by Jackie Westerduin | May 28, 2020 | Practice
To play on Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “One Art,” the art of listening isn’t hard to master. The Suzuki guitar teacher and Suzuki violin mom Michele Horner advises listening to the recordings of current repertoire ten times a day. That may sound like a lot, but the...
by Rebecca Silverstein | May 5, 2020 | Practice
“To make a resolution and act accordingly is to live with hope. There may be difficulties and hardships, but not disappointment or despair if you follow the path steadily. Do not hurry. This is a fundamental rule. If you hurry and collapse or tumble down, nothing is...
by Jackie Westerduin | May 5, 2020 | Practice
Even without the support of a teacher’s presence, it is important for students to maintain both healthy posture and correct hand positioning in their home practice set-up. All musicians should sit or stand with a lengthened, relaxed back. Imagine being pulled upwards...
by Elisa Muzzillo | Feb 24, 2020 | Practice
Sometimes I tell my students that their fingers have brains. They get really excited & maybe even freaked out – and the best part is that I’m telling the truth. Noelle Perrin, a Suzuki teacher trainer, uses this explanation with her students when she talks...
by May Ye | Feb 10, 2020 | Practice
It’s really tempting to jump back to the beginning of a piece and try again when you make a mistake. Rather, I’d like to suggest that you isolate the section where you are having trouble and repeat that section a few times. Then, back up a little bit and play through...
by Elisa Muzzillo | Jan 30, 2020 | Practice
Learning and playing a “C” on the flute is a fundamental pillar of Book 1. From Cuckoo to Bourée, C is found in every piece consecutively for a great reason: it’s challenging to play, yet a vital part of beginning the flute! Balancing the flute while playing is an...