What is Suzuki Method?

Suzuki Method is a philosophical and pedagogical approach to education that recognizes mankind's amazing ability to learn from his environment. The great music educator, Shinichi Suzuki, developed the principles of the method. A violinist, philosopher and humanitarian, Suzuki realized that all children learn their mother tongue easily.

Dr. Suzuki recognized what an amazing feat it was for children to master speaking their mother tongue when he spent 7 years in Germany in the 1920's. He noticed how quickly tiny children managed to learn to speak German fluently, while he struggled many years to never quite master it. Recognizing that music to mankind is as language is to mankind, he developed the "Mother Tongue" Approach to Music Education.

The Mother Tongue Approach

The "Mother Tongue" Approach is based on natural language acquisition for young children. It involves learning by listening first to auditory models such as recordings, imitating and translating the sounds into physical movements on the instrument, then learning to make visual associations with those sounds and physical movements. The Suzuki student learns by ear, and continues to learn this way even after music reading skills have been developed. Repetition of a carefully sequenced repertoire develops memory, a musical ear and builds technical skills, just as repetition works in language development. Suzuki Teachers use the known repertoire as tools for developing musical and technical skills.

Children Learn from Each Other

Dr. Suzuki saw that children learn from each other as well as their parents and teachers and found it motivating to play together. Suzuki started to supplement lessons with group lessons. Group Lessons are an integral part of Suzuki method. Fun and full of humour, children develop musical and social skills that playing alone cannot develop. These are motivating experiences for the child built on review of the repertoire.

Parent Involvement Breeds Success

Dr. Suzuki saw that the key to a child's development was the environment that his parents or caregivers made for him or her. The young child imitates and emulates his or her parents. The parent's interest in listening to and playing music sparks the child's search for meaning in music. In Suzuki Method, the parent is a learner model, a structure giver, and a coach for the child. In the lessons, the parent learns how the instrument should be played, how to practice with the child, how to ask in a positive way, and how to prioritize skills. A parent who learns enthusaistically, shows willingness to make mistakes, and take corrections happily, helps the child develop good learning habits. With the teacher's guidance, the parent takes responsibility for regular listening and practicing in ways appropriate for the age of the child.

Teachers Guide and Inform from an Expert Perspective

The Trained Suzuki Teacher is an expert in musical and pedagogical areas. He or she can give the parents and students guidance based on a perspective that is detached and well informed. Information from the parent and child about feelings and understanding help the teacher to guide the learning process in a positive way. Trust and respect underlie the relationships between teacher and parent, teacher and child, and parent and child.

Though the Mother Tongue Approach has been proven effective at developing superior musical abilities in children, Dr. Suzuki's goal was to make "... good citizens, noble human beings...". Emphasis in Suzuki method is on being positive, kind and encouraging. The teachers and parents work together to help each and every child develop musically, socially, physically and emotionally through music.