July 25, 2010
Introduction To Suzuki Violin Method
Some people might be baffled when they read it at first, but the Suzuki method has nothing to do with the famed automobile brand. It is an exceptional method used by many music schools to teach students to play musical instruments and is more popular with the violin. Created and developed by the Japanese native Doctor Shinichi Suzuki in the mid-20 century, this method is now the renowned and most used in various musical schools worldwide.
The principle of this technique is teaching children to play musical instrument at a very young age, usually 3 to 5 years old. The kids are outfitted with small-scaled instruments that are just right to their size and grip. The essence of Suzuki’s idea of teaching music comes from the “mother tongue” principle, in which babies learn a native language by listening to adults around them, and eventually imitating what they hear.
When learning under the Suzuki method, a student is instructed to listen to music then play it as they heard it. The student ought to listen repeatedly to a particular recording every day and during suzuki violin lessons. The exercise enables the child to be familiar with the style of playing and make it easier for him to remember.
This method does not only advocate interaction between student and teacher, but emphasizes the parent’s optimal participation as well. Unlike in other methods, the parent, in Suzuki method, is needed to supervise the child’s daily training. It is not necessary that the parent knows how to play the instrument as well, he/she just needs to be familiar and knowledgeable about the kid’s suzuki violin lessons to determine if the child is doing the right thing.
More emphasis is given to team building and collaboration rather than on individual competition. In addition to playing solo, the student is likewise, given the opportunity to play with a group and with an audience. This will help the child enjoy what he/she is doing and to able to play more naturally.
You might be thinking twice in enrolling your child in a suzuki violin school that utilizes this method due to the oddity of the concept. It is much different from the other techniques that focus more on note-reading when teaching the students to play instruments. However, teachers and advocates of the Suzuki violin method argue that learning music by ear actually props up the ability of the student in recognizing notes, and in the long run, helps the student expand knowledge in rhythm and tone identification.
You also will have more confidence in the instructors of Suzuki music schools. To further push the competency of the schools, teachers are filtered well through aptitude requirements set by the school for in-coming and on-training teachers. Prospective instructors do not necessarily have to finish a formal degree in music, but their qualifications are measured by their proficiency in performing and liberal background on the Suzuki method.
The Suzuki violin method is now enjoying widespread acceptance not just in Japan but also in the US and other parts of the world and this is due to its proven track record.
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