Category The Suzuki Method
Bach Minuets in Suzuki
I have been trying to find out more about the Bach Minuet I’m playing – the first of three in Suzuki Book 1 for Violin. It is more difficult than I thought it would be to pin these minuets down. Let’s stick to the facts: A minuet is a dance, the music to which is […]
Music Proper
Teacher brought me music. It’s book one of Suzuki for violin, and of course it confirms that that’s exactly what I’ve been learning. I’m interested in the pedagogical notes – especially in the preface to the book, where Suzuki writes four principles for helping children learn the violin (paraphrased): Listen to the recordings Strive for […]
Fat Cats and Fourth Finger
Yesterday’s lesson was jam-packed. As I’ve mentioned, I’m getting a new song every week – Suzuki songs are sequenced to be skill-building, and this week’s is not only the longest to date, but it also brings in fourth (my pinkie) finger. I still find it quite strange how little I remember from my three years […]
Big Lesson
I didn’t have a lesson the week of Christmas, but this week’s made up for it. In addition to Michael being home and finally getting to meet my teacher, it was my first lesson playing with my new violin. Teacher also tested it again, and it’s sounding great; I couldn’t be happier. As I mentioned […]
Dr. Suzuki’s World: A Contextualization
“A clever baby can become tone-deaf. It can even become a wolf. In fact, it can become just about anything, in accord with its specific environment. I firmly believe that cultural and musical aptitude does not come from within, and is not inherited, but occurs through suitable environmental conditions.” – From “Nurtured by Love: The Classic […]
Foundations
I feel very fortunate to have had three years or so of music before the “critical period” of my brain’s development. I know that most adult beginners struggle quite a bit more than I am struggling, and the only reason in the world for that is my earlier start, though I have almost no active […]
Dr. Suzuki’s Kenkyusei
Memories of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki: Son of His Environment is a brief, 2012 memoir by Lois Shepheard, a devoted master teacher of the Suzuki method. Shepheard spent a good deal of time studying with Suzuki in Japan. She was kenkyusei – loosely, “Research Student” to Dr. Suzuki, in a school/studio devoted to learning the master’s […]
Son of His Environment
I will admit to allowing availability on the Kindle to sway which books I read, especially as it pertains to beginning an exploration. Not only are the books cheaper, but I don’t have to wait at all to start reading. I’ve just started the Kindle download of Dr Shinichi Suzuki: Son of His Environment, by […]
Riding the Kreisler Highway
My quest for proper violin hold, bow hold, finger and arm positioning, and bow placement on the strings continues. Weekly, Teacher makes minor corrections to my configuration, and, weekly, I’m able to absorb ever so slightly more detail about doing it all correctly. Yesterday, I was tickled when she made me aware of a new […]
The Sound of Music
The Von Trapps were adorable, weren’t they? I’m talking about the fictionalized ones. This morning in the shower I found myself humming “Do, a deer…” and it took me a moment to remember where I first heard it. It actually was not on first viewing the movie version of “The Sound of Music” sometime in […]
Ryan Libel 