Select one of the below areas of study for more information. |
Faculty Contact:
Kate Cinelli, katharine.cinelli@uc.edu, Suzuki violin and viola
Takako Hayase, takhayase@gmail.com, Suzuki piano
Ellen Shertzer, elshertz@hotmail.com, Suzuki cello
Betty Douglas, douglabl@email.uc.edu, Suzuki flute
Additional Faculty:
Rachel Taylor, Suzuki piano
Nozomi Yamaguchi, Suzuki piano
Naoka Tanaka Nakayama, Suzuki piano
Nadine Monchecourt, Suzuki cello
Dawna Ferguson, Suzuki violin and viola
Shinichi Suzuki was born in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. His father and grandfather both worked at home making Japanese samisens (three-stringed banjo-like instruments). His father began making violins in 1888 as they were first introduced in Japan with the Meiji Restoration. The story is that young Shinichi would play in the factory with his brothers and sisters and use the violins as baseball bats. How things would song change for young Shinichi!
Shinichi was a favorite playmate in the town where he lived. When the young ones would see him, they would come running to him to play! He thought children of four and five were very precious and he wanted to be more like them. He noticed these things: “The have no thought of self-deception. They trust people and do not doubt at all. They know only how to love and know not how to hate. They love justice and scrupulously keep the rules. They seek joy, live cheerfully, and are full of life. They know no fear and live in security.” Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, pg. 65.
Suzuki’s family bought a phonograph. One night, he was listening to Schubert’s “Ave Maria” played by the violinist Mischa Elman. His soul was deeply moved by the beautiful tone of the instrument. He soon brought a violin home from the factory, and tried to imitate the sounds of Elman as he played a Haydn minuet. Eventually, he was able to play the piece entirely by ear, and he began to love the violin more and more. Although Suzuki perused other interests along with his violin, he studied violin in Tokyo. Sponsored by the Marquis Tokugawa, he soon moved to Germany to study with Karl Klinger. Upon arrival to Germany, he began to notice that despite his own struggles to learn new languages, all children can speak their own native tongue. This realization would soon shape his teaching ideas. During this time he was put in the care of Dr. Albert Einstein. He enjoyed going to concerts with Einstein and spending evenings playing music with Einstein’s intellectual friends. Suzuki wanted Japanese children to grow up to become like his friends in Germany. Suzuki wanted his students to demonstrate the sensitivity and high intellect that his friends demonstrated in Berlin. Einstein encouraged Suzuki to move forward with his ideas for the “Talent Education” movement for small children. While he lived in Germany, he also met, courted, and married his wife Waltraud.
By 1945, he was encouraged to move back to Japan, to teach violin in a town called Matsumoto. Devastated by what the war had done to his family and young students, his decision to move was contingent on one condition. He sent a reply to the voice teacher saying, “I am not very interested in doing repair work on people who can play already…What I want to try is infant education. I have worked out a new method I want to teach to small children-not to turn out geniuses but through violin playing to extend the child’s ability.” Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, pg. 29.
And so, he moved to Matsumoto to build the Talent Education institute. Using his ideas about language learning and those he worked out with Einstein, Suzuki went on to create one of the most positive learning environments for music. Although Suzuki students play to a level not seen in the world before, Suzuki’s goal was not to create child prodigies. Suzuki believed that through violin playing, one could nurture loving beings. The Talent Education movement gained much attention when in the 1960s John Kendall, a violinist and student at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, traveled to Japan to meet with Dr. Suzuki. He soon brought the ideas back to the United States and arranged world tours of Suzuki students. Pablo Casalas, a famous cellist, attend a concert in Japan where 400 Suzuki students performed. At the end of the concert, he addressed the crowd, as tears streamed from his eyes, saying, “I feel in ever moment that I have had the privilege of living in this country such proof of heart, of desire for a better world…The superlative desire of the highest things in life and how wonderful is to see that the frown-up people think of the smallest like this as to teach them to begin with the noble feelings, with the noble deeds.” Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, pg. 102.
And so the Talent Education movement, or the Suzuki method, began to impact the world. Suzuki education is offered in violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, flute, recorder, guitar, harp, organ, and voice. Teachers are trained through either a long-term teacher training course at a university with one teacher, or through several short-term courses with various teachers. When choosing a teacher, be sure to ask how many books your teacher is trained to teach.
1. Begin early
Suzuki instruction typically begins at age 3 1/2 or younger, when a child enjoys repetition, does not view activities as difficult, and has little fear of failure. Every child can speak their own language. Dialects that are difficult for an adult to learn prove easy for children 3 to 7. Musical experiences are also enjoyable for a very young child.
2. Learn by aural memory
Dr. Suzuki called this the “Mother Tongue” method. Every child learns how to speak his own language. Children hear words thousands of times before they are able to speak them. Once the child learns how to speak, he then learns how to read. The same can be accomplished with the violin. Suzuki students listen to recordings of the pieces they will play every day. Children then learn how to play the piece in the lesson, both by imitating the sounds they heard in the recordings and by imitating the teacher. Students and parents will then have a strong ear with which to create fine musical sounds.
3. Creative repetition
Parents encourage their children to say the same word over and over again until it is mastered. Suzuki limits the amount of material on any given level and encourages repetition. Old pieces are not learned only to be forgotten! They are used in performances and as a tool to learn new techniques. New techniques are considered learned when the student is able to demonstrate his ability over and over again each day.
4. Active repertory of all pieces learned
In our native language, we never get to a point where a word is leaned only to be forgotten. Suzuki students constantly review repertoire both in the lesson and in group class. Old pieces can be used to teach new techniques. Children also enjoy being able to play many pieces well.
5. Reading after physical control
Just as children hear spoken words and speak themselves long before they learn how to read, children will demonstrate technical competence and a strong sense of pitch before they learn how to read music. Once a student has command of both what he is able to hear and how he is able to hold his instrument, then the student can begin to learn how to read music. Just as we continue to listen to spoken language, Suzuki students continue to listen to recordings as a learning tool.
6. Parent education
Parents do not need to have a musical background, just a desire to learn and teach their child. Parents attend every lesson and group class of the child. They also attend other students’ lessons so they can learn how to be the teacher at home. The teacher teaches parents how to work with their children. In the beginning, parents will be responsible for taking notes at lessons and group class, and then performing the same activities at home. As the child gets older, the teacher will give more responsibility to the student.
7. Encouragement
Parents do not scold their infant for mispronouncing a word. Instead, they express joy with each attempt and encourage the child to say the word again and again! Likewise, Suzuki education is focused on the abilities of a child to do things well. Through the use of the child’s abilities, the teacher and parent encourage further learning. Humiliation is never a part of Suzuki instruction. Parents praise their children when they hear sounds that resemble words. They smile, and encourage the child to say the word over and over again, often having the child echo the word after the parent has said it. Children will learn the violin in the same way.
8. Step-by-step mastery
Small, manageable steps make learning easy. Children do not learn language through exercises, they simply learn from hearing people talk and reading books. The Suzuki repertoire is designed so that students learn skills through the pieces they play, instead of through dry technical exercises. Each piece presents a new skill that can be mastered using an old piece.
9. Listening to recordings
The idea behind the “Mother Tongue” method is that the more a child hears a mature violinist play, the more he will be able to play like a mature violinist. The ability to play with beautiful tone, perfect intonation, accurate rhythm, and musical creativity can all be accomplished through daily listening to the Suzuki CD and to other music recordings. The parent needs to saturate the child’s environment with recordings of high quality music, just as the child is always hearing his language.
10. Every child can learn
Dr. Suzuki believed that if he could teach every child to learn how to play the violin if he could control a couple of key elements. While children all learn at different speeds, all children can learn how to play any instrument to a high level. Children enjoy learning with one another. When they play music together, they are able to serve as leaders and as positive group members.
Parent and child responsibilities are as follows:
• Weekly lesson (30 minutes at the beginning)
• Group class (every 2 weeks for about 45 to 60 minutes)
• Parent involvement
No prior music knowledge is needed to be a Suzuki parent. At least one parent needs to be present in each lesson and group class. In the lesson, the parent will need to sit nearby, taking notes. The teacher will instruct the parent as to the most appropriate way of teaching their child. During group class for beginners, parents will sit with their child to help instruct them both verbally and physically.
• Daily practice
Parents attend lessons so that they are able to practice with their child at home.
Daily practice for the beginner is normally broken up into short increments, spaced out through the day. As the student gets older, the practice session can last longer. Parents can expect to practice with their child until about the age of 12.
• Daily listening to Suzuki CDs, other recordings, and live concerts
• Student recitals: Students will play as soloists and groups in a recital several times a year. Recitals are held at CCM and within the community.
Suzuki piano students take a private lesson weekly and a biweekly group class. Intermediate and advanced students participate in a weekly Eurhythmics or theory class. The studio teacher will assign each student to the appropriate group class. Suzuki piano students participate in a variety of musical activities during the school year, including recitals, Merit Festival, Piano Concerto Festival, JME activities and the Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship Recital. Entrance into the Suzuki piano program is limited. Please contact the music registrar for more information. There is no audition, but students must own an acoustic piano before registering.
Suzuki Piano Costs: (per semester)
30-minute lessons: $547.50
45-minute lessons: $771.25
60-minute lessons: $995.00
Group Class Schedule:
Beginner and Theory classes are offered on Saturday at various times.
Tentative Schedule for 2009-2010 Music Mind Game Classes
Saturday at noon.
Fall Semester: Sept 20, Oct 4, Oct 18, Nov 1, Nov. 15, Dec 6, Jan 10
Spring Semester: Jan 24, Feb 7, March 7, Mar 21 Apr 4, Apr 25, May 9
Performance Schedule:
Gino DiMario Memorial Recital: October 25, 3pm Werner Recital Hall
Achievement Festival: May 8, 2009
Students attend a weekly lesson and a bi-weekly group class based on the level of the students. Students perform in recitals and concerts on campus and in the community. The students perform as a group as well as in solo performances.
Suzuki Violin and Viola Costs: (per semester)
30-minute lessons: $450.00
45-minute lessons: $625.00
60-minute lessons: $800.00
Group Class Schedule:
Fall Semester: September 24; October 1, 15; November 5, 12; December 3, 10; January 7, 14
Spring Semester: February 4; March 4, 11; April 1, 15, 29; May 6, 13
Performance Schedule:
Gino DiMario Memorial Recital: October 25, 3pm Werner Recital Hall
Achievement Festival: May 8, 2009
Cello students will receive a weekly individual lesson and 7-8 group lessons each semester. Parents are required to attend all private and group lessons. Group lessons will be held on selected Saturday afternoons. Students who meet the requirements can participate in the Cello Choir led by Ellen Shertzer.
Suzuki Cello Costs: (per semester)
30-minute lessons: $600.00
45-minute lessons: $850.00
60-minute lessons: $1,100.00
Group Class Schedule:
Classes will be held on the following Saturday afternoons:
First Semester: Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 1, 8, 15, Dec. 6, Jan 10.
Second semester: Jan. 24, Feb. 7, 28, March 7, 28, April 4, 25, May 2.
Performance Schedule:
Gino DiMario Memorial Recital: October 25, 3pm Werner Recital Hall
Achievement Festival: May 8, 2009
Cincinnati Preparatory Department is pleased to announce the inception of Suzuki Flute with Betty Douglas. Suzuki lessons are geared toward young beginning students ages 4-8. According to its founder, Shinichi Suzuki, young minds can learn music like a language when encouraged and supported by their parents. This method calls for parental involvement including note-taking at all lessons and learning the basics of flute playing to demonstrate and assist the student’s early progress. Students learn through repetition and demonstration, so note-reading is not required. Lesson weeks will alternate between individual and group lessons with everyone having either a group or private lesson every week.
Required materials:
-Properly-sized flute*
-Music Stand
-Suzuki book
-Suzuki CD
-A dedicated flute notebook
Suzuki Flute Costs: (per semester)
30-minute lessons: $450.00
45-minute lessons: $625.00
60-minute lessons: $800.00
Group Class Schedule:
TBA
Performance Schedule:
Gino DiMario Memorial Recital: October 25, 3pm Werner Recital Hall
Achievement Festival: May 8, 2009
To request more information about opportunities in Suzuki, please contact the Prep Office at (513) 556-2595.