Over fifty years ago, Shinichi Suzuki observed that young children learn how to speak their own language as a result of talking with others in their native tongue. He realized that music learning could also be facilitated by immersing children in the musical language. So he set about to use language acquisition principles in teaching music.
Suzuki musicians are taught using a collection of key concepts. The belief that with proper parental support and love every child can learn is at the core. Parents serve as important teachers. Children should listen to music starting the day they are born, and begin their studies by the time they are three or four years old. Listening to music daily is as important as repeating what is learned. Encouragement is essential to musical growth. Learning together with others motivates better learning. Music technique should be taught within the context of the music, and children should master their instrumental skills before starting to learn to read musical notation.
The method produces students with exceptional ability to play their instrument, and to play music without reading it first. But often, students are dismayed to find that their playing ability is far greater than their reading ability when they face auditions for ensembles and orchestras later in their studies.
Teachers who understand the idea of teaching music as if it were the mother tongue often find that lacking music reading abilities keeps students from playing music for the rest of their lives. Literacy based teachers see many students whose Suzuki based teachers have withheld reading music too long. When this occurs, the student may already be playing very advanced music, but is unable to play any other music of the same level because he or she cannot read that music well enough to learn it.
Parents seeking to immerse their children in music can look to this way of learning with some measure of confidence. Children studying this way often demonstrate high levels of musicianship. Many who continue on have excellent awareness of pitch, musical nuance, and expression.
The method is focused on violin as the primary instrument. It also teaches about relationships as students end each lesson bowing and thanking the teacher for teaching. Teachers thank students for the opportunity to teach. There is much to appreciate about what Suzuki can offer students.
Tags: advanced music, language acquisition principles, mother tongue, music learning, music method, music suzuki, native tongue, reading abilities, shinichi suzuki, suzuki music