What is the Suzuki Method?
The Suzuki Method is a learning philosophy developed by Japanese violinist and pedagogue, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. It asserts that every child has the potential to achieve musical ability through teacher guidance, parent partnership, consistent repetition, constant listening, steady encouragement, peer learning, and persistent review. Furthermore, the study of music is not an end to itself but a means of developing great character and nurturing loving members of society.
Who is Dr. Shinichi Suzuki?
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) was born in Nagoya, Japan. His father owned a violin making factory, but it wasn’t until Dr. Suzuki was 17 years old when he first began playing the violin. He went to Germany for further studies, met and married his wife Waltraud, and they both moved back to Japan before WWII. In Japan, Dr. Suzuki developed a love for teaching and a fascination with how people learn. He coined the term “mother tongue approach” to describe the immersive way in which young children learned their parents’s language. He wondered if this could be applied to other areas, like music, and began teaching children as young as two years old. By surrounding them in a musical environment that included daily listening to high-level recordings of music, repetition of musical techniques, review of past repertoire and pieces, and the partnership of the child’s parent, Dr. Suzuki built a community of students, families, and teachers that is now a global presence.
What is the Mother Tongue Approach?
The Parent is the Home Teacher
Children learn to speak their native language from the people who raise them and positively reinforce their skill development. Similarly, a parent’s positive presence is vital to instrument study. Parents are the “home teachers” who are highly involved in their child’s learning process, set the environment for successful practice and motivate through encouragement. They participate in the lesson by taking notes and then guide the practice at home.
Beginning Early
Dr. Suzuki capitalized on a child’s natural ability to learn complicated mental and physical skills by beginning students as young as two or three years old. At this age, music instruction mirror’s the child’s discovery play and becomes a normalized part of life. Children can learn to play the cello at any age, and starting during the pre-school years is an excellent way to establish great musical habits before homework and other extracurricular activities become too demanding. However, you can learn to play at any age.
Listening
Children learn language by hearing their parents speak to them day after day. They pick up syntax, slang, and accents through constant exposure. To imitate this model, students must listen to recordings of the music they are learning (or will soon learn) daily. The Suzuki CD or digital recordings give students and parents a model for beautiful tone and elegant phrasing. Daily listening reinforces memory and internalizes melody which makes learning new material much easier.
Repetition and Review
In language, children repeat the same words endlessly, gradually adding more to their vocabulary as they grow familiar with the ones they already know. Students will adopt the same principle when it comes to learning music and technique. New pieces and concepts are repeated until they become familiar and easy, then consistently reviewed at the lesson and in practice so that every young cellist has a wide repertoire of music and a rock solid foundation.
Encouragement
Just as a baby’s first word is praised to the skies, learning to play the cello should receive the same kind of affirmation. Parents and teachers should admire the child’s process and effort to master new skills before offering positive feedback. Students learn at their own individual pace and style and it’s up to the teacher and parent to provide them an encouraging environment.
Group Lesson
We learn best in community and children motivate themselves when they see their peers excel. Group lessons provide students the space to reinforce familiar skills, practice new ones in a friendly environment, and develop good teamwork and ensemble habits. Children learn how to encourage each other and play with one another.
Progressive Repertoire
Just as language develops from the need to communicate whole ideas, the Suzuki repertoire uses actual music (not just exercises) to teach technique. Every piece reviews older skills and introduces new material in a carefully graded way so that students can successfully learn and perform the music.
Learning by Ear Before the Eye
Children learn to read after they can speak fluently. Similarly, Suzuki students play their instruments with physical ease and produce beautiful tone before they are introduced to music notation. Then, as their reading ability catches up to their performing ability, new music will always be approached with the focus on a gorgeous sound.
Children learn to speak their native language from the people who raise them and positively reinforce their skill development. Similarly, a parent’s positive presence is vital to instrument study. Parents are the “home teachers” who are highly involved in their child’s learning process, set the environment for successful practice and motivate through encouragement. They participate in the lesson by taking notes and then guide the practice at home.
Beginning Early
Dr. Suzuki capitalized on a child’s natural ability to learn complicated mental and physical skills by beginning students as young as two or three years old. At this age, music instruction mirror’s the child’s discovery play and becomes a normalized part of life. Children can learn to play the cello at any age, and starting during the pre-school years is an excellent way to establish great musical habits before homework and other extracurricular activities become too demanding. However, you can learn to play at any age.
Listening
Children learn language by hearing their parents speak to them day after day. They pick up syntax, slang, and accents through constant exposure. To imitate this model, students must listen to recordings of the music they are learning (or will soon learn) daily. The Suzuki CD or digital recordings give students and parents a model for beautiful tone and elegant phrasing. Daily listening reinforces memory and internalizes melody which makes learning new material much easier.
Repetition and Review
In language, children repeat the same words endlessly, gradually adding more to their vocabulary as they grow familiar with the ones they already know. Students will adopt the same principle when it comes to learning music and technique. New pieces and concepts are repeated until they become familiar and easy, then consistently reviewed at the lesson and in practice so that every young cellist has a wide repertoire of music and a rock solid foundation.
Encouragement
Just as a baby’s first word is praised to the skies, learning to play the cello should receive the same kind of affirmation. Parents and teachers should admire the child’s process and effort to master new skills before offering positive feedback. Students learn at their own individual pace and style and it’s up to the teacher and parent to provide them an encouraging environment.
Group Lesson
We learn best in community and children motivate themselves when they see their peers excel. Group lessons provide students the space to reinforce familiar skills, practice new ones in a friendly environment, and develop good teamwork and ensemble habits. Children learn how to encourage each other and play with one another.
Progressive Repertoire
Just as language develops from the need to communicate whole ideas, the Suzuki repertoire uses actual music (not just exercises) to teach technique. Every piece reviews older skills and introduces new material in a carefully graded way so that students can successfully learn and perform the music.
Learning by Ear Before the Eye
Children learn to read after they can speak fluently. Similarly, Suzuki students play their instruments with physical ease and produce beautiful tone before they are introduced to music notation. Then, as their reading ability catches up to their performing ability, new music will always be approached with the focus on a gorgeous sound.
To learn more about the Suzuki community in the United States, visit the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
Want to find out how I incorporate Dr. Suzuki's principles into my teaching? Contact me to set up an introductory call and a free trial lesson!
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Julia Wen is a professional cellist and Suzuki cello teacher in the Lake and Cook county area, IL. She enthusiastically believes that everyone can learn!
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Interested in starting cello lessons? Contact me to set up a free trial lesson.
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© 2024 by Julia Wen