The Magic of Repetitions
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...
Creation and Permutation
All art is theft, with varying degrees of directness. Creative ideas do not emerge from nothingness, nor are they divinely inspired; instead, musicians recycle. Musical fragments enter the vat of the subconscious and are morphed, deconstructed, combined, elaborated,...
Practice Tip: Don’t Jump Back to the Beginning
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...
Summer Suzuki Institutes
As this year progresses, parents will begin to plan their summers out, setting time aside for sports camps, vacations, and the like. But what about music? Is there anything special for Suzuki families that they can participate in? The answer is YES! Summer Suzuki...
Flute Hand Posture: Learning and Balancing “C”
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...
Practicing Rhythm at Home
We play a lot of games together in lessons and in group classes. How can you bring those home with you? When we think about rhythm practice, here are a few ideas: Put on the radio, your Suzuki CD, any music: can you find and feel the beat and clap along? *Take it to...
Music Babbling
Recall your child’s first word... Now imagine it was their first sound. What if they had emerged silent and pondered speech until they were ready to present the fruits of their observations? “Go,” or perhaps “Mama.” In language, as in music, sense coalesces out of...
Getting Back Into the Swing of Practice After Break!
For most families, it’s incredibly difficult to stay focused on practice during the holidays. This is entirely understandable, as the holiday season is often the busiest time of the year. It may be tempting to procrastinate on getting back into your regular practice...
Do I Have to Practice Over a Break?
The answer is yes! It’s important to continue practicing over the break. It’s okay to take a holiday off or a day off here and there, but don’t take every day off! Practicing keeps your child progressing whereas significant time off can set them behind. You can find...
Listen
Music students ought to love music. This is not a terribly controversial statement, but it is often seen as irrelevant. For some parents and teachers - and indeed in the Suzuki philosophy - the main idea behind music lessons is that the child develops character,...