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Celine Sie

The Yamaha Grade Examination System was started in 1967 for the purpose of enabling everyone who is learning music to improve their musical skills in a well-planned manner while verifying their overall ability. 

Yamaha Grade Examinations help teachers and music learners to confirm their musical abilities and encourage them to acquire all-around musical abilities so that they can enjoy creating and performing music.

Giving everyone learning music standards and motivation for achieving goals

The Grade Examination System broadly targets two groups: students and teachers.

Student grades are used as an objective assessment of the progress being made in learning music, while the teacher grades certify the performance ability as well as overall musical knowledge needed to provide music instruction.

The Yamaha Grade Examination System offers Performance Grades for Piano, Classical Guitar and Drums, and Fundamentals Grade.

They are classified into 2 categories:

Student Grades (10 - 6) and Teacher Grades (5 - 3)

We also provide Student Grades for keyboard beginners (13 - 11) and Fundamental Skills Survey for Junior Music Course students. The system is designed to examine performance abilities and general music knowledge, both of which are necessary for enjoying music, teaching music fundamentals and playing professionally.

Expanding in more than 40 countries 

More than 10 million people have taken these proficiency examinations over the past 40 years, and this system is widely accepted as the standard for assessing musical abilities.  The Yamaha Grade Examination System is also used in more than 40 countries/regions at present.

Celine Sie
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Very often even the experts are struggling to work out how small children can not only play, but also compose their own music.

Teachers of Yamaha Group Piano classes are selected and trained to undertake their own path, so intense and fascinating, to guide them to introduce children to the wonderful world of musical creativity.

But today I would like to leave room for the words of a young concert pianist, I've had the privilege to have years ago among my students of Yamaha Group Piano classes, since she was very small. She is Giulia Rossini and, before embarking on a traditional path, attending the Conservatory and the most important improvement academies, approached the music through Yamaha Music Education System. Now Julia is an accomplished pianist in her career, but has remained the sweet, humble and with uncommon sensitivity that I knew then.

Story of Giulia Rossini:

"My musical adventure began when I was a child, at the Yamaha Music School in Junior Music Course, where I learned to regard music not as a subject to learn, but as a language to be developed ; a natural language, the everyday life; so, as I was learning to play, to read and write, learned to speak through music."

"I composed small pieces, and although none were aware, first of all, I learned to listen to myself (not concentrate and deciphering sensations, thoughts, all I wanted to tell), and then translate what I had discovered in this new language for me listen and understand the next.

In all these years, just recently, I found myself having to introduce children to the world of music: I immediately thought that the experience of composing would be the easiest way for them to learn how to "speak" with the music; not only that: I am convinced that learning to listen, to express themselves and also to give vent to creativity while under to precise rules, will help them in every area of ??life. "

And what are you waiting for?  To the imagination, 7 Notes - Yamaha Music School awaits!

Celine Sie
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It is in the practice room that any musician moves from being a novice to an expert at their instrument. The time dedicated to practice is the investment that will determine how much they get in return.

If you really want to get the desired results out of your practice time, you need to be keen about the quality of the practice. This can be determined by many things which can be broadly categorized into two – internal and external factors. In this post, we will focus on the external ones.

External factors

These are all the things that are outside of you as a person. It basically takes into consideration the physical conditions of the place where you usually practice. They contribute a lot to the quality of your practice time. Lara Levitan gives the following points as essentials to incorporate into your practice area:

Tranquility

Since you are making music, you need to ensure that your practice room has no distractions, since they will steal away your attention. Make your space a place of tranquility.

Unless you thrive under noisy conditions, audio distractions are the music student’s worst enemy. Via Piano Power

Visual Power

There is a secret about always seeing your piano as you go about your daily activities. Keep your piano at a place you interact with it a lot so that you don’t forget to practice. The saying is true that when you keep it out of sight, it will very easily slip out of your mind.

The ideal space shouldn’t be so secluded that it feels irrelevant to your day-to-day life. A piano concealed in a cryptic part of the house can be easily forgotten, perpetuating a practice drought. Via Piano Power

Solitude

As much as possible, try to have your piano practice in a place that you will be as free as possible to play it however you need to. If you try and distinguish between practice and performances, it will help you to realize that the practice times are the “quarry times” where all the digging for skills takes place.

You know how it is when you feel like someone’s listening to you practice—you become stiff and self-conscious, worried about what they’re thinking. When music teacher Dan Huber was in college, he would practice in the music building late at night when it was mostly empty to avoid being listened to. Via Piano Power

Personality Considerations

For your piano practice to be as enjoyable as possible, you will also need to involve your personality. If you are the kind of person who thrives in solitude, then go ahead and seclude yourself. On the other hand, if you are one who detests being alone, find a way of having your undistracted time while in the presence of others.

“I’m an extrovert, so to be relegated to the basement is not pleasant,” said music teacher Sandra G. Connoly. “I feel isolated and disconnected. Just around the corner of some activity is perfect. My son, who is an introvert, enjoys being in his room.” Via Piano Power

Room Features

The furnishing of a room, or lack of it, affects the quality of sound that you produce when you play the piano. Ensure that your practice space isn’t on either extreme of the furnishing scale.

High ceilings or an echoey room will drown out the finer details of your playing and possibly disrupt your focus. Conversely, a room that is all hard surfaces or soundproof will make you sound great, but may be glossing over your deficiencies and creating a ‘singing in the shower’ effect. Via Piano Power

Accessories

Ensure that you have all you need for your practice time, both those you use in the actual playing, such as the music notes, and those that are primarily for your inspiration and bliss, such as photos and wall hangings

If your practice room depresses you or evokes powerful feelings of indifference, you’re going to feel unmotivated to practice. Decorate it with pictures of inspiring musicians, artwork that evokes feelings of joy or creativity, or plants and flowers that brighten the room. Make it your favorite place to be. Via Piano Power

With all these things taken care of, you will be on the way to vibrant practice sessions, with your environment giving you the support you need.

Celine Sie

Most music teachers recommend private lessons for beginner students.

Good or bad advice?

If you talk to just about any piano instructor that was traditionally trained, you will almost always discover a heavy bias towards the private format. Twenty years ago, there were very limited options if you wanted to study music with a few exceptions: Suzuki,Orff, Music for Young Children, and Yamaha Music System. As most teachers were trained in the private lesson format, few can relate to an alternate approach until they have had first-hand experience teaching it.
For instance, each year, 7 Notes receives around 300 qualified resumes from musicians across the country applying to our faculty. Most have either a bachelor of music or a post-graduate degree from a recognized university or college, and/or extensive professional experience; all have taken music lessons for ten plus years –most are privately trained. Each candidate undergoes an extensive screening process including numerous interviews, a full written and practical performance teaching audition, background reference checks, and finally hours of extensive training before becoming certified to teach at the school; this is by far the most rigorous hiring process in the industry which allows us to select from the best and brightest talent available. This is all in place to ensure a consistent and effective experience for each of our 300+ weekly students.

When one of our new faculty members is asked whether they would choose a private lesson format or group format to start their own child, almost all would choose private lessons without hesitation. Even given the information included in this article, and with a high degree of respect and regard for the integrity of the organization, few would change their opinion that private lessons are more effective and productive than group lessons. However, what is fascinating to me is that after teaching our group curriculum for only one year that opinions change in virtually every instance. So what is it about Yamaha Music Education System and this format of music education that changes the opinion of even the toughest critics of group lessons?
WHAT PRIVATE LESSONS OFFER
Regardless of the bias, no one can argue that private music lessons have one big benefit over group; the pacing of lesson material is completely tailored to the individual student. This of course is the reason that so many well-meaning and thoughtful parents opt for the traditional or private format to start their children in music lessons. It seems totally logical that with more personalized attention and the ability to pace the material to match the needs of their child, it would equate into better value, accelerated progression, and ultimately better results. Add to this the majority of independent music teachers recommending the private format for beginning students along with many “commercial” schools offering a very poor quality group alternative; it makes sense that most would feel convinced about the efficacy of private vs. group. However the practical reality paints an entirely different picture.
HOW GROUP OUTPERFORMS PRIVATE FOR BEGINNING STUDENTS
It is important to clarify that there is no “one size fits all” group lesson format. Each program has to be judged upon its own merits, and the quality varies dramatically from one program to another. However, for the purpose of this article, when I refer to a “group” program, I am talking only about professionally run ensemble based programs which incorporate an intelligently designed curriculum, trained professional teachers, competent classroom management and facilitation, and proper filters (age and skill set are appropriately matched)
There are numerous benefits to a professionally delivered group or ensemble format vs. private for beginning students that include social interaction, positive peer motivation, retention of content, enhanced attention span and more robust musical skill set at an earlier age.
SOCIAL INTERACTION
That we live in a world with numerous ways for our children to socially interact and connect through new technologies and several options for academic, athletic and arts related extra-curricular activities is not in dispute. Children are used to learning, creating and playing in socially interactive environments and in some ways have come to expect it; socially dynamic settings that incorporate opportunities to connect with people make learning enjoyable and engaging. Given that reality, a well-run group music experience feels natural, pleasurable and relevant to most children. Even those parents who are concerned about shyness and integration with other kids usually find that when their children are placed in a group format with a trained coach, they “come out of their shell” when the enjoyment of making music with friends takes over their shyness. Most kids who start out with two to four years of group lessons before switching to a private format, associate learning music with enjoyment and pleasure; an absolutely critical foundation to establish during the formative years. When the first experiences with music are positive, socially dynamic, and emotionally satisfying, the groundwork has been laid to eventually incorporate highly disciplined and rigorous training with specialty one on one coaches.
Oftentimes, students who start in a private lesson experience feel music is an isolating and lonely experience which feeling lasts with them throughout their lives: the demons of stage fright, shyness and fear to play in front of friends or family are all too common for those who have learned to play exclusively in a private format throughout their formative years and adolescence years. When the time comes to engage in this type of rigorous training and the student is free from any negative baggage associated with an over-disciplined early experience, the private format doesn’t rob them of the joy of playing music that many skilled musicians struggle with throughout their lives. This is one of the most important reasons that I unhesitatingly recommend a group format for two to four years either in conjunction with a private lesson (which is ideal but seldom practical) or exclusively group before private coaching on its own is considered.
 
POSITIVE PEER MOTIVATION
A well-organized group format provides an incentive for each student to practice at home in order to keep the integrity and flow of the group. Well run group classes take advantage of the opportunity to have students play pieces in an ensemble as well as solo format in front of their peers. This not only gives a reason to practice, but it also allows students to see other student’s weakness and strengths, and identify the same pros and cons in their own playing; a very positive motivator and learning tool.
RETENTION OF CONTENT
I have observed over the years another huge benefit of the group dynamic; higher retention of information. It is extremely difficult to keep a 4-7 year old engaged in a private lesson. Few children can sit still on a bench for more than 20 min with one way information being directed at them from the teacher.
We have found that kids can easily handle a Yamaha Group Piano class for a full hour as the time is interspersed with physical activities (marching together to different rhythms) musical games (that teach rudiments) and ensemble playing and solo playing. The hour is rich with content and because the dynamic is constantly stimulating incorporating different activities, the attention span is dramatically increased.
The content that we can deliver to young children in a group format over a period of 3-4 years is almost 4x’s the amount of content we could deliver in the best private lesson with a top notch coach. Content such as ear training, basics of harmony, rhythmical styles, counting, form, dynamics, improvisation and the basics of composing are extremely difficult to teach in a private lesson format during the formative years at the same level of engagement. We have observed over and over again that students who have completed 3-4 years of Yamaha Group Piano lessons have triple or quadruple the skills of those who have studied during the same amount of time in private lessons with the very best coaches.
ENHANCED ATTENTION SPAN
The reason that Yamaha Group Piano students can absorb so much more musical knowledge in a shorter period of time is the enhanced level of engagement and attention span the student experiences. When we are learning even the most complex skills like language and math, when we are enjoying ourselves, having fun, and feeling the experience is relevant, our ability to process complex material dramatically increases. The sometimes boring and mundane experience of even the best private lessons cannot replicate the dynamic of a vibrant, exciting and stimulating class experience. When most children learn their first language, they don’t have a sense of how difficult it because they so desperately want to learn how to communicate and interact. When we try to replicate a need to learn the complex language of music by making it relevant (playing with others, interacting socially etc., utilizing technology etc.) the rate of learning increases dramatically.
INCREASE SKILL SET AT AN EARLIER AGE
This all equates to a significantly broader skill set that translates into deeper musicianship and a more entrenched understanding of musical principles. Because Yamaha students receive significantly more content over a 3-4 year period, enjoy a more stimulating and engaging dynamic, have less performance fear and enjoy the experience of making music with their friends, they are much more prepared to study from a private coach and get much more value from the experience. Those that learn in this order and move to a private lesson when appropriate, and continue some kind of specialty group option at the same time, end up becoming the most accomplished students and literate musicians. They are also far more likely to keep playing and having music stay part of their whole lives in meaningful and enjoyable ways.
 *Note: Although there are very few examples of a child not being able to fit into a group format (approximately 5%) all the rest benefit from the experience. There are numerous advantages to group vs. private for the first years, but the most important benefit is that it develops better musicians and does it in a much faster and more enjoyable and humanistic way.
Observing so many students over almost two decades has convinced me and thousands of parents that this is the best way to teach music to young children, regardless of aptitude, intelligence or potential. As the proverbial saying goes, “the proof is in the pudding”.
Celine Sie

Why is my child learning note-reading not by letter names like C-D-E but by solfege like Do-Re-Mi?

The short answer is that people who use some kind of solfège system (solmization), ANY kind of solfège, tend to gain fluency with pitch faster and more thoroughly than people who use no system. So, the first “rule” of ear training is that one should pick a solfège system and stick to it.C-Major-Solfege1

The long answer is that solmization is used in all parts of the world. Europe, China, Korea, Japan, India, and Indonesia all have solmization schemes. For example, the syllables in India are:

sa – ri – ga – ma – / / – pa – dha – ni – (sa)

The old syllables in Japan are:

i  –  ro  –  ha  –  ni  –  ho  –  he  –  to  –  (i)

In most cultures solmization is a way of naming pitches, identifying relationships between pitches, representing a modal scheme (an arrangement of the different sizes of musical steps), or a combination of these. People who use solfège syllables are associating a “word” with a pitch, or with a place on a scale, or with a relationship (interval). Though we can certainly learn to hear these relationships without a solfège system, most cultures have found that solmization is a way of becoming facile with pitch, of rationalizing sound. Imagine trying to represent colors to yourself and to others without words for those colors. Solmization gives words to pitch.

Learning solfège can be frustrating, especially in the beginning of aural skills. In Aural Theory I the melodies are so easy at first that the solfège just seems to get in the way. The ease with which you can sing these early melodies, though, gives you time to practice thoroughly the syllables that go with them. With time you will begin to associate those syllables with the pitches and intervals in these early melodies. It is important, therefore, that even if you CAN sing these melodies perfectly without the syllables, you should practice the syllables until they are fluent.

In schools of music in the United States and Canada there are primarily three systems of solfège: Fixed Do, Moveable Do, and Numbers. Each of these systems offers advantages and disadvantages.

Fixed Do makes the syllable “Do” always equivalent to C, no matter what the key, no matter what the accidental. Cb, C, C# are all “Do” in every key. Db, D, D# are all “Re” in every key, etc.

Do = C,  Re = D,  Mi = E,  Fa = F,  Sol = G,  La = A,  Ti = B

The fixed-do system is used in France, Italy, Spain, and much of Central and South America. In addition, Asian countries like Korea and Japan, which have been imperialized by Western music, have adopted the fixed do system. When the system is used in schools in the United States, it is often the case that the school in question once hired French, Italian, or Spanish instructors to teach ear training.

The advantage to the fixed-do system is that students who use it consistently begin to attain something close to acquired pitch (perfect pitch), the ability to identify pitch names without being given a reference pitch. The disadvantage of the fixed-do system is that students who use it often fail to hear the relationships between pitch that are so crucial to understanding tonal music. For example, I once had a student with acquired pitch who absolutely could not transpose a melody into another key. She literally could not hear the intervals between pitches.

Students fluent in the fixed-do system often exhibit remarkable musical abilities, including an advanced capability to sight-read. However, consideration must be given to the fact that in countries where the fixed-do system is in use, musicians often learn solfège at a very young age and frequently are required to sing pieces in solfège before they learn to play them on their instrument.

To better understanding of this music system, please attend a trial class at 7 Notes in order to experience the Yamaha difference in music education!

Celine Sie
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Viva! - Singing Club

Lesson Details
- Age: 8 - 14 years
- Session: September to June
- 60 min weekly group class
- Performance opportunities: annual Holiday & June concerts, Community functions and events, Retirement centers, Children's festivals and production with other community based arts groups

The mission of Viva! is to nurture & develop children from diverse backgrounds in the joy and discipline of high-quality singing, music education and performance; and to offer a curriculum of varied repertoire including classical, popular, and multicultural music. The music we perform comes from all over the world and is sung in many languages.

Technical Skills includes:

  • Diction, Breathing, Posture and Warming-Up to help develop the voice
  • Music Theory
  • Sight Singing in basic solfege (do, re, mi, fa, sol, ...)
  • Ear-Training
  • Basics of good vocal production
  • Musicianship & Performance Etiquette
  • Work with multiple-part songs

Repertoire includes:

  • Inspirational songs of love & peace
  • International folk songs
  • World music
  • Classical music
  • Broadway show tunes
  • Popular music
  • Disney

*Private vocal coaching is offered to singers in group

For more information, contact 972-335-5112 or visit www.7-notes.com

Celine Sie

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Welcome to the educational life of Yamaha

Yamaha was founded in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha.yamaha Driven by a passion for music making, innovation and excellence, his vision remains as clear a driving force in the company today as it was when he founded it.

Yamaha is now the world’s most successful and diverse manufacturer of musical instruments for professional musicians, educators and the vast numbers of inspired amateurs throughout the world. For our entire history we have a track record of developing strong relationships with leading educators and prominent institutions who share our ambition of cultural enrichment through music and excellence in the arts. These partnerships often inspire innovation and guide us towards the design of new instruments. Yamaha’s enviable position as a leading musical instrument maker is largely due to the fact that music education is central to many of our core activities. Also vital is the strong heritage of traditional instrument craftsmanship which we continue, combined with a pioneering position in the field of music technology.

These factors have led to significant advances which have benefited musicians at all levels. Our unique instrument development programmes are supported by a world-beating infrastructure of music educational support, through our own Yamaha Music Schools, teacher support schemes, artist masterclasses and symphony orchestra initiatives. These Yamaha-led initiatives are complemented by a huge range of creative partnerships with many schools, colleges and conservatories throughout USA, Canada, South America, Europe and Asia.

To learn more of Yamaha Music Education, call today @ 972-335-5112 or visit www.7-notes.com

Celine Sie

For teaching Repertoire, each process has significant purpose. At home, it is important to review and repeat what have been learned at the lesson.

Listening5554-thumb

In the lesson:

Listening to the model performance of the teacher or the CD.

By listening to the entire piece children get a clear idea of the piece and are motivated to sing and play.

At home:

Please listen to the CD as many times as possible.

 

Singing

In the lesson:

Singing with worlds or by solfege

Children sing by solfege to express the mood and characteristics of the piece. Singing repeatedly enhances their motivation to play the music.

At home:

Please listen to the CD.  You may sing along with the CD.

 

Playing

In the lesson:

Playing while singing by solfege.

Playing while children sing fosters their aural ability.

Playing the right and left hand parts separately.

Playing the chords while listening to the melody cultivates the sense of harmony.  Team playing with friends or with the teacher develops the sense of even tempo.

Playing with both hands.

Playing with both hands repeatedly helps develop children’s playing skills, as well as further developing their sense of harmony.

At home:

It is important to play in the same way as your child have sung.  When playing the melody, please let your child sing by solfege.

 

Reading

In the lesson:

Confirming the piece they have just played by following the score.

When they learned to play the piece which they started by listening, they finally confirm its score with their own eyes. In the Junior Music Course, children are not taught to play by looking at the score, but they follow the score in the textbook of the piece they have played.  It aims at arousing their interest in written music.

At home:

Once your child becomes able to pay a piece, please encourage him/her to repeat playing, so that the piece is learned as part of the repertoires she/she can play any time.  Having many repertoires helps enhance the overall ability.

 

Significance of Reading in the Yamaha - Junior Music Course (JMC)

Playing immediately after reading the scores requires various abilities, such as:

“Score” is the language of music, or the symbols that describe music to be recreated.

You could say that it is just like reading a book.

Think how children learn to speak.

First they hear the words and understand their meaning. They do not initially understand the meaning by reading words or sentences, for which interest and willingness are essential. Learning music is the same.

“Timely Education” is one of the characteristics of the JMC.

Children’s hearing ability develops remarkably during this period.  We focus on nurturing the ability to listen to and capture the music as whole, as well as musical sensitivity and the willingness to express themselves through music.

During the lesson, children trace the notes of the repertoire pieces which they have played and confirm them on the board, so that they are motivated to have interest in the written scores.

Yamaha_chart

 

To learn more of Yamaha Music Education, call today @ 972-335-5112 or visit www.7-notes.com

Celine Sie
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For teaching Repertoire, each process has significant purpose. At home, it is important to review and repeat what have been learned at the lesson.

Listening5554-thumb

In the lesson:

Listening to the model performance of the teacher or the CD.

By listening to the entire piece children get a clear idea of the piece and are motivated to sing and play.

At home:

Please listen to the CD as many times as possible.

 

Singing

In the lesson:

Singing with worlds or by solfege

Children sing by solfege to express the mood and characteristics of the piece. Singing repeatedly enhances their motivation to play the music.

At home:

Please listen to the CD.  You may sing along with the CD.

 

Playing

In the lesson:

Playing while singing by solfege.

Playing while children sing fosters their aural ability.

Playing the right and left hand parts separately.

Playing the chords while listening to the melody cultivates the sense of harmony.  Team playing with friends or with the teacher develops the sense of even tempo.

Playing with both hands.

Playing with both hands repeatedly helps develop children’s playing skills, as well as further developing their sense of harmony.

At home:

It is important to play in the same way as your child have sung.  When playing the melody, please let your child sing by solfege.

 

Reading

In the lesson:

Confirming the piece they have just played by following the score.

When they learned to play the piece which they started by listening, they finally confirm its score with their own eyes. In the Junior Music Course, children are not taught to play by looking at the score, but they follow the score in the textbook of the piece they have played.  It aims at arousing their interest in written music.

At home:

Once your child becomes able to pay a piece, please encourage him/her to repeat playing, so that the piece is learned as part of the repertoires she/she can play any time.  Having many repertoires helps enhance the overall ability.

 

Significance of Reading in the Yamaha - Junior Music Course (JMC)

Playing immediately after reading the scores requires various abilities, such as:

“Score” is the language of music, or the symbols that describe music to be recreated.

You could say that it is just like reading a book.

Think how children learn to speak.

First they hear the words and understand their meaning. They do not initially understand the meaning by reading words or sentences, for which interest and willingness are essential. Learning music is the same.

“Timely Education” is one of the characteristics of the JMC.

Children’s hearing ability develops remarkably during this period.  We focus on nurturing the ability to listen to and capture the music as whole, as well as musical sensitivity and the willingness to express themselves through music.

During the lesson, children trace the notes of the repertoire pieces which they have played and confirm them on the board, so that they are motivated to have interest in the written scores.

Yamaha_chart

 

To learn more of 7 Notes, call today @ 972-335-5112 or visit www.7-notes.com

Celine Sie

WHAT IS SUZUKI VIOLIN EDUCATION?
“Where love is deep, much can be accomplished” - Dr. Shinichi Suzuki (1898 – 1998)

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The Suzuki method is an internationally respected approach to teaching music.
It was developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, a violin maker’s son, just after the Second World War.
His method is based on the belief that, if nurtured, all children can learn.  It is a philosophy that directly challenges the common myth that only certain people can master certain skills.  He did not believe that musical talent is “inborn.”  Instead, he felt that with good teaching and the right environment every child could learn to play an instrument well.

THE SUZUKI APPROACH
based on the Mother Tongue Method, differs from traditional methods of teaching instrumental music.
Because the students begin instruction at a very early age, parent participation is essential.
Some of the basic principles and ingredients of the Suzuki approach are:
1. Develop the Home Environment. Daily listening to recordings of the Suzuki repertoire, as well as good music in general, is the nucleus of the Suzuki approach. A musical home environment develops musical sensitivity in the student. The more the student listens to his/her CDs, the more quickly he/she learns. This approach derives from the way all normal children learn to speak their native language.
2. Begin as Early as Possible. Dr. Suzuki recommends that ability development begin at birth. Formal training with an instrument may be started as early as age 4.
3. Move in Small Steps. This allows the student to master the material with a total sense of success, thereby building confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Each child progresses at his/her own pace.
4. Mother or Father Attends All Lessons and works with the student at home. The parent is the child's most influential helper - providing constant encouragement and motivation. The parent ensures daily listening to the repertoire. The parent learns the fundamentals of playing the instrument in order to facilitate the home practice; the parent acquires basic music reading skills as they apply to the piano.
5. Create an Enjoyable Learning Environment in lessons and home practice. This allows much of the child's motivation to come from enthusiasm for learning and desire to please. With praise and positive reinforcement from teacher and parent, the student continues to advance in an atmosphere of enjoyment and understanding. When working with children Dr. Suzuki says we must come "down to their physical limitations and up to their sense of wonder and awe".
6. Group Lessons, in addition to individual lessons, and observation of other students' lessons are valuable aids to motivation. The child learns from advanced students, peers and the teacher. Children love to do what they see other children do.
7. Foster an Attitude of Cooperation, not competition, among students - of supportiveness for each other's accomplishments.
8. Begin Music Reading when the child's aural and instrumental skills are well established, just as we teach children to read a language only after they speak. This enables the main focus of the teacher's and student's attention to be on tonalization; beautiful tone and musical phrasing then become a basic part of the student's earliest training.
9. Follow the Suzuki Repertoire Sequence. Each piece is a building block for the student's careful development. Equally important is the strong motivation this standardized repertoire provides; students want to play what they hear other students play. Constant repetition of the old pieces in a student's repertoire is the secret of the performance ability of Suzuki students.

small-girl-violin-studio

To experience the result of Suzuki Violin, book your complimentary lesson with 7 Notes - Suzuki certified teacher today @ 972-335-5112 or visit www.7-notes.com