The Suzuki Philosophy

Talent Education

The Suzuki method thrives on the idea that every child can succeed at something, given the proper nurturing. In my studio, I strive to immerse the students in musical learning by providing ear training, fun musical games and activities, and technique training. It is important that this environment is supported at home. Parents should commit to practicing with their student every day, as well as supporting the teacher during lessons.

Mother Tongue Method

The Mother Tongue method is what Dr. Suzuki himself originally called his method of teaching. When we are born, we are immediately immersed in the language of our parents. Learning to speak can be broken down into three steps: listening, imitating, and repetition. Likewise, the first step in learning music is listening. Part of your every day practice should include listening to your Suzuki recordings, in order to internalize the melodies and tonality that you will eventually be learning. The second step is imitation, or in other words, learning the notes on your instrumentation. Third, and possibly most important, is repetition. Your daily practice will include repetition of many different activities in order to reinforce and build on what you have learned. Consistent, daily practice is the key to making progress in your musical journey.

The Suzuki Triangle

The Suzuki Triangle is defined by the relationship between the teacher, parent, and student. Each person has a role in the child’s education. The teacher’s role is to provide a loving, nurturing environment for learning, and to give the family the tools they will need to practice at home. The parent’s role is to attend and participate in every lesson, and to facilitate at-home practice sessions. The student’s role is to come to each lesson and practice session ready to learn!

Book Graduations

Dr. Suzuki would wake up around 5:00 AM every morning and listen to hundreds of tape recordings sent to him from all over Japan. He incorporated a Suzuki Graduation System where students, when they reached certain playing levels, would record several polished review pieces and in return receive Dr. Suzuki’s constructive comments about their playing.

This was a celebration of accomplishment. It was never a “pass or fail” situation since Dr. Suzuki trusted that a teacher would only have a student prepare and submit a recording when they were musically ready. Dr. Suzuki also knew it was the process of preparing these recordings where the real learning and progress took place.

Book graduations are recognized by holding student recitals. Each student is required to prepare a well-polished recital of the pieces they have learned. Students are encouraged to invite family and friends to attend.

Goals for Graduation process:

1. Validation of the review, revise and refinement process fundamental to the Suzuki approach.
2. Nurture excellence in teacher and student
3. Celebrate achievement

For more information on the Suzuki method and talent education, check out these resources:

Suzuki Association of the Americas

Nurtured by Love by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki