Suzuki Program

More than 50 years ago, Shinichi Suzuki, a Japanese musician and educator, applied the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music. He called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, and constant repetition are some of the special features of the Suzuki method. Parents attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers” during the week. In addition to the weekly private lesson, children and parents will attend a group class where they will play games to reinforce musical and technical issues with the instrument. No prior musical experience is needed on the part of the parent or the child.

For those new to Suzuki, parents will begin the program with a three-week series of orientation classes. Standard Suzuki lessons will continue throughout the remainder of the semester.

This three-year piano sequence will be an introduction to technique and musicianship on the piano. It will also emphasize the building of good pitch and rhythm with the use of games and other enjoyable activities. Students will begin in groups of two to six children depending on age and time availability. After one to two years in a small group, students will graduate to a private lesson with a larger Suzuki group class on selected dates.

Suzuki instruction for string players - violin and cello - will emphasize learning to hold the instrument in a balanced and relaxed manner. Lessons will teach the student to play with a good tone and rhythm and will work to develop a strong sense of pitch. Young string players will begin lessons in either small groups or individually.