The Suzuki approach, based on the so-called “mother-tongue” method, differs from traditional methods of teaching instrumental music because it involves the student at a very early age, thus necessitating much participation on the part of the parent in the role of home-teacher. Some of the basic principles of the Suzuki approach are:
- Begin as early as possible: Dr. Suzuki recommends that ability development begins at birth. Formal training may be started by age 3.
- Move in small steps: We want the child to master the material with a total sense of success, thereby building his confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Each child progresses at his/her own pace.
- Parental Involvement: Either the mother or father attends all lessons so that they understand the learning process and can feel secure when working with the child as the home-teacher. In some studios, it is a requirement that the parent also learns to play at a beginning level in order to become a more effective teacher at home. However, the most important aspect for success at home belongs to the parent’s willingness to devote regular time to work closely with the child and the teacher.
- Daily Listening: The Suzuki recordings (most recently recorded by Hillary Hahn and Augustin Hadelich) stand as the nucleus of the Suzuki approach. The more the student listens to the recordings, the more quickly the student learns. This approach derives from the way all children learn to speak their native language.
- Postpone Music Reading: Until the child’s aural and instrumental skills are well established, just as we teach children to read a language only after they can speak. This enables the main focus of the teacher’s and student’s attention to be on the sound: beautiful tone, accurate intonation, and musical phrasing then become a basic part of the student’s earliest training.
- Follow The Repertoire: This is important part because it becomes a building block for the careful development of technique. Equally important is the strong motivation this standardized repertoire provides: students want to play what they hear other students play. Repetition of the old pieces in a student’s repertoire is the secret of the performing ability of Suzuki students.
- Enjoyable Learning Environment: Home practice and lesson time should be an enjoyable learning environment, so that much of the child’s motivation comes from enthusiasm for learning and desire to please. When working with children, Dr. Suzuki’s exhortation is that we must come “down to their physical limitations and up to their sense of wonder and awe.”
- Group Lessons: In addition to private lessons, group lessons are a valuable way to motivate the violin student. The child learns from advanced students and from peers possibly more than from the adult teacher directly – children love to do what they see other children do. Group lessons also provides a means to allow the students to play repertoire together, thereby increasing their level of playing as they are surrounded by other students and their abilities.
- Attitude of Cooperation: One of the goals of the Suzuki Method is to foster an attitude of cooperation, not competition among students. We want to teach our children to be supportive for each others accomplishments.
- Develop the Whole Child: The Suzuki approach deals with much more teaching a child how to play an instrument. It seeks to develop the whole child, to help unfold his/her natural potential to learn and become a good and happy person. The purpose of Suzuki training is not to produce great artists, but to help every child to find the joy that comes through music-making. Through the Suzuki growing process, children thrive in a total environment of support: they develop confidence and self-esteem, determination to try difficult things, self-discipline and concentration, as well as a lasting enjoyment of music, and the sensitivity and skill for making music.