Commitment is the Key
When you consider options for piano instruction, please keep in mind that the Suzuki Method requires the involvement of the student's entire family in the following ways :
(1) Making the study of piano a priority in your child's schedule, as well as your own. Studying a musical instrument is not like joining a playgroup. Without a serious daily commitment, learning is inhibited and the progress necessary to inspire the student becomes invisible. Better to wait until music lessons can really fit into your family's lifestyle.
(2) Providing a physically and psychologically appropriate practice environment. Very young children may need a totally accessible space which can be visited a number of times through the day. Older students will require more privacy. All students require a properly maintained piano with a bench and footstool which enable them to play comfortably now. They also need sufficient space in their schedule to make it easy to inhabit the environment you have so carefully crafted.
(3) Providing access to beautiful music in a variety of styles. Nothing fosters the study of music in young children so much as their own, and their parents', enjoyment of it. While primarily a classical system, many Suzuki instructors recognize the importance of relating musically with styles that the student enjoys. With it's focus on sound, we believe that the Method is truly foundational for study in any genre.
(4) Leaving your ego at the studio door. At the lesson, the parent becomes the teacher's assistant; and the student's cheerleader. Relax a little and enjoy watching your child light up as he/she recognizes a new sound or technique and makes it her/his own.
(5) Assisting the teacher. Parents have long been recognized as the primary experts on their own children. Suzuki teachers are encouraged to solicit parents' input regarding the student's learning style, home environment and mood. In our studio, parents are also expected to help the teacher to "relax a little and enjoy watching" whenever she becomes overly enamored of her own talents -- either as pianist or teacher. We are both--parent and teacher--here to model fine behaviors and respectful communication; facilitate learning and cheer the student's discoveries.
Recommended Reading : Nurtured by Love by Shinichi Suzuki
(1) Making the study of piano a priority in your child's schedule, as well as your own. Studying a musical instrument is not like joining a playgroup. Without a serious daily commitment, learning is inhibited and the progress necessary to inspire the student becomes invisible. Better to wait until music lessons can really fit into your family's lifestyle.
(2) Providing a physically and psychologically appropriate practice environment. Very young children may need a totally accessible space which can be visited a number of times through the day. Older students will require more privacy. All students require a properly maintained piano with a bench and footstool which enable them to play comfortably now. They also need sufficient space in their schedule to make it easy to inhabit the environment you have so carefully crafted.
(3) Providing access to beautiful music in a variety of styles. Nothing fosters the study of music in young children so much as their own, and their parents', enjoyment of it. While primarily a classical system, many Suzuki instructors recognize the importance of relating musically with styles that the student enjoys. With it's focus on sound, we believe that the Method is truly foundational for study in any genre.
(4) Leaving your ego at the studio door. At the lesson, the parent becomes the teacher's assistant; and the student's cheerleader. Relax a little and enjoy watching your child light up as he/she recognizes a new sound or technique and makes it her/his own.
(5) Assisting the teacher. Parents have long been recognized as the primary experts on their own children. Suzuki teachers are encouraged to solicit parents' input regarding the student's learning style, home environment and mood. In our studio, parents are also expected to help the teacher to "relax a little and enjoy watching" whenever she becomes overly enamored of her own talents -- either as pianist or teacher. We are both--parent and teacher--here to model fine behaviors and respectful communication; facilitate learning and cheer the student's discoveries.
Recommended Reading : Nurtured by Love by Shinichi Suzuki
