What is the Suzuki Method?
What is the Suzuki Method?
Perhaps no method in the last 50 years has had more impact on string teaching in North America than the Suzuki method®. The fundamental idea of the approach is to use language acquisition, which Suzuki called the mother tongue method, as a model for teaching and learning. Below are some of the main tenets of this approach:
· Every child can learn to play an instrument well
· Children start at an early age (3-6 years old)
· The parent is directly involved in the lessons and practice
· In the early years, listening rather than note-reading provides children with a musical model, thus the internalization of the child’s musicianship and memorization are developed. Note reading is implemented once the child’s balance and intonation are well established.
· There is a set repertoire for which there are recordings for daily listening
· Group learning is an important component, not just to develop ensemble skill, but also create a long-term community of parents, children and teachers
· Frequent review of known repertoire provides opportunity for musical upgrades, refinement of techniques, as well as solo and group performance
· The purpose of study is to instill an overall process of learning and character development in the child, rather than to lead children to the musical profession. While some children will go on to acquire professional training, the development of the child is the primary goal of the Suzuki philosophy.
· In North America, The Suzuki Method® is governed by the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA).
· Teachers are trained by approved SAA teacher trainers over a large span of levels and repertoire. There are 10units (volumes) in the Suzuki Cello School. In the teacher development courses, understanding different learning styles and appreciating the individuality of each child are emphasized, along with the teaching strategies and teaching points of the repertoire.
The SAA has a membership of roughly 8,000 teachers and parents, overseeing the regions of both North and South America. Once teachers have completed a unit, they can register their course with the SAA and be included in the SAA’s teacher directory. The SAA also publishes a monthly journal and teachers an attend the SAA bi-annual conferences.
The method itself was created by Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) who was musician, philosopher and educator. His initial exposure to music was through his father who owned a violin factory. As a youth, Suzuki became enamoured by the violin, and eventually travelled to Germany to further his studies. Upon his return to Japan he delved into a career of performance and teaching. One day it dawned on him that “all children learn to speak Japanese.” It occurred to him that he could transfer the learning method modeled by children’s language acquisition to other areas, especially that of music.
What is Suzuki Teacher Training?
Suzuki Teacher training is overseen by the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA). There are two types of training formats, short term and long term. Short term training is organized into units, each unit corresponding to a book level. Typically, these short-term units are offered as 5-10 day courses taught by sanctioned teacher trainers at summer institutes across the Americas. Trainers can also present training units in their own programs throughout the year, outside of the summer institute season.
Prerequisites for Short-term Courses
· Completion of High School
· A playing audition submitted to the SAA
There are three levels of audition for short term courses:
1. Basic audition or Units 1-4: Bréval Sonata in C, 1st movement and Chanson Triste by Tchaikowsky (both in Suzuki Volume 4)
2. Intermediate audition for Units 1-8: Elégie by Fauré
3. Comprehensive audition for Units 1-10: Haydn Concerto in C, 1st movement or Boccherini/Grützmacher Concerto in Bb, 1st movement.
Long-term courses are offered by post-secondary institutions, and provide comprehensive training typically over a period of 2 years. Because the participants will meet weekly, long-term training can include intensive experiences such as practice teaching of private and group classes.
Prerequisites for Short-term Courses
· Completion of High School
· Comprehensive audition
· Written work such as essays of vision statements as required by the institution.
The SAA sends these auditions to outside auditors so that they are evaluated at “arms length.”
In the event that an audition is not accepted, it will be sent back as “in need of further study” and can be redone, but must be redone quickly. If it can be done at a high level, it is preferable to take the comprehensive audition.
Training is usually done in groups of 3-15 participants. Since teacher development is adult education, all participants are considered to be teachers regardless of experience. It is not necessary to have experience or students to take the courses. All these courses will have a philosophic element to go along with the techniques and teaching strategies.
Trainers will expect participants to be well prepared upon arrival for the course. Participants should be fluent with the repertoire. While memory is not strictly required, it is the eventually goal in all the units.
There are 10 units in the Suzuki Cello School, ® plus a cross-instrument orientation course called Every Child Can! (ECC!).ECC must be completed before completing any of the unit courses.
Course requirements:
ECC!: 8 hours
Unit 1: 28 hours of class time, 15 hours of observation, assignments and readings as required by the trainer.
Units 2-8: 15 hours of class time, 8 hours of observation, assignments and readings as required by the trainer
Unit 9/10: This is one course of 15 hours of class time, 8 hours of observation, assignments and readings as required by the trainer
How to apply for Teacher Training
The Suzuki Association of the Americas supervises the time and location of teacher training units. To find out when and where courses will presented, go to the SAA website,
https://suzukiassociation.org, select “Teachers” and scroll down to Teacher Training.
You will need to upload your basic, intermediate , or comprehensive videos to the SAA website. If you submit 8 weeks before the course, there is a registration fee of $55 USD, and if it is after the 8-week deadline, the fee is $65USD. All audition materials need to be submitted a minimum of 10 days before the course begins.
Audition Video
· Most video formats are accepted
· Memorization not required
· It is preferable to have piano accompaniment
· Video should show whole body and focus on the hands
· Use a Horizontal frame (hold phone sideways)
· Use a tripod or set your camera on a steady surface
· NO Editing—needs to be done in one “take”
· Review the quality of picture and sound before submitting
· Basis of evaluation: balance, tone, ease of motion, notes, rhythmic accuracy, pitch, steadiness of pulse, tempo choice, appropriate dynamics, articulations, shape of melodic line and attention to stylistic convention
Video Submission
· https://suzukiassociation.org
· Choose Teachers
· Scroll to Teacher Training
· Choose Teacher audition guide—remember that for this course you are required to submit a comprehensive audition
· Choose Submit audition online
Tuition
Tuition
2021 online Unit One Course, select dates between March 20 and May 15.
Tuition: $700 is the base tuition, but there is the possibility of a discount for University or Conservatoire students based on need.
This includes:
· The Every Child Can! Course (ECC!)—a required orientation course
· 28 hours of required class time
· Access to 15 hours of required teaching observation time
Not included
· Fee for submitting an audition video to the Suzuki Association of the Americas ($55 USD)