| Whether 'tis nobler in the mind, to
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| | stronger bond can develop. But at times
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| suffer The slings and arrows of
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| | the intensity of the parent-student
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| outrageous boredom; Or to take arms
| |
| | involvement can become a bit
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| against a sea of Twinkles, And by
| |
| | overwhelming.The traditional approach
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| opposing end them? When Shinichi Suzuki
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| | emphasizes the development of a skill,
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| introduced his method of instructing
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| | and through the acquisition of that skill
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| students in the art of playing the violin
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| | the realization that practice and
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| it was somewhat controversial.It was, he
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| | dedication usually leads to success.
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| said, a more natural way of learning. The
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| | Parental involvement is not usually
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| idea was to learn to play the violin the
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| | nearly so intense in the actual
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| same way that a person would learn to
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| | instruction and practice, and the student
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| speak their native language, the
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| | is much more likely to play recognizable
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| so-called "mother tongue approach" to
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| | works earlier since he is actually taught
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| music education.Suzuki also explored an
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| | notes sooner.The Solution?Integrate the
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| area which became known as "talent
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| | best of both methods and then throw in a
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| education." The word "saino" in Japanese
| |
| | little fiddle! An integrated system of
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| can be translated ability or talent. But
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| | listening, observing, performing and
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| it can also be used to mean the
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| | having fun seems to me the best
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| development of an ability or personal
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| | approach.There is no doubt that listening
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| trait, such as one's character. As such,
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| | to the works to be performed is
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| Talent Education came to refer to the
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| | beneficial. There is no doubt that
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| development of skill, knowledge and
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| | repetition can be tremendously important
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| character. A seemingly well-rounded
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| | in skill acquisition. There is no doubt
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| approach.Suzuki developed a repertoire
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| | that music theory introduced early
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| and a curriculum, and teachers from all
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| | becomes a strong foundation on which a
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| over the world visited his institute in
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| | student can build an amateur (or even
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| Matsumoto, Japan to learn his techniques.
| |
| | professional) music career. And there is
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| The method spread from the violin to
| |
| | no doubt that students learn from seeing
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| other instruments including piano, cello,
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| | and interacting with other students.What
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| guitar and harp. There are more than
| |
| | we need is a single system integrating
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| 8,000 teachers worldwide who endorse his
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| | the whole world of violin into a happy
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| methods and follow his curriculae. More
| |
| | amalgam.Why not start with a Suzuki
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| than 250,000 students study music by the
| |
| | approach in which the parents are
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| Suzuki method.The question becomes, "Is
| |
| | introduced to the instrument and
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| the Suzuki method right for you and your
| |
| | understand the instructor and her
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| student?"A Quick Comparison of Traditonal
| |
| | expectations at the start? Allow parents
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| violin study vs. Suzuki.Suzuki* The
| |
| | to observe lessons and encourage them to
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| Suzuki method of study emphasizes parent
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| | participate in practices at home! Teach
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| involvement and parent-student
| |
| | the parents the games that Suzuki
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| interaction. Parents take several classes
| |
| | students play with their bows and let
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| prior to the start of their student's
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| | them play along the same way they would
|
| studies and are encouraged to participate
| |
| | in a Suzuki studio!But at the same time,
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| in the student's lessons once they have
| |
| | why not let the students start working on
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| begun. Parents are also the primary means
| |
| | note recognition at the same time they
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| of motivating the student to practice and
| |
| | learn technique? When we show them the
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| of making sure that the student follows
| |
| | violin's A-string, show them the note on
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| the instructions once the lesson is
| |
| | the staff! When we show them the
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| complete and the student has returned
| |
| | D-string, show them the notation, too.
|
| home. This means that the parent will, at
| |
| | Why not use the flash card or "big book"
|
| least at the beginning, be actively
| |
| | approach that is used in our schools and
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| involved in every single practice
| |
| | hold up a picture of a rest symbol when
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| session. * The Suzuki method emphasizes
| |
| | we want them to be quiet? Let the student
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| both active and passive learning. Before
| |
| | see as well as hear what they are doing.
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| a student ever touches a violin he is
| |
| | It seems to me that this is really
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| exposed to the music he will play in the
| |
| | implementing Shenichi Suzuki's message.
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| form of recordings.These recordings are
| |
| | Just as we don't expect our children to
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| repeated over and over until they are
| |
| | communicate only verbally and we show
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| completely "internalized" by the student.
| |
| | them how we use written language early
|
| In doing this it is believed that the
| |
| | on, we should let the student see what
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| student will have a tremendous advantage
| |
| | they are playing, not just hear it. In
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| in learning to play the music that he has
| |
| | the same way that our four-year old
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| already heard . . . in some instances
| |
| | daughter used to "write" stories by
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| hundreds of times. And for quite some
| |
| | scribbling lines on a page, she could
|
| time the only thing that the student will
| |
| | have "composed" songs by drawing on a
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| play is "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." *
| |
| | staff. And think of how powerful it would
|
| The Suzuki method encourages students to
| |
| | have been if she had learned to play and
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| learn by following the example of other
| |
| | read individual notes and had
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| students and by interacting with them on
| |
| | "discovered" that she could read or write
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| a regular basis. Individual instruction
| |
| | the melody herself!Regarding fiddle, a
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| takes place one-on-one with the teacher
| |
| | child who picks up the fiddle doesn't
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| or in a "small group." This is where the
| |
| | particularly care about if he is holding
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| student actually receives hands-on
| |
| | the fiddle correctly. He doesn't care if
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| instruction by the teacher. But
| |
| | he can read the notes on the staff. All
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| periodically the Suzuki student will
| |
| | he wants to do is play something that
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| attend "group lessons." At these group
| |
| | sounds good and have fun. He is highly
|
| lessons the student interacts with other
| |
| | motivated, and is thrilled when he finds
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| students from his teacher's studio. They
| |
| | out that he can producing something that
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| play together. They study together. And
| |
| | makes him smile, although those others
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| hopefully they progress together.In any
| |
| | may really want to plug their ears. We
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| case, when other students are present
| |
| | need our young students to be excited
|
| students who are not actively being
| |
| | about picking the instrument up! We need
|
| instructed are urged to sit and observe
| |
| | our young students reluctant to put the
|
| what is happening. * Individual lessons
| |
| | instrument down. We need our students to
|
| frequently concentrate on a single
| |
| | truly experience success on their
|
| "teaching point." Progress is made one
| |
| | instrument very soon after they first
|
| step at a time in one area at a time. At
| |
| | touch the instrument!And let's integrate
|
| least early in the learning process more
| |
| | listening in a realistic way! Why not let
|
| emphasis is placed on the student's
| |
| | the students hear the music they will
|
| posture, technique and tone production
| |
| | play, but also introduce them to the
|
| than on playing recognizable tunes. In
| |
| | local symphony orchestra or bluegrass
|
| fact, many Suzuki students don't even
| |
| | group so that they don't think that
|
| start their violin careers with a violin,
| |
| | violins only exist on CD's. And speaking
|
| they use a box on which they can bow so
| |
| | of CD's, develop a library of a
|
| that they learn proper position first. *
| |
| | recordings that feature the violin in
|
| Music reading is not emphasized until the
| |
| | various settings. The Suzuki CD's are
|
| student has mastered basic performance
| |
| | fine if that is all you are playing, but
|
| skills on the instrument
| |
| | what about Sarah Chang's recording of
|
| itself.Traditional* In traditional
| |
| | Sarasate's Concert Fantasy on Carmen when
|
| instruction there is usually no active
| |
| | she was just nine years old, and Stephane
|
| involvement of a student's parents other
| |
| | Grappelli's Jazz in Paris album so that
|
| than observing practices. While parents
| |
| | there is some jazz violin in the house,
|
| are often encouraged to attend lessons,
| |
| | and maybe even an album by the all-woman
|
| the majority of instruction usually takes
| |
| | string quartet Bond.We need to find a way
|
| place outside the parent's presence. The
| |
| | to motivate students to want to learn
|
| parent is requested to monitor a
| |
| | more about the violin. Maybe a daily
|
| student's practice (or at least the
| |
| | visit to will help! Maybe a T-Shirt they
|
| amount of time practiced), but are
| |
| | can wear or some other visual cue in
|
| usually not a part of the practice
| |
| | their room will do the trick!We can see
|
| itself. * Instruction is often only
| |
| | that the theme parks, the children's
|
| one-on-one with the instructor. Unless
| |
| | television networks, the toy companies
|
| the instructor is part of a school
| |
| | and the fast food restaurants realize
|
| district program, or has taken the
| |
| | that the key to influencing your child's
|
| initiative to form some sort of ensemble
| |
| | decisions is a multi-sensory approach. We
|
| group the student does not usually
| |
| | should be just a wise as they are in our
|
| interact with other students at his skill
| |
| | approach to our children.The Bottom
|
| level. If ensembles do exist, they are
| |
| | LineEither the Suzuki or Traditional
|
| usually focused on performing works
| |
| | method can produce competent violinists.
|
| together as opposed to Suzuki group
| |
| | If parent-student interaction in what can
|
| lessons that may be focused on developing
| |
| | be a frustrating situation is good - by
|
| a technique together. * Listening to
| |
| | all means consider Suzuki. But if intense
|
| music that will be played may be
| |
| | child-parent interaction frequently leads
|
| encouraged, but it is not usually an
| |
| | to tears in either party, the traditional
|
| integral (or even integrated) part of the
| |
| | approach is probably better. And in
|
| program. * Emphasis is placed on reading
| |
| | either case, make sure that the
|
| music very early. See the note, learn the
| |
| | relationship between child, parent and
|
| note, play the note is quite common.
| |
| | teacher is a good one. Three individuals
|
| after several weeks of instructionSeveral
| |
| | tugging in different directions never
|
| weeks in the student can already
| |
| | make good progress. Finally, have fun
|
| recognize the written notes that he will
| |
| | with the violin. After all, we don't say
|
| play.My Evaluation: A Pox on Both Their
| |
| | that I "work" the violin . . . the verb
|
| Houses!Both Traditional and Suzuki
| |
| | we use is "play."Arthur Haule studied
|
| methods have strengths and
| |
| | violin in a traditional program for ten
|
| weaknesses.Suzuki emphasizes teaching a
| |
| | years. He participated in several
|
| philosophy through which a skill can be
| |
| | orchestras in the New York City area and
|
| developed. A successful Suzuki student
| |
| | founded a string quartet. He has taken
|
| will be a good performer early if he
| |
| | part in several music festivals and even
|
| doesn't burn out playing and hearing
| |
| | acted as a violin coach. He is currently
|
| Twinkle over and over. If there is a good
| |
| | webmaster of -- a place for violinists
|
| student-parent dynamic this can also be a
| |
| | of all ages, persuasions and skill levels
|
| really successful method, and an even
| |
| | to gather.
|
