The Suzuki Philosophy of Education

Often called the “mother-tongue” approach, Shinichi Suzuki developed his method after realizing that children naturally learn from their environment. He observed that children around the world master complex native languages through listening, absorption, and imitation. Believing music to be a language as well, Dr. Suzuki created a philosophy of early music education that mirrors how children acquire their first language. Core elements of the Suzuki approach include community learning, parental involvement, early instruction, learning by ear, listening, repetition, and review.

Community Learning

Group class in addition to private lessons is a cornerstone of the Suzuki method. Students who participate in group and private lessons advance through the repertoire at a faster pace and have more fun while doing so! Group learning reinforces the musical and technical concepts taught in private lessons while introducing the social aspect of music making. We find that the motivation students receive from each other often goes farther than that of the teacher or parent. The encouragement and support of a community of teachers, parents, and peers is part of what makes South Side Suzuki so special for our students. 

Parental Involvement

The Suzuki method requires a three-way partnership between the student, teacher, and parent. Parents are expected to attend lessons, observe, take notes, and serve as the "home teacher." An involved Suzuki parent is the key to fostering a positive and motivational learning environment that leads to developing musical ability.

Early Beginnings

The early years are crucial for developing mental processes and muscle coordination. Listening to music should begin at birth; formal training may begin as early as three years old.  Parallel to mastering a language, we believe capitalizing on a child's ability to absorb sounds in the early developmental years to be greatly helpful in acquiring musical fluency. However, it is never too late to start and the Suzuki method can be applied to students of all ages!

Learning by Ear

Children are taught to read after their ability to talk has been well established. In the same way, children should develop basic technical competence on their instruments before being taught to read music. Learning by ear frees the eyes and mind to observe posture, tone, and expressivity while playing rather having eyes glued to a page of music. Suzuki students who learn "by ear" and play "by heart" have great success developing a beautiful mature tone at even the earliest stages.

Listening

Children learn language by hearing it hundreds of times, and music is no different. A new musical language can only be learned by being surrounded by it and making it part of everyday life. Daily listening, especially to the Suzuki repertoire, helps students know the music intimately, learn melodies quickly, and develop accurate pitch and rhythm. We also emphasize hearing a beautiful tone from an early age through timeless recordings and live performances by today’s great artists.

Repetition and Review

The Suzuki method stresses the importance of repetition and review. Through consistent review of former pieces students create a repertoire in which they can strengthen old skills and learn new techniques.