Suzuki method

The Suzuki Method is a music education concept, which is already starting about three years allows children to direct entry into instrumental lessons at very young age. It was named after its founder, the violin pedagogue Shinichi Suzuki, named. The most striking differences in the method to other teaching methods exist in the body designated by Suzuki himself as "Mother Tongue " method, which is based in analogy to language education on listening, observing and imitating and initially dispensed with reading music, in the intense involvement of a parent, of the practicing child guides at home, the systematic development of a solid musical repertoire developed by Suzuki and in the form of teaching in which each weekly private lessons and supplementary group game circle are equally weighted.

• 2.1 Basic principles
• 2.2 The ten-volume Violinschule
• 2.3 Use of the method with other instruments
• 2.4 The special Suzuki teacher training
• 2.5 criticism

• 3.1 German -speaking
• 3.2 America

Background

Formation

The Suzuki method goes back to the Japanese violinist and teacher Shinichi Suzuki ( 1898-1998 ). Suzuki, who taught at the age of 17 years with the help of recordings to play the violin himself, grew up as the son of the then largest Geigenbaufabrikanten to Nagoya. The violin had in his childhood mainly the value of a toy and not to a musical instrument.

These two biographical circumstances influenced both Suzuki's future use of the instrument as well as the Suzuki method. For in the Suzuki method is an essential aspect rediscover the playful element as well as the principle of imitation.

Suzuki's interest to study violin was not guided by the motivation to be a perfect virtuoso, but awakened by the need to understand the art. To achieve this, led him, after Suzuki was rejected at the Ueno Academy ( Tokyo ), personal contacts in 1919 to Germany, where he began his studies with Karl Klingler as its only private pupil in Berlin. Late twenties, he returned with experiences and suggestions for teaching from Germany to Japan, where he was first at the Imperial Conservatory in Tokyo has focused mainly youth in the violin. To teach children in the early preschool age was considered impossible, and there was virtually no experienced teacher. An occasion to teach preschoolers got Suzuki only when a father Suzuki asked his then four- year-old son - currently known violinist Toshiya Eto - to teach the violin, and so Suzuki was encouraged to think about ways and means of instrumental early education. Suzuki realized that all the children of Japan one thing in common, namely that they learn such a complex language like Japanese effortlessly through imitation and thereby dominate even the most difficult dialect of their region, such as life course. The age of five Japanese children can play about 4000 words because they speak their native language from an early age. This principle of learning by imitation and play transferred to the Suzuki violin and made ​​it popular, the term native method. That Suzuki violin lessons as a means chose was rather random. The choice was therefore on this instrument, because he could play the violin best. Suzuki's life's work makes him a pioneer of the early instrumental lessons.

First attempts at teaching

By saying "Talent is no accident of birth " Suzuki in 1945 was through the creation of the music school in Matsumoto, today's "Talent Education School " pioneering approaches to talent education movement. The key for the development of the Suzuki Method teaching experiments launched Suzuki 1948 first at the Hongo primary school in Matsumoto. Suzuki taught there an experimental class of 40 students. The lesson was that he in some part such an easy exercise presented each student, the whole class could respond simultaneously. Before we went over to another exercise, the same task was asked repeatedly the following day. By hereby achieved high learning motivation each student reached a high level of skills. The now well-known institute for talent education, Saino Kyoiku Gakuen Yôji (才能 教育 幼 児 学园), Suzuki founded a little later. Again, Suzuki taught a class of 60 pupils aged three to five years general subjects such as Japanese pronunciation, Chinese characters, expression, calligraphy, drawing, English conversation and gymnastics. Only later, in 1950, the Saino Kyoiku Kenkyu -kai (才能 教育 研究 会) was founded in Matsumoto, where Suzuki violin taught by his method.

Although the instrumental design of the Suzuki method does not intend the training of child prodigies, many well-known violinists have emerged from the school. Graduates of Saino Kyoiku Kenkyu -kai quickly escalated. Thanks to Suzuki's active teaching to old age his method has received worldwide distribution.

Suzuki's philosophy of life

In Suzuki's masterpiece "Education is love" it is primarily about how the disposition of the people can be developed. The starting point of his upbringing is similar to educational reform postulates the "Education of the Child ". Suzuki followed with his method senior allgemeinerziehererische ideals. They are in relation to his biography, the Japanese culture and the experience of European culture. The attitude towards life as well as his teaching is influenced by her desire to educate all children by playing the violin in good and capable people, to people who grow up as an active member of society. His philosophy of life is based entirely on Zen Buddhism, and so Suzuki wants to train within the meaning of life through music training the character and virtues and " form good citizens " in this way. The purpose of human life is at Suzuki in search of love, truth, virtue and beauty, where the violin is the means and not the purpose to realize the meaning of life and the training of instrumentalists concert is only a byproduct.

Talent Education

Suzuki was a radical opponent of the view that the degree of musicality of a man is a matter of innate talent. He has in this connection repeatedly pointed out that research talent will not be performed on newborns, but to children who have already received for years of musical stimulation and promotion or not obtained. It was Suzuki's core belief that any musical talent ( up to the " top talent " ) based exclusively on auditory training and continuous good practice.

The Talent Education after Suzuki follow this view today. Consequently, for example, no entrance examinations are performed on Suzuki schools.

Suzuki's conception of talent and skills here again is influenced by the Zen Buddhism. Because of Zen Buddhism relies entirely on the repetition; Only this is considered the correct and true effort is made possible by a development of talent. The goal of life is seen in Zen Buddhism is to become an accomplished and well-balanced person; this goal, however, is not in the foreground, but the way there: the constant self- effort, the indefatigable perseverance, working with the self-improvement. Also, the insistence on practicing the violin had to be understood as a path to self-improvement. The Suzuki student will maintain the practice as a Zen student and attain higher knowledge through his efforts.

The Suzuki Method

Basic principles

The method Suzuki has developed based on elementary principles of Zen Buddhism, as well as to the principle which underlies the child's acquisition of language. While conventional instrumental lessons based on the reading notes, Suzuki instruction is first dispensed with entirely in the notes. Since children learn their mother tongue do not pass the written language, but about listening and repetition of spoken language, Suzuki concluded that children should learn to play an instrument also by listening and playing through. On the basis of these " native method" can children start at the age of three or four years with the lessons.

The focus of teaching is the gradual elaboration of the individual pieces of the Suzuki music repertoire, the Suzuki has selected and ordered that the child develops simultaneously with the pieces a very extensive repertoire of technical skills. A special feature of the Suzuki teaching is the daily listening to an audio medium, is played by a professional musician on the part of the Suzuki repertoire, with which the child is busy right now. Unlike adults, who would feel the constant repeated listening to a music CD as tiresome, especially younger children like this routine very often. Listening to the CD is not only learning about the pieces that will prepare the child soon, but especially the ear training. The child should learn to distinguish between good and bad game yes. Another feature of the Suzuki teaching is the systematic repetition of already learned pieces.

The classes consist of weekly individual lessons (teacher, child, parent), weekly group lessons and daily, led by a parent practicing at home. Suzuki recommended that the mother, in order to perform an efficient home schooling can play the instrument learned possible before the child. " Suzuki families," in which one parent mitstudiert the instrument are in Western countries today, however, the exception rather than the rule. Suzuki also recommended that younger siblings as a listener to be brought into the classroom, so that they form their hearing before the recording of their actual teaching, the Suzuki repertoire to meet and " pick up " a lot of knowledge incidental to that needed to possibly work out the older sibling tedious.

Essential Requirements of Talent Education after Suzuki are a musical environment that allows for ear training, promotion and cooperation of the parents and the commitment of the teacher. The real lesson is accompanied ideally by numerous early and foreplay possibilities of events such as the "Concert of a Thousand", master classes and experiences of making music together. In the U.S., for example, are " Suzuki " workshops spread on which play together Suzuki students for several consecutive days and learn. Many Suzuki teachers seek to develop "their" families to a network of contacts between. In order to promote the social climate within the Suzuki Community, including Suzuki even made ​​a special point to maintain long-term contact with students and their parents.

The ten-volume Violinschule

The Suzuki violin method comprises ten volumes and is composed of well-known hit tunes of the violin literature and folk songs from the Baroque period to the Romantic period. Pieces from the repertoire of the classical modern or traditional Japanese music are not represented at all. In the first tape technically and musically demanding pieces are included. The final stage of Suzuki training is a Mozart concert.

Amazingly, there are volumes within the few technical exercises so that the teacher 's own additions such as Scales, finger exercises or arch studies need to be added. Since read music to learn the violin playing are not provided for in the Suzuki method, the pieces without knowledge of the notes are only playable if the pieces already - have been internalized by constantly repeated listening of recorded music - as called for by Suzuki.

Using the method with other instruments

The Suzuki method was further developed for some other instruments and even for the dance since the 1950s. The pianist Haruko Kataoka (* 1927), which first came up with the method 1955 in touch and 1956 studied with Shinichi Suzuki in Matsumoto, is regarded as the founder of the Suzuki method for the piano. Today, the concept for violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, organ, flute, recorder, trumpet, harp, guitar, mandolin as well as vocals and musical breakf education exists ( parent-child group).

The special Suzuki teacher training

The Suzuki method is so specific that only trained teachers staff, ie Instrumental teachers who have completed the training courses to the worldwide spread Institutes for Suzuki pedagogy, can also ensure to convey the concept of the Suzuki method correctly. Often used in Suzuki method untrained teachers principles of the Suzuki method, but without knowing the philosophical background.

Suzuki's music education concept, which conveys not only instrumental technical, musical and music-related teaching content, but also support the students holistically in their personal development and develop an understanding of learning as a lifelong task would be more widespread and taught according to the guidelines of the continental Suzuki associations in each country. Instrumental teachers may undergo further training as a Suzuki teacher, extending over several years through several stages after completion of studies. Each level is completed separately by an examination before an international commission. Qualified Suzuki teachers are mentioned on the website of the European Suzuki Association www.europeansuzuki.org or at Deutsche Suzuki company www.germansuzuki.de.

Criticism

Critics have accused the Suzuki method include the following problems:

• Lack of training of the ability to read music.
• A tendency, the memorization and the " mechanical " play to give more space in the group as an individual musicianship ( although in the method early high technical skills are developed ).
• Too rapid progress in the repertoire, with students already studying "adult" pieces in childhood, to which they are emotionally not ready
• Strong accentuation of Baroque music at the expense of other musical styles.
• The arrest also very young learners to extensive daily practice. In families with a strong musical background in which not only, for example, an older sibling, but also the parents regularly play an instrument, the terms are generally much simpler than for a child with his instrumental lessons in the family almost a pioneer is. While children who grow up in a musical environment, often extremely happy to practice, some objectionable Suzuki critics that less privileged children the music will spoiled the contrary.
• Since all Suzuki students work with the same repertoire, performance differences between individual children are very obvious. Younger children are much practicing in the repertoire often progressing faster than older who exercise less. Although Suzuki teacher looking very to avoid having their students compete against each other, can sensitive, performance-oriented children who are "outdated " by younger classmates, find group lessons as a special burden.

In Western countries, such as in the United States, waive many teachers who teach using the Suzuki method, on an exploration of the philosophical foundations of this method. In general, the Suzuki method will - so the criticism of many proponents of the method - often adopted uncritically, with fundamental differences between the Western and the Eastern way of thinking be overlooked. In particular the so- basic for the Suzuki teaching Zen Buddhist concept of " practicing " - - During the life philosophy of Zen Buddhism in Japan firmly enshrined in everyday life, this philosophy is for Europeans and North Americans requires explanation.

Dissemination and locations

German -speaking

Hof / Saale is the site of the German Suzuki Gesellschaft eV (DSG). This umbrella organization Suzuki German institutions was established in 1983 as a German Suzuki Institute eV and adopted its present name in 1988.

Suzuki Classes are held both at municipal or private music schools as well as in private studios in Germany. Renowned teaching centers are Bamberg, Berlin, Braunschweig, Fürth, yard, Ingolstadt, Cologne and Preetz. There are also several other educational opportunities, such as in Münster, Berlin, Leipzig, Lauffen, Hausen Herald Bach ( in Forchheim ), Erlangen and Munich. Among the largest Suzuki workshops include organized in a two -year cycle Suzuki -day Berlin, Bamberger Suzuki -day, Suzuki -day in the park ( Fürth ) and the Suzuki Fiddler Festival in wine town where in 2010, 65 children and adolescents have participated.

In Switzerland there are Suzuki schools in Lucerne and Zurich. An Austrian Suzuki site is Miirzzuschlag.

America

In the United States reached the method, as the American String Teacher's Association ( ASTA ) Shinichi Suzuki in 1964 invited her to their annual conference. 1967 traveled a group of U.S. violin teacher to Suzuki to Japan to study the method there. Among them was Margery But that founded upon their return to the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, where she was a professor, the American Suzuki Institute. This violin workshop today attracts every year more than 1200 participants. He soon found numerous imitators; nationwide ( " Suzuki Institute " ) are in the U.S. today every summer about 50 Suzuki violin workshops organized on which Suzuki students and teachers can use master classes and other forms of instruction a week. After Suzuki organizations were formed in Canada and Latin America, was created as a Pan-American umbrella organization in 1972, the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA ), which has its headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. In the U.S., SAA serves 427 Suzuki regional organizations, in Canada, 63 in Mexico and Colombia 9 each, two in Argentina and one in Brazil.

Significant Suzuki students and teachers

Many well-known musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries have been trained by the Suzuki method. Here is a selection ( musicians who have studied personally with Shinichi Suzuki are marked with S):

• Betty Haag, U.S. violin Lehrerins
• Takako Nishizaki ( born 1944 ), Japanese GeigerinS
• Roland and Almita Vamos, American violin and viola teacher
• Regina Carter (born 1966 ), American Jazzgeigerin
• Andrew Bird (born 1973 ), American singer-songwriter
• Rachel Barton Pine ( born 1974 ), American violinist (classical and heavy metal )
• Jennifer Koh (born 1976 ), American violinist
• Leila Josefowicz ( born 1977 ), Canadian violinist
• Hilary Hahn ( born 1979 ), American violinist
• Julia Fischer ( * 1983), German violinist
• Stefan Jackiw ( born 1985 ), American violinist
• Nicola Benedetti (* 1987), Scottish violinist
• Ray Chen (* 1989), Australian- Taiwanese violinist