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Family ResourcesTeacher: Dr. Andrew Snow
"Musical ability is not an inborn talent, but an ability which can be developed. Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability, just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The potential of every child is unlimited."
-S. Suzuki
"Dr. Suzuki's goal was not simply to develop professional musicians, but to nurture loving human beings and help develop each child's character through the study of music."
In the Suzuki Method, parents and teachers work closely together to create a nurturing environment to achieve success. This is a process and it is in this process that we achieve our true goals of a child's lifelong character development.
Step by Step
Students are taught in small steps in a logical and carefully thought-out way. This sequence builds slowly, ensuring each step is mastered before completion. Parents and teachers create a positive environment of encouragement for each step taken. When a child utters their first attempt at speech parents react with enthusiasm. So it is in the Suzuki Violin environment.
Parent Role
Just as with language acquisition, parents play a crucial role in the Suzuki Method. A Suzuki parent attends lessons, observes techniques, and takes notes including pictures and videos as needed to be able to be the teacher in the home. This ensures productive practicing during the week outside of the lesson. Since the concepts are broken down into very small steps and tasks, no previous experience with music is needed to fill this role.
Daily Listening
Equally as important as the practice is consistent daily listening to the Suzuki CD repertoire. Children hear words hundreds of times over before making their first attempts at speech. As a child is immersed in the music, they will come to know the pieces by heart and even start to learn to play them on their own. Listening can take place in the car, during breakfast or during playtime, and so on. Make this, along with the daily practice, part of the violin routine.
Delayed Reading
A child first learns to speak and then to read. The Suzuki Method follows the same approach with emphasis first being given to a strong foundation in technique and an ability to discern and create beautiful tone before moving attention outward to music notation on a page.
Repetition and Graded Repertoire
The Suzuki Methods builds an incredibly strong foundation by repetition. In language acquisition, children learn words and repeat them gaining confidence and fluency over time. The Suzuki repertoire beautifully introduces techniques in a graded sequence. Each new piece is cleverly positioned to build on previous concepts while gently introducing a new technique. Rather than discarding a completed piece, Suzuki students continually review their mastered repertoire. As they do they strengthen their foundation and ease of playing.
Group Class
Group Class offers opportunities for peers to learn from each other and to lead each other. In this way, all learn together and are inspired. The motivation from group class participation gives wonderful support to home practicing.
These features are what largely set the Suzuki Method apart from traditional lessons. The most important message is this: Every Child Can! This is a wonderful experience for families to develop the whole child in significant, lifelong ways.
"The main concern for parents should be to bring up their children as noble human beings. That is sufficient."
-S. Suzuki
At WHMS, there are two different paths that a young student can take:
Magic Violin Track
First Semester (September – December)
This course covers basic violin positioning, introduction to parts and language of violin, and exposure to beginning Twinkle themes.
- This choice is slower and spread out in two sections throughout the year
- For parents of younger children who are looking for a “test drive”
- Only meets once a week, during school time, for 30 minutes in a group setting
- Requires no rental violin; Cherub box violin and bow from Shar Music is included in registration cost
- Group class with a maximum of six students
- Will perform in the WHMS Winter Concert
Second Semester (January – June)
This course covers advanced violin positioning with a real violin, care for the instrument, and further ear training in preparation for transition for the Suzuki violin track.
- Requires purchase of package rental violin and music book from Sharmusic.com
- Group class with a maximum of six students
- Will perform in WHMS Spring Concert
Suzuki Violin Track
This choice is a more demanding, Suzuki-based approach that does not have an ending point.
- Requires commitment from both parents and students for greatest success
- Five years of age is often a good starting point, but ultimately depends on the child
- There are 33 scheduled lessons throughout the school year.
Primary students attend 30-minute private lessons. LE, UE, and MS students may choose between 30, 45, and 60-minute lessons, dependent on level.
Private lessons are once a week and run for 30 or 45 minutes.
Attendance Policy
Attendance will be taken at every lesson by the instructor. The Violin program cannot accommodate make-up lessons when lessons are missed because of personal vacation, student illness, or extracurricular class participation. Make-up days for instructor’s absence, snow days, snow delays, WHMS field trips, WHMS assemblies, and classroom testing will always be guaranteed. Advance notice of cancellation of a lesson is appreciated. Please contact Andrew Snow at asnow@woodlandhill.org regarding missed lessons and make-ups.
Parents are to bring a notebook and take notes for their reference in practicing with children at home.
Practicing
A child in the Suzuki Program should be practicing at a minimum of ten minutes a day and depending on their age and level, working up to 30 minutes daily. If this practice is programmed into a child’s routine, it becomes more of a daily enjoyment rather than an unexpected chore that would distract from another activity. There should never be any surprises during your child’s practice. Rather, just a simple review of mastered pieces and of the new and material taught at the latest lessons.
Questions and Answers
Violin is a year-long commitment. While some exceptions can be made, it is highly recommended that your child start in either the Magic Violin program or Suzuki violin in September and continue through the spring.
The program that a child is placed into is determined by their age, and/or previous experience. Generally, children ages three to four will be placed in the Magic Violin for a year. Children approximately age five and older will be placed in the Suzuki Violin lessons.
The parental role is a key part of the Suzuki Method. Gradually a student gains independence as they progress through the years, but all beginners must have parental support. If circumstances don't permit a parent to participate they are advised to wait for more favorable circumstances to start lessons.
Setting up the schedule for every child in September to meet everyone’s needs is a complicated process. Once lesson times are set, they are very difficult to change. Please check all special and extracurricular schedules at the beginning of the year to avoid such conflicts.
We hope that each family will commit to the year-long program; however, if you decide that violin is not for your child, you may opt-out at the end of the semester (around mid-January).
