The Suzuki Method of Piano Instruction

Shinichi Suzuki

Since most of my students are older than preschool, the age level targeted by the Suzuki Method, I assign music reading books. Reading skills are learned at the same time as the student is listening to Book 1 repertoire and learning it by rote and assisted reading.

Suzuki Book 1 repertoire includes traditional folk songs that are arranged to teach musical and technical concepts and build musical memory. 

After building a base of musical skills and graduating from Suzuki Book 1 (this usually requires about a year to perform the entire book from memory) students move on to studying Certificate of Merit and National Guild technique and participating in these annual evaluations.

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Every Child Can Learn 
More than fifty years ago, Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki realized the implications of the fact that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease. He began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, and called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.

Parent Involvement 
As when a child learns to talk, parents are involved in the musical learning of their child. They attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers” during the week. One parent often learns to play before the child, so that s/he understands what the child is expected to do. Parents work with the teacher to create an enjoyable learning environment.

Early Beginning

The early years are crucial for developing mental processes and muscle coordination. Listening to music should begin at birth; formal training may begin at age three or four, but it is never too late to begin.

Listening

Children learn words after hearing them spoken hundreds of times by others. Listening to music every day is important, especially listening to pieces in the Suzuki repertoire so the child knows them immediately.

Repetition

Constant repetition is essential in learning to play an instrument. Children do not learn a word or piece of music and then discard it. They add it to their vocabulary or repertoire, gradually using it in new and more sophisticated ways.

Encouragement

As with language, the child’s effort to learn an instrument should be met with sincere praise and encouragement. Each child learns at his/her own rate, building on small steps so that each one can be mastered. Children are also encouraged to support each other’s efforts, fostering an attitude of generosity and cooperation.