of school work. At this early stage, the world is an exciting place to be explored with alacrity. There is a real eagerness to learn and aural sensitivity is at its peak. By commencing musical teaching at this point, the Suzuki method is able to capitalise on these natural advantages. Children start by listening to recordings of the music they will play and watching other children's lessons. Initially the parent and child are taught together. When the lessons begin, the mother (or father) is taught the basic principles of playing the instrument and the child is encouraged to emulate not just the teacher, but also the parent and the other children. The parent takes an active part in all the lessons and is shown how to help the child at home.

Motivation

The emphasis is on making lessons as enjoyable as possible: the parent and child are encouraged to make their home practices a regular and interesting part of the daily routine. Fun is an important part of the process and games are used to reinforce musical and technical skills. The parents and teacher aim to create a positive “mind-set” in the child, giving praise and encouragement wherever possible, thus building the confidence and skill required to enable the student to take each step forward in the learning process.

Repertoire

The carefully graded repertoire makes each step easy to achieve. Children are encouraged to progress at their own pace. Just as the first words are retained in a child's vocabulary, the earliest tunes remain as part of the student's repertoire while new pieces are learnt. "Old friends", known through and through, are used as the framework for technical refinement, thereby further improving the standard of playing. Through astutely-applied repetition, those skills and repertoire are learned thoroughly and the children feel secure in their own achievements.

Confidence and Social Skills

Children get together to give concerts, join in group lessons and are encouraged to watch each other's lessons. They become accustomed to playing in front of an audience and with each other. Positive motivation is fuelled, confidence boosted and real fulfilment experienced through the excitement and achievement of joining others in performances which please those who listen. As they get older, students benefit from belonging to a peer group that shares their enthusiasm for making music. Together, Suzuki students become such a group and provide support and encouragement for each other as they progress.

Technique

The Suzuki approach to all instruments is aimed at producing a beautiful tone in the simplest and most natural way. Young children have supple bodies, natural co-ordination and balance. The experienced teacher is able to harness and refine these qualities.

Reading Music

Just as children learn to speak before they are taught to read, so Suzuki students of 3 or 4 years old first learn to listen to and produce a good sound on their instruments under the guidance of their teacher. At the same time, a number of important pre-reading skills are developed in individual and group lessons. When aural, visual and instrumental skills are well established - usually at the age of 7 or 8 years -students are taught to read music. At this point, fluency in playing is ahead of reading, but these skills will usually merge over a period of time.

The Success of the Suzuki Approach

Each year an increasing number of Suzuki-trained students are enrolling at music colleges and university music departments, and many have successfully entered the music profession. In countries such as USA, where the method has been established for longer, the majority of professors in the string faculties of major conservatoires owe their early training to Suzuki teachers.

An Educational Perspective

Although musical excellence is an important aspect of the method, the training of future professional musicians is not the main aim. The focus is on the overall development and growth of the “whole” child, to which the medium of music can make a real contribution: education through music. Dr Suzuki himself felt that the full development of children’s latent ability contributes to the growth of the human qualities which are the foundation of the “well-rounded” adult that educators and politicians should be aiming to create in every country throughout the world.