What is the Suzuki Method?
The Suzuki Method of music education began in the middle of the twentieth century by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki.
Dr. Suzuki believed that the best and most effective way to learn music is to be exposed to it from a very early age. He called this the "mother tongue" method - young children learn to play an instrument in the same way that they learn their own language: by listening, absorbing and copying.
In the beginning, the parent is given the first lessons on the instrument, while the child watches. In this way, the child's interest is aroused by their natural desire to copy the parent. This also gives the parent an understanding of the technical difficulties that playing a musical instrument involves.
When the child begins learning, it is by ear - music reading is not taught until later. This ties in with the idea of the "mother tongue": one could not imagine trying to teach an infant to read before it can speak - similarly the young musician does not learn to read music until they understand music aurally. In general, the age at which a child is taught to read music is the same as when they are learning to read books in their own language.
Dr Suzuki's philosophy is one of "Talent Education": he does not believe that only certain people are born with "a gift" or "talent", rather that each child has infinite potential. He believes that in teaching the child music, he is in fact creating a medium for the emotional and spiritual growth of the child.
RECOMMENDED READING
Nurtured by Love, by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Translated by Waltrand Suzuki
Ability Development from Age Zero, by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Translated by Mary Louise Nagata
INFORMATIONAL LINKS