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| login | join now | forgot password | Saturday, July 04, 2009 |
Teacher Lounge
| Maxine Komlos
is this week's featured guest writer. Maxine Komlos is a professional vilolinist and conductor. She has been teaching the Suzuki Method for over 25 years and runs the Talent Education Violin School in Australia. Her staff of six teachers teaches 140 students each year. In addition, Maxine publishes and arranges music for stings and orchestra. |
This week's article is on:
Talent Education: The Suzuki Method
By Maxine Komlos
| Dr Shinichi Suzuki invented the method he called "Talent Education", but which is usually called "Suzuki Method". During the 1920s Shinichi Suzuki studied violin in Berlin under Professor Karl Klingler. While he was there, struggling to learn German, he noticed that German children had an easier time learning the language than he did. He marveled at the way in which every child learns to speak their own language. No child fails unless they have physical problems preventing speech. This led Dr Suzuki to the startling insight that the method parents use to teach children to speak is the perfect way to teach music to very young children. |  |
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He placed great emphasis on the environment of the child, rather than the commonly accepted idea that musical talent must be inherited. Suzuki's aim in teaching children this way was to produce 'noble human beings', ie, people who had, through the discipline of hard work in a happy and loving environment developed a great feeling of self-worth. Dr Suzuki returned to Japan and began to develop his ideas, presenting his first students in Tokyo in 1942. After World War II, Dr Suzuki began teaching in Matsumoto, Japan and set up the Talent Education Institute there in 1947. The Talent Education movement grew across the world as other teachers studied with Dr Suzuki and began to teach. The program expanded as teachers of different instruments became interested in Suzuki's approach, and materials were developed for cello, piano and flute. Since then his method has spread across the world, and many thousands of children have learned by it. There are teachers in all the string instruments, flute and piano. Dr Suzuki died in 1998, to the sorrow of hundreds of thousands of people affected by his work and wonderful personality. The Method
The method uses several key ingredients. One of these is,
parent involvement. The parent attends the weekly lessons and supervises the
daily practice.
An approach of love and praise from teacher and parent is utilized. Each step, however
small,
is encouraged and praised. Suzuki often said each lesson is very good except
for
one point which needs improving. The students should not be bombarded with
many points to improve.
Daily listening to recordings of the music being studied is encouraged.
When the student knows
the sounds of the notes to be studied, learning is much easier.
Continually reviewing and improving music already studied is another key ingredient.
In contrast to most
traditional methods, Suzuki students learn their pieces thoroughly. This
means that their confidence in their own ability is built up to a high level.
All music is learned by memory. In the early stages of study, the music is
studied
entirely by ear.
Lessons are taught individually, but at times, the students come together in groups to observe
each others' lessons.
Students have regular group and ensemble lessons in addition to the
individual
lessons.
The Results
Some students have gone on to become professional musicians and teachers - a
slightly
higher proportion than those who do so learning by traditional methods.
Others have
simply had their lives enriched by the method's benefits:
Suzuki Talent Education provides a part of the student's education where it is not possible to fail. There are no exams, where they are graded. The Suzuki graduation system allows no failures. Suzuki never fails a child. He asks instead that teachers submit students for the levels of graduation when the teacher feels the child is ready. If this takes 2, 3, or even 10 years, there is no hurry. One Percent
Isaac Stern once called the Suzuki Method the One Per Cent Method. Stern
once
asked Dr. Suzuki how many professional musicians the Suzuki Method produced.
The
answer was about one per cent. But the story should go on to say that
Suzuki's aim is
primarily to produce noble human beings through their musical training.
Perhaps Isaac
Stern should have been asked - "How many professional musicians does the
Traditional Method produce?" My answer would be, no more than that one per
cent.
I feel, however, from my own experience, having been involved with Suzuki
Talent
Education for 26 years, that the percentage is actually a lot higher than
that, more like,
five per cent.
I see many former students at the conservatoriums in Australia and overseas,
playing in
orchestras, bands, string quartets and teaching.
So what about the 99%? Where are they? What are they doing with their music? Again, judging from my own experience, some have taken up other instruments, some have gone into jobs in the arts where an appreciation of music is important. Many are going into professional fields such as medicine and law, but using their music for recreation in amateur orchestras and chamber music. Hopefully they all found that the study of music enriched their lives. Itzhak Perlman said of an East Harlem violin teacher, 'Roberta is not teaching them to be violinists necessarily. I have five children and I know what children learn from the perseverance and the discipline they get out of studying an instrument this way. She's teaching them to become doctors and lawyers.'
Suzuki method is based on the feeling of continual success. Each step taken by the student is praised for what it is, a step in the right direction. In Closing: Suzuki makes it clear to the student that it is not possible to fail. Students are never graded, especially they are never given the label, "Failure". Instead of labeling a child a failure, we work with him/her patiently. If the student keeps going, however slowly, he/she will learn to play, to enjoy music, and will develop a feeling of self worth.
Here are some complimentary links that you might find helpful:
Maxine and Michael's home page can be found at: Here's a direct link to Maxine and Michael's Links Page The Suzuki/Orff School for children The Suzuki Association of the Americas A memorial for Dr. Suzuki There are some wonderful images of Dr. Suzuki available at this site.
Teaching the Flute by Karen Stafford. |