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In a message dated 9/20/01 2:26:33 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
bearspawprint@... writes:


> If you feel he needs instruciton in music, have you
> thought about Suzuki method insturction?
> Sharon
>
>

I don't really think he 'needs' it, it was all just sorta for fun and
experience. But what is Suzuki method anyhow?

Brenda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sharon Rudd

> I don't really think he 'needs' it, it was all just
> sorta for fun and
> experience. But what is Suzuki method anyhow?
> Brenda

Intrumental music is taught en masse. An adept
intructor(ess) or two play and the kids play all at
the same time. Gradually everyone plays the same
thing. The instructor shows everyone such things as
how to hold, tune, care for the instrument, where the
different sounds (notes) are and then they play away!!
It is my understanding that proper position, etc.,
really is not the point of the insruction. The energy
of the group carries any stragglers. I didn't get to
do this myself , but I did have private violin lessons
for a few months and I did play with a symphony for a
little while. I learned so much MORE being a part of
the symphony. The energy of the group, and the music
itself, carried me beyond myself! My own boys are
all musicians, but did not have Suzuki either as it
wasn't available, but I did see several other
NON-musical family's small children playing, by ear,
on rented violins in just a few weeks of
"instruction". The children and their parents insisted
that they looked forward to "classes" becuase it was
just plain fun.
Sharon

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Wow, that sounds awesome! That's the way my sons' dance class is, and I was
sort hoping they'd all be like that. That's really unschooling, isn't it?
Fits in great with children learning by doing and being a part of. Thanks for
sharing.

Brenda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tia Leschke

>
>
>Intrumental music is taught en masse. An adept
>intructor(ess) or two play and the kids play all at
>the same time.

Most of the Suzuki instruction I've heard of is one-on-one. There is often
a group class as well, so the kids get a feel for what it's like to play in
a group. But I haven't ever heard of *only* group classes.

>Gradually everyone plays the same
>thing. The instructor shows everyone such things as
>how to hold, tune, care for the instrument, where the
>different sounds (notes) are and then they play away!!
>It is my understanding that proper position, etc.,
>really is not the point of the insruction.

I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's the opposite of what I've
found. The Suzuki teachers I know and have heard about take great care
with proper positioning.

>The energy
>of the group carries any stragglers. I didn't get to
>do this myself , but I did have private violin lessons
>for a few months and I did play with a symphony for a
>little while. I learned so much MORE being a part of
>the symphony. The energy of the group, and the music
>itself, carried me beyond myself!

Group playing is definitely a wonderful learning experience. I started the
cello a couple of years ago (at age 50) and soon joined a string
orchestra. It was fun, but I couldn't really hear myself play, and the
other cellos carried me along. What really got me improving fast was
joining a string quartet made up of people with similar ability to
mine. We don't play things up to tempo, but we have a lot of fun and
sometimes even make music. <g> In a small group like a quartet, you
really have to carry your part and play in tune.

>My own boys are
>all musicians, but did not have Suzuki either as it
>wasn't available, but I did see several other
>NON-musical family's small children playing, by ear,
>on rented violins in just a few weeks of
>"instruction".

The one negative thing I've noticed about Suzuki-trained kids is that they
have more trouble with sight-reading. One of the principles of Suzuki is
learning first to play by ear. This is a good thing in my opinion. The
rationale is that you don't learn to read before learning to talk, so why
learn to read music before you can play it. The problem is that some
teachers don't emphasize reading music enough later on, and it's a
necessary skill for an orchestral or chamber musician.
Tia

Tia Leschke leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
**************************************************************************
It is the answers which separate us, the questions which unite us. - Janice
Levy

Sharon Rudd

Thanks for clarification, Tia. I "got my ideas" from
word of mouth from students of classes in Tallahassee,
Fl. about 15 years ago. At that time, there, there
were only groups available, that I was aware of. I
lived in a different community. Sounded wonderful to
me and I wished my boys could go. Guess I should have
done a search....sorry if I misled anyone.

Maybe, like all other "lessons" it depend on the
individual instructor?

Sharon


--- Tia Leschke <leschke@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Intrumental music is taught en masse. An adept
> >intructor(ess) or two play and the kids play all at
> >the same time.
>
> Most of the Suzuki instruction I've heard of is
> one-on-one. There is often
> a group class as well, so the kids get a feel for
> what it's like to play in
> a group. But I haven't ever heard of *only* group
> classes.
>
> >Gradually everyone plays the same
> >thing. The instructor shows everyone such things
> as
> >how to hold, tune, care for the instrument, where
> the
> >different sounds (notes) are and then they play
> away!!
> >It is my understanding that proper position, etc.,
> >really is not the point of the insruction.
>
> I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's the
> opposite of what I've
> found. The Suzuki teachers I know and have heard
> about take great care
> with proper positioning.
>
> >The energy
> >of the group carries any stragglers. I didn't get
> to
> >do this myself , but I did have private violin
> lessons
> >for a few months and I did play with a symphony for
> a
> >little while. I learned so much MORE being a part
> of
> >the symphony. The energy of the group, and the
> music
> >itself, carried me beyond myself!
>
> Group playing is definitely a wonderful learning
> experience. I started the
> cello a couple of years ago (at age 50) and soon
> joined a string
> orchestra. It was fun, but I couldn't really hear
> myself play, and the
> other cellos carried me along. What really got me
> improving fast was
> joining a string quartet made up of people with
> similar ability to
> mine. We don't play things up to tempo, but we have
> a lot of fun and
> sometimes even make music. <g> In a small group
> like a quartet, you
> really have to carry your part and play in tune.
>
> >My own boys are
> >all musicians, but did not have Suzuki either as it
> >wasn't available, but I did see several other
> >NON-musical family's small children playing, by
> ear,
> >on rented violins in just a few weeks of
> >"instruction".
>
> The one negative thing I've noticed about
> Suzuki-trained kids is that they
> have more trouble with sight-reading. One of the
> principles of Suzuki is
> learning first to play by ear. This is a good thing
> in my opinion. The
> rationale is that you don't learn to read before
> learning to talk, so why
> learn to read music before you can play it. The
> problem is that some
> teachers don't emphasize reading music enough later
> on, and it's a
> necessary skill for an orchestral or chamber
> musician.
> Tia
>
> Tia Leschke leschke@...
> On Vancouver Island
>
**************************************************************************
> It is the answers which separate us, the questions
> which unite us. - Janice
> Levy
>
>
>
>
>
>


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Sharon Rudd

Thanks again Sandra for your unselfish sharing.

Sharon

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<< Guess I should have
done a search....sorry if I misled anyone. >>

I've always known of group Suzuki lessons too. The description given earlier
was what I had learned when I first looked into it for Kirby (and when he
decided not to do it after all)...

But I bet there are websites.
www.suzuki-music.com/
www.suzukimusicacademy.com/
www.suzuki-violin.com/

Sandra

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