The contribution of Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998), the Japanese violinist and educator, in the development of the violin teaching techniques is considerable. Dr. Suzuki developed a specific strategy for teaching children to play the violin that is known today as the “Suzuki method” (Bugeja 22). This method is based on Suzuki’s philosophy, according to which the ability to learn how to play the musical instrument is not influenced by the talent as the inherited feature. According to Dr. Suzuki, the time when a child begins to play the violin is of the high importance (Wade 24). Thus, the “Suzuki method” is based on the claim that children can learn to play musical instruments as they learn to speak. In this case, the basic aspects of the successful teaching are the listening to the music, the constant repetition of music elements while playing, and the parents’ support (Suzuki 9). Therefore, according to Dr. Suzuki, any child can learn to play the musical instrument if he or she is encouraged and loved; supported by parents and the peers; focused on the constant practice, repetition, and the technique development; and listening to the music regularly.
Suzuki’s philosophy and the teaching method are grounded on three main conditions. All these factors are important to support the main idea that the talent of a musician needs to be actively evolved. The first aspect is the children’s age. According to Dr. Suzuki, to develop the playing technique, children need to start learning early, at the age of three or five years (Trainor 263). This condition depends on Dr. Suzuki’s “mother-tongue approach” and an assumption that a child can learn to play the violin similar to the process of language acquisition (Comeau 60). In this context, the second key aspect is the daily listening to music. As children constantly hear the language they speak, they also need to hear the music they play. The third important principle that also comes from the theory of the language acquisition is the regular practice based on repeating small pieces and musical elements (Mehl 14). Hearing his or her parents speaking, a child learns words one by one, and their repetition contributes to the development of the skills and mastery. The repetition of musical pieces and elements many times contributes to the children’s development of their repertoire. In Nurtured by Love, Dr. Suzuki stated that at this stage, children need to demonstrate their patience to see actual results in the future (Suzuki 6). However, more attention needs to be paid to the environments in which a child studies.
The focus on the environments for the teaching of playing the violin is significant because Dr. Suzuki developed the idea of cooperation within the beneficial setting. First, much attention is paid to the “triangle” of a child, a teacher, and a parent in the process of learning the music (Comeau 60). This cooperation depends on the following premises: the teacher acts as a master in playing the violin, the child is loved and encouraged, and the parent is supportive and actively involved in the process of teaching (Suzuki 22). Therefore, the teacher stimulates a child to practice daily and listen to the high-quality music regularly. In his turn, a parent attends the classes and studies with a child. During the early childhood, this experience is important for a young person to feel the support and love (Trainor 264). In addition, it is expected that children play together in groups once a week to demonstrate their successes, but without the unnecessary competition and the focus on grades. In this approach, Dr. Suzuki realizes the idea of the true cooperation within the specific musical community (Wade 14). As a result, the persons involved in the process of teaching, including other children, create the positive environment for a child to study with pleasure and develop the mastery, and these outcomes are associated with the main objectives of the “Suzuki method”.
The teaching goals of Dr. Suzuki differ significantly from the traditional ones followed in the musical education. The main aim of teaching children according to the “Suzuki method” is to develop their musical abilities and their personality. Dr. Suzuki claimed that he did not intend to educate future professional musicians, but the main goal is to nurture children to grow and develop as good persons with the love in their hearts (Suzuki 20). While listening to the high-quality music daily and while developing the skills in playing the violin, a child develops sensitivity, patience, discipline, and his inner abilities. In addition, being taught in the community of the cooperated teacher, parents, and other students, a child develops his skills in respecting the other person. As a result, a child grows as a good person with the loving heart.
In spite of the fact that Dr. Suzuki’s teaching philosophy and approach are often discussed as provocative, they are followed not only in Japan but also in the Western countries. The main reason for attracting many parents and children to the “Suzuki method” is the development of a child’s abilities and skills in playing the violin with the focus on developing him or her as a personality. Therefore, this approach is actively used for the musical education of three- or five-year-old children.
Works Cited
Bugeja, Clare. “Parental Involvement in the Musical Education of Violin Students: Suzuki and “Traditional” Approaches Compared.” Australian Journal of Music Education 1.2 (2009): 19-28. Print.
Comeau, Gilles. “Suzuki’s mother-tongue approach: Concerns about the Natural Learning Process.” The Canadian Music Teacher 63.1 (2012): 59-68. Print.
Mehl, Margaret Dorothea. “Cultural translation in two directions: The Suzuki method in Japan and Germany.” Research and Issues in Music Education 7.1 (2009): 12-29. Print.
Suzuki, Shinichi. Nurtured by Love. New York: Alfred Publishing Company, 2013. Print.
Trainor, Laurel. “Are There Critical Periods for Musical Development?” Developmental Psychobiology 46.3 (2005): 262-278. Print.
Wade, Bonnie. Music in Japan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.